Festivals of India - Diwali

Wishing you all a very  Happy and Prosperous Deepawali 

New Stamp from India

Varanasi City

Date of Issue : 24 October 2016

Commemorative Stamp on Varanasi City released on 24th October 2016. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, unveiled several development schemes in Varanasi on 24th October 2016 during his visit to Varanasi. He inaugurated  Varanasi Postal Region. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Governor of Uttar Pradesh Shri Ram Naik and MoS for Communications and Railways Shri Manoj Sinha released commemorative stamp on Varanasi city at the function held at Varanasi on 24th October 2016.

Results of Indian participants at TAIPEI 2016

PHILATAIPEI 2016 world Stamp Championship Exhibition is being held from October 21 to 26, 2016 at Taipei World Trade Centre, Taipei, Taiwan to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Chunghwa Post. The exhibition will have 2400 frames. There are 12 exhibits participating from India. Anil Suri is the National Commissioner from India, A R Singhee is a member of the Jury from India.

Results of Indian participants at TAIPEI 2016

Dr KS Mohan, Pradip Jain. Rajan Jayakar, Anil Suri, Subrajyoti Behera

Congratulations to all Winners !

1. KS Mohan - Postal History of Cochin - Large Vermeil

2. Pradip Jain - Mahatma Gandhi- A life in service of humanity - Vermeil

3. Rajan Jayakar - Fiscals of British India Judicial and Non Judicial Issues (1800-1900-           Vermeil

4 .Angeet Suri - Fiscals of Jodhpur -  Large Vermeil

5.  Anil Suri - Fiscals of Mysore - Large Vermeil

6.  Abhishek S. - Winged Beauties - Bronze

7.  Muskan Malhotra - The Elephant Worlds - Bronze

8.  Raghav Jhunjhunwala - World of Cricket - Silver

9.  Subhrajyoti Behera - Wonders of Nature - Conserve it or lose it - Large Silver

10.  Rohit Prasad - India 1929 Air Mail Stamps - A study of constant varieties - Silver

11.  SC Sukhani - Handstruck Postage Stamps of Calcutta - 78 Points


Courtesy - Madhukar Jhingan ( Stamps of India )

New Stamps on Christmas

Date of Issue : 2 November 2016

Here are five new  stamps to be issued by New Zealand Post on 2nd of November that welcome the upcoming winter holidays.The beautifully illustrated stamps in this issue feature key characters from the nativity story: Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, a shepherd and a wise man. 

New Special Cover

BHAIRONDAN SETHIA  19 October 2016

Mr. Arjun Ram Meghwal, State Minster for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India issued a special cover on famous Jain personality Late Shri Bhairondan Sethia at Bikaner on 19^th Oct. 2016. Social worker and educationist Shri Sethia had established various educational institutions and libraries in Bikaner and also preserved artwork. Bikaner MLA Sidhdhi Kumari, Supt. of Post offices Shri S. S. Shekhawat, Mayor Narayan Chopra etc. were present in the release function. Senior Philatelist of Delhi Shri Lalit Kumar Nahata was instrumental in release of this special cover and special cancellation.

- Sudhir Jain - Satna (MP)

New Stamps from India - Birds : Series 1 - Near Threatened

Birds - Near Threatened

Series 1

Date of Issue : 17 October 2016

India Post released a set of 4 postage stamps on Near Threatened Birds in the denomination of Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 15, and Rs 25 depicting Nicobar Pigeon, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Andaman Woodpecker, and Black & Orange Flycatcher respectively on October 17, 2016. A miniature sheet and five different sheetlets of 16 stamps each, one for each value and one mixed, were brought out on the occasion. There are no regular sheets for this issue.

Courtesy - Stamps of India

New Special Cover

A new Special Cover was released at Tirunelveli, on 8 September 2016 to commemorate Silver Jubilee of Manonmanian Sundaranar University.

- Kasinath R. - Tanjore : email : kasinath80@gmail.com

Stamp on Maharaja Agrasen by Maldives Post

Date of Issue : 1 October 2016

 Maldives Post has issued a stamp on Maharaja Agrasen to commemorate Agrasen Jayanti on 1st October, 2016.The stamp has been issued under the series of “Inventions and Explorations” along with other personalities like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Christopher Columbus, Charles Darwin & Valentina Tereshkova.

Maldives produced the postage stamp on October 1, in a symbolic gesture of appreciation of the close ties between India and Maldives – and to further develop the ties – especially in business.

Maharaja Agrasen was a legendary Indian king (Maharaja) of Agroha, acity of traders. The Agrawal and Agrahari communities are descendents from him. He is credited with the establishment of a kingdom of traders in North India named Agroha, and is known for his compassion in refusing to slaughter animals in yajnas.

Only 1,200 limited edition copies of the stamp have been produced, out of which 1,000 will be sold to Indian businessmen and businesswomen. A copy of the stamp has also been presented to the Indian government.

New Special Covers

Two Special covers were released during   Ballaripex-2016  recently held from 24 - 26 September 2016 at Ballari .

Ballari Fort: Situated in the historic city of Ballari, the fort was built in two parts, namely, the Upper Fort and the Lower Fort. The upper part was built by Hanumappa Nayaka, a feudatory of Vijayanagara Empire while the lower part was built by Hyder Ali, The Sultan of Mysore. The fort has fine ramparts with several historical and religious monuments. The upper fort has a citadel with several ancient tanks while the lower fort housed the arsenal.

Lotus Mahal , Hampi: This is an exquisite pavilion in the walled area of 'Zenana' (women's quarters). it is believed that the women of the royal family, who lived in the nearby Queen's Palace, disported themselves in the water pavilion within their protected enclosure and met in the Lotus Palace. The palace is a complex and intricate blend of Indo-Islamic architecture and gets its name from the lotus bud carved on its domed and vaulted ceiling. Hampi ruins, the former capital of the Vijaynagara Empire are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

-Suresh R. - Bangalore : email : suresh.hobbies@gmail.com

Endangered animals on new Australean stamps

Date of Issue : 20 September 2016

seven special stamps by Australia Post representing endangered animals that are part of current zoo and/or other conservation programs in Australia. These animals are at risk of extinction and are classified as either Endangered or Critically Endangered according to Australian and international measures. Three animals are exotic and four are native. The critically endangered animals are depicted here individually.

The large definitive stamp, representing the Southern Corroboree Frog Pseudophryne corroboree, commemorates the centenary of Taronga Zoo in NSW, which has breeding programs for this rare frog. At just 2.5–3cm in length, this small, brightly coloured amphibian is one of the world’s rarest frogs.

The carnivorous Snow Leopard Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia is a large cat native to mountain ranges of central and south Asia at altitudes of 3,000 to 4,500 metres. These cats are rarely seen because they inhabit harsh terrain with an extreme climate and are distributed across a range of over two million square kilometres across 12 countries.

The Asian Elephant Elephas maximus used to roam over most of Asia, but is now restricted to just 15 per cent of its original range. The population has declined by at least 50 per cent over the last 60–75 years. The most recent estimate of the global population is 41,430.

The Western Lowland Gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla is a large primate native to the rainforests of central Africa, specifically in lowland forest and swamp forest from sea level to about 1,600 metres. Gorillas are mainly herbivorous. Their staple foods are pith, shoots and leaves. They also eat many species of fruit.

The short-necked freshwater Western Swamp Tortoise Pseudemydura umbrina is found only in two locations in a small area of the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia. It is Australia’s most endangered reptile and measures just 11 to 13cm from nose to tail.

One of the world’s rarest and most endangered species, the Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster, is on the brink of extinction. It is listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act and on the IUCN Red List.

The Northern Quoll Dasyurus hallucatus is a small, omnivorous marsupial that once occurred across extensive areas of northern Australia. It has now contracted to only isolated populations.

MS Subbulaxmi on special personalized stamp sheet by UNPA

Special personalized Stamp sheet on legendary singer MS Subbulakshmi issued by UNPA

Date of Issue : 2 October 2016

M.S. Subbulakshmi is a legendary Indian musician and the most celebrated singer from Carnatic music tradition. She was the first musician ever to be awarded Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor and also the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, often regarded as Asian Nobel Prize.

Subbulakshmi is also the first Indian to perform at the United Nations in 1966 on the occasion of UN Day. The background photograph is from her performance at the UN. UNPA  commemorated this special occasion with the issuance of a special event personalized sheet of ten $1.20 denominated stamps on 2 October 2016.

- Cdr. G Sri Ramarao,I.N,(Retd.) - Bangalore

Memorable Moments 2 - Naturepex 2016

Mr Rajesh Kr Bagri giving presentation on Thematic Philately

Philately quiz competition conducted by Mr. Bibhudutt Mishra

Procession of Horse carried mail

Mr. Ravindra Wamanacharya with his exhibit "Call of wild Special covers"

Mr. Ravindra Wamanacharya receing award

Exhibit Rainbow - by Jeevan Jyoti sp GPA award in One Frame Cateogory

Exhibit - Climate Change by Ajay Srivastav Dehradun

Mr. Anand Kakad - receiving Gold Medal

Mr. Sandip Chaurasia receiving certificate

Courtesy - Ravindra Wamanacharya - Nashik

Greetings on Dussehra

Festivals of India - Dusshera

Wishing you all a very Happy Dussehra and Durgar Puja !

New Stamp from India - Induction of C-130

India Post released a commemorative postage stamp in the denomination of Rs 5 to mark the Induction of Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules Aircraft in to Indian Air force at the “At Home” Function hosted by Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, the Chief of the Air Staff on the occasion of the Air Force Day, in New Delhi on October 06, 2016.

Courtesy - Stamps of India

World Post Day

World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October. The event was declared by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo as a means to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union's (UPU) creation in 1874.

The purpose of World Post Day is to bring awareness to the Post's role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as its contribution to global social and economic development.

As a result, the UPU's member countries are encouraged to organize their own national activities to celebrate the event, including everything from the introduction or promotion of new postal products and services, to the organization of open days at post offices, mail centres and postal museums.

For countries participating in the UPU International Letter-Writing Competition, national winners are often honoured on 9 October.

Memorable Moments : Naturepex - 2016, Bhubanehwar

Mayurika Shah n Eeshita Basu Roy

Exhibitors with Mr Rakesh Bagri ( Jury Member)

Shubhrajyoti Behera, Anup Rout,Anand Maruti,Bibhudutta Mishra n Ravindra Wamnacharya

Ms Mayurika Shah receiving award ( Gold Medal Winner)

Mr A Srinivasan ( Gold Medal Winner)  receiving  Baroda Philatelic Society special Award 

A. Srinivasan

Shubrajyoti Behera with Mr Anil Dhir

Mrs Eeshita Basu Roy receiving award

Mr SS Rath receiving award

Mr Anup Rout receiving award

Sandeep Chaurasia

Souvik Roy, Eeshita Basu Roy, Prashant Pandya

Horse carried covers were carried from Naturepex 2016 venue to KiiT Post Office with procession.

Image Courtesy - Eeshita Basu Roy, Sandeep Chaurasia,Shubhrajyoti Behera, Anand Maruti Kakad, Mayurika Shah, Anup Rout, Prashant Pandya, Sumon Poddar, Ajit Dash