The pictorial postmark is featuring a feather of a peacock.
Gunjan Maithel, Mrs Anita Maithel, , Shri PC Agrawal, Ajay Srivastav, Abhai Mishra, Rajesh Verma
Celebrating 100th Issue of Rainbow Stamp News
Interview with Shri PC Agrawal
1.
At
the age of 85, you look so enthusiastic, energetic and willing to do something or the other. Your
life has been full of thrill, creativity, and adventure. Your brief opinion
about your life?
Live the life to the
fullest and enjoy every moment of it as you can live once only .In fact,
exploring and living the life as far as possible has been my mission since my childhood. So, I believe how old you get it
does not matter till you are young at heart. Creativity is one which gives
immense satisfaction and enjoy . So, I tried my best throughout my life to
learn more, to explore and to enjoy the life beside doing my duties honestly.
2.
It
is seen that children are the one who easily get attracted to the beautiful and
mesmerizing colors of the stamps. Tell us something about how you got in to the
world of philately. Also tell about your philatelic interests.
In my case also I was attracted
towards the beautiful stamps at the age of 14. One of my friends introduced me
to his father who was a veteran philatelist who practically introduced me to
the stamps and from here my journey to the world of stamps started. In 1947 a
refugee laborer from Peshawar working at a house gave me 100 years old Indian
stamps of the British era to boost my thirst for stamps. My philatelic
interests are many such as Indian Stamps, Assorted stamps, Indian postal
history covers, FDC’s etc. I have put them in albums, stock books and also some
stamps are affixed in pre printed albums.
3.
Philately is king of hobbies and hobby of
kings? How far this statement is justified in today’s scenario? What is that
which you admire the most in philately?
Beyond any doubt, philately in king of hobbies but I
slightly differ from the statement as now it is hobby of masses. It caters to a
very simple poor person to a King. Philately has in its store so much to
deliver. With spread of so many fields of philately, it serves every one.
Thematic philately touches hearts of every one. Yes, postal history is a costly
affair.
The versatility, the vastness, the colours of the stamps,
the journey of a letter from sender to the addressee .. are all which I like
the most. Indian stamps do have special place in my heart.
Philatelic clubs and societies play a
vital role in development and promotion of philately &
helps to enjoy and explore philately. How do you feel after joining the
Doon Philatelic Club.
Yes, philatelic clubs and societies are very essential
for development and promotion of philately. There are digital sites, magazines,
journals, exchange and sale purchase sites but local clubs have their own importance.
Everyone looks for appreciation. The will to share and learn is always there.
The clubs and societies do the same. These also helps in strengthening the bond
of friendship and brotherhood.
I feel very happy
and also proud to be member of Doon Philatelic Club. The composition of its
members has versatility as members
belong to different age groups, have different
philatelic interests, there are very senior and renowned philatelists, people
from different walks of life are there….. all bunched together in this club
gives me immense pleasure. I mean there is lot which can be learnt and
delivered amongst the members. I am
thankful to all the members who elected me the founder president of the club.
5.
You are
a man with versatile personality who enjoyed the life in open manner. A
photographic genius, asocial worker, a hardcore Violin Player, the first
man who went on India Tour on a motor cycle,..a
man who was looking forward for world tour on motorcycle, a man who promoted
art, drama and culture during his college days…. I mean its amazing. Please tell us briefly about some
of these interesting aspects of your personality?
As I have already opined that I wanted to enjoy every moment
of life so I tried my best in all the
possible ways. Photography always fascinated me. I had a LEICA and a ROLICARD
camera in those days . I was in to music since my childhood (at the age of 12) and
got training for Instrumental music. Yes, Violin has been very close to my
heart and I excelled in violin playing too. Becoming first man to have
travelled throughout India in 1958 on
Royal Enfield motorcycle. This gave me strength as it was very difficult
in those days to think and more to
complete such solo journey. It was tough and full of adventure crossing rivers,
passing through dense forests, deserts, meeting with minor accident ,facing
motorcycle breakdown in remote area, passing nights on road side etc. etc.. .Drama and stage plays were close to my heart. I was the founder
president of the JUNIOR CHAMBERS in 1965 under which I started the GANDI
CENTANERY EYE HOSPITAL in Dehradun. I was also selected in J.S.W.(Army) though
I didn’t peruse it. I am thankful to my
family who always encouraged me to live the life to the fullest. My wife too
has been an excellent painter. I won’ t
say I have achieved whatever I wanted
but I am satisfied with what I could do but of course, there is still desire to
do something new…
6.
Rainbow is an established philatelic
digital journal. How do you feel after having copies of Rainbow in your hand/on
your desktop. Tell some thing about your experience about such journals and
their place in promotion of philately ?
Rainbow is truly a
marvelous philatelic journal which covers various desired aspects of philately
and keeps the readers updated. In a short span of time, Rainbow has become my
necessity as I enjoy reading the contents again and again. My thanks to Mrs.
Jeevan Jyoti who puts so much of hard work into it. The regular contributors like
Mr. Naresh Agarwal, Dr. Satyendra Agrawal and Dr. Jagtap etc. too deserve all appreciation. My sincere
thanks to all of them.
Yes, philatelic journals and magazines are essential for
new and veteran stamp lovers and philatelists. They help in promotion and
development of philately as they serve knowledge and act as platform to put
your views.
As you have told, you have collected
philatelic material on different aspects of philately. Tell us about your plans
about what you are going to do with the philatelic assets you have. Are you
going to dispose that off or planning to preserve the same?
I do have sufficient philatelic material like stamps and
covers of different era and countries which I love and love only. Apart from
philatelic material I do have good number of memorabilia . I have never thought
of disposing those off through sales. My children want those to be
preserved and give an opportunity to the
coming generations to know about their family. I have good number of marvelous
pieces of precision paintings done by my wife on thin cloth. The methodology to
preserve the things is being worked upon by my children who love me the most.
8.
In the modern world, when the life styles and
priorities have changed, many new sports and hobbies including virtual games
have emerged, children have become more conscious about their career; how can philately
survive? What are the affects of over-commercialization of the hobby?
Philately
is king of hobbies and is immortal. There may be emergence of thousands of new
hobbies but their effect is short term. Their lives are limited. Like new songs which have very limited life. I have
firm belief that “Old is Gold”. .Yes, priorities have changed, aspiration are
different, life has become fast… but you know one has to stop somewhere.. and
there philately serves as friend and healer which gives relief.. satisfaction,
joy and pleasure.
Yes,
commercialization has given new direction to the hobby as it has limited the
birth of new philatelists. But It is a temporary phase which will pass and has short
term effects.
9. Finally,
your views about your family support in your philatelic journey and your message to the youngsters regarding
adopting philately as hobby when there are several means of entertainment
mainly the digital
.
As
already mentioned by me, my family has always been a big support for me. My
parents encouraged me when I was child and young, my wife always stood by me
and my children are always my admirer. I
will advise youngsters to live the life happily. Work hard with full devotion
and dedication. Philately is such a hobby which stays in heart not in brain.
Live the life through brain and love the life through heart.
Interview : Naresh Agrawal
