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Heritage Walk

As announced earlier ‘Heritage Walk through Stamps’ has been scheduled on 17th December 2009 at 2.00 pm. The organizers have also planned to make a replica of ‘Bullock Tram’ which was running between Dabhoi and Miyagam from 1862 to 1880 with two bullocks. This float of Bullock Tram will be a part of Heritage Walk through stamps and shall proceed from Vadodara Head Post Office to the Venue of Stampmania 2009. Special Carried Covers will be carried through this ‘Bullock Tram” from Vadodara Head Post Office to Stampmania 2009. Inauguration of Stampmania 2009 has been scheduled at 5.30 pm on 17th December 2009 after the Heritage Walk through Stamps.Those who are arriving at Baroda are requested to assemble at Vadodara Head Post Office at 1.30 pm. Philatelic Organisations can bring their banners/ placards to display at Heritage Walk.

Detailed Programme

Date: 17th December 2009

Heritage Walk through Stamps: Time: 2.00 pm.

Start Point/Venue: Vadodara Head Post Office, Vadodara

End Point: Kirti Mandir, Opp. S. S. G. Hospital, Vadodara

Inauguration of Exhibition: 5.30 pm by Ms. Karuna Pillai, Chief Postmaster General, Gujarat Circle.

Venue: Shree Saurashtra Leuva Patel Seva Samaj, Near B. I. D. C., Alembic Road, Gorwa, Vadodara - 390 003

Exhibition Dates: 18 to 20 December 2009.

Exhibition Time: 10.00 am to 6 pm (18 & 19 December 2009), 10.00 am to 5 pm (20 December 2009 )

For more details visit : http://www.stampmania2009.com/

Club News

News from EIPA Bhubaneshwar

Those who wish to join Eastern India Philatelic Association may contact Mr Shanti Swaroop Rath for application form at venue of Stampmania 2009, Vadodara from 18th to 20th December.

2010 Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Awards
National Postal Museum Now Soliciting Nominations

The National Postal Museum is currently soliciting nominations for philatelists who will be recognized with the 2010 Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Awards. The award honors Americans and individuals from around the world for outstanding lifetime accomplishments in the field of philately. The achievements can include original research that significantly advances our understanding of philately and postal history; exceptional service to the philatelic community; and the overall promotion of philately for the benefit of current and future collectors. Awards will be presented at the museum in October of 2010.Nominations can be submitted by any individual or organization. Self-nominations will not be accepted. The nomination must be a stand-alone justification of why the candidate is being proposed and the candidate should not be aware of the nomination. The individual's lifetime philatelic achievements must be delineated in the nomination. The justifications must be between 500 - 1,000 words in length. Nominations must be received by the Nominating Committee by March 1, 2010.

The nomination must be sent in writing to the: Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award Nominating Committee, National Postal Museum, PO Box 37012, MRC-570, Washington, DC 20013-7012.

New Stamp on Braille

Date of Issue – 4 December 2009

Hi ! Here is a new stamp on Louis Braille by Slovakia issued on 4 December 2009 to commemorate 200 years of his Birth. The design of the stamp is very exclusive and is one of the most beautiful designs of this year’s Braille stamps. Its colorful with special Tab. This stamp will become favourite of all those collecting on Braille. A great appreciation for the designer of this stamp, Mr Ľubomír Paľo . In Club news, some news from our readers.This is all for Today !……Till Next Post…Have a Nice Time !..

Louis Braille

It is an exciting experience to run your fingers over a piece of paper that informs in detail. That’s what blind and visually-impaired people around the world are able to do thanks to Louis Braille, the inventor of the ingenious system used by blind people to read and write. At the age of sixteen (in 1825) he developed a system of characters with six raised dots which can be variously combined to represent the whole alphabet. The invention represented a real breakthrough on the path of knowledge, education, and self-assertion of millions of blind and visually-impaired across the world.

Louis Braille was born on 4 January 1809 in Coupvray, France, to the family of a harness maker. He was the youngest of four children. When he was just over three years old, he unfortunately lost his sight while playing in his father’s workshop. Louis Braille died on 6 January 1852 in Paris.

As a sign of the French society’s gratitude, his ashes were deposited in the Panthéon in Paris, a place of last repose for the greatest men and women of France. Several years ago, the Society of Friends of Louis Braille turned his birth house in Coupvray, located about 35 km from Paris, into a museum.

Courtesy – Postal Philatelic service, Slovakia

Club News

Hobby Festival in Delhi

The Hobby festival is the first of its kind to be organized in the Christmas break of December 2009. Stamps Coins and Banknotes will be on display for two days at the festival. On display there shall be more than 100 frames of quality stamp collections on various themes, more than 40 frames of coins and banknotes. No entry fee for exhibitors.

Closing date for exhibitors: 23^rd December 2009

Last date for article for souvenir: 22^nd December 2009

An article for the souvenir is mandatory for exhibitors.

Inauguration on 26^th December 2009 at 9.30 am

Exhibition closes at 5.30 on 27^th December 2009

Distribution of Certificate of Participation at 6.00 pm on 27^th December 2009

For details contact: 9810241363

Details of the Exhibition

Date : 26^th and 27^th December 2009 (Saturday & Sunday)

Venue : Auditorium, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya

Time : 1000 hrs to 1800 hrs (both days)

Display : Twenty five collector’s material with be on display

Coins: British India – copper and silver coins, Indian States, Mughal period coinage, Republic India etc,

Banknotes: British period, Independent India, Polymer banknotes, worldwide and thematic

Stamps: British India, India Republic, thematics and postal stationery.

Special Pmk : Two special postmarks on both the days of the exhibition

Sale counter : India Post (stamps and first day covers)

: Reserve Bank of India (new coins and banknotes)

: Army Postal Service (APS Special Covers)

: Stamp Dealers for sale of stamps and coins

- Vijay Seth, Chairman - Organizing Committee

New Blog on Gandhi

My name is Ketan Patel and I am a newbie in Gandhi Philatelic collection. Recently I joined with Maulik Thakkar who started this blog on Gandhi. Just click to view http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/

- Ketan Patel.Fremont,CA,USA

News from Gorakhpur

Philatelists from Gorakhpur making request to India Post to issue a stamp on Woman farmer. Mr Ashwani Dubey has sent the image of proposed stamp.

My Recent Covers..

Hi ! Here are some nice beautiful covers received by me recently from Croatia,Latvia,Canada & Israel. Thanks to all my friends for these nice covers. A nice cover from India is on way to you with lot of thanks. One shown above with my favourite Rainbow was sent to me by Zeljko from Coratia. Thanks Zeljko, for this nice cover. This is all in this Post……. Till Next Post ….Have a Nice Time !

Zeljko Vasilik, Croatia

EN Limansky, Latvia

Eli Moallem, Israel

Chris Godal, Canada

Chris Godal, Canada

Great Covers from Poland..

Hi ! I am writing after a gap as I was very busy during last few days. In today’s Post some of the finest FDCs from Poland sent to me by my blogger friend Andrzej. A big to him for these nice covers. I am pleased to publish them all here expressing my gratitude to Andrzej who has been so nice to send me these covers. This is all for Today ….Till Next Post….Have a Great Time !

Poczta Polska by publishing a four stamp series entitled "Animals of Africa" makes use of Tomasz Gudzowaty's ingenious photographs that represent cheetahs, zebras, antelopes, gnus and elephants. The photographs that appear on the stamps and FDC envelopes were taken in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana during 1998-1999. Two of them "First Lesson of Killing" (stamp's nominal value PLN 1.55) and "Paradise Crossing" (stamp's nominal value PLN 2.40) have been awarded in the World Press Photo contest.

POLES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Poczta Polska commemorates the achievements of Poles in exile by introducing four new stamps featuring the portraits of Jan Czochralski, Ludwik Hirszfeld, Antoni Patek and three composers: Marian Rejewski, Henryk Zygalski and Jerzy Różycki. Two FDCs present an outline of the globe with a drawing of the Polish crowned eagle imposed onto it.

200th ANNIVERSARY OF JULIUSZ SŁOWACKI BIRTH

His home and the loved ones

Juliusz Słowacki was born on 4 September 1809 in Krzemieniec (the Wołyń circuit) into a family of intellectuals. His father, Euzebiusz Słowacki, a literature historian, playwright and translator, was a professor of literature in the famous Liceum Krzemienieckie ( Krzemieniec Grammar School) and beginning with 1811 - head of the department of speech and poetry at the University of Vilnius. He died in 1814, after which Słowacki's mother, Salomea of the Januszewski family, took over the task of raising her son. An educated woman, fascinated had been with classical poetry like her husband, she remarried in 1818 to doctor August Bécu. The family home had a significant impact on the upbringing and education of the young poet. His mother was his best friend, his tutor, his confidant. Although Juliusz Słowacki grew up in the intellectual environment of Krzemieniec and Vilnius, he chose a more practical career path and took up studying law. Having graduated from university he left to Warsaw to start work as a legal apprentice in the Government Revenue and Treasury Commission (Komisja Rządowa Przychodów i Skarbu), after which he went on to work in the National Government Diplomatic Office (Biuro Dyplomatyczne Rządu Narodowego).

Poczta Polska joins in the celebrations of the 200 th anniversary of the birth of Juliusz Słowacki by issuing a postage stamp with the poet's portrait on the background of a laurel wreath - the symbol of fame. The FDC features a lithograph prepared in the workshop of Karol Karnikowski for the hundredth anniversary of Słowacki's birth in 1909 presenting characters from the poet's works.

DEFENSIVE WAR 1939

Defensive War 1939

1 September 2009 marks the seventieth anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, the greatest military conflict of the 20 th century not only in relation to utilized forces and means but also suffered material and human losses. This cruel war lasted for six years and came to an end on 2 September 1945 with the capitulation of Japan. In Europe, Germany signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender on 8 May 1945.

The first day of September of the year to remember.

It is commonly believed that the war broke out with gunfire shot from the battleship Schleswig-Holstein at the Polish military transit depot in the Westerplatte peninsula at the Gulf of Gdańsk, which was fiercely defended by a handful of soldiers led by major Henryk Sucharski. The German gunfire was backed up by a torpedo-boat, planes, SS battalion and front-line troops. Westerplatte surrendered on 7 September and its heroic defense took on the symbolic meaning. The September Campaign, also known as the Defensive War ended on 5 October 1939. Poland became shrouded by a dark night of occupation.

In tribute to the participants of the September Campaign, Poczta Polska introduced two stamps. The first one presents a German archival photograph of the bombarded Wieluń. The town is seen from the cabin of a bomber, the perspective of the aggressor. The bottom of the photograph shows the zero hour. The cover includes a map of the destructed districts of the town. The issue is accompanied by an occasional date stamp with the view of a saved church standing surrounded by the ruins, in use in Wieluń 1 Post Office. The second stamp is devoted to Węgierska Górka. This time the fighting is presented from the defenders' perspective, from the bunker, as seen with a Polish soldier's eyes. The First Day Cover shows a plan of location of fortifications along with the direction of attacks of the German Army. An occasional date stamp with a military eagle has been displayed by the Węgierska Górka Post Office.

POLAND 2009 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The stamp and First Day Cover commemorating the European Championship in Women’s Volleyball both feature a drawing depicting the dynamics of the players’ movements.

Volleyball appeared in Poland in the 1920s. The first organization associating volleyball fans, and also enthusiasts of handball and softball, was the Polish Association of Softball and Team Sports, established in 1925. In 1957 the Polish Association of Volleyball was set up. The Polish female volleyball players succeeded in international competitions on numerous occasions, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Recently Polish volleyball has returned to glory again with gold medals in the Women’s European Championships in 2003 and 2005 which earned the players the nickname “PLNotka" . This year the fans have double the reason to rejoice with a gold medal won at the European Championships in Men’s Volleyball in Turkey and a bronze medal earned by the women’s team in Poland.

Courtesy (Text) - Poczta Polska

Naval Philatelic Society of India

Naval Philately

It was on this day, thirty years ago, that the first ever philatelic exhibition on naval theme in India, perhaps in Asia, was held as part of the “Navy Day” mela on the grounds of INS Satavahana, Visakhapatnam. The three day exhibition titled Naval Philatelic Exhibition (NAVPHILEX) 79 was initiated by the Naval Philatelic Society (NPS), formed a few days earlier by Cdr. S Shekhar (now retired Commodore), and Lcdr. U.N Acharya (now retired Commander) to popularize Naval philately among naval personnel in particular and the public in general. Three special covers were issued on this occasion with the Department of Posts, approving three different special cancellations.

Issued on 30-11-1979, it was the first special cover issued to commemorate the first ever philatelic exhibition held at Vizag exclusively on Naval theme in India.

The exhibition was a great success and the multitude of crowds at the mela was treated to a fascinating display of ships on stamps belonging to the collection of Cdr. A K Dhir (now Commodore retired). This exhibition was a precursor to three more Naval Philatelic exhibitions held in 1980 and 1985 in Visakhapatnam and in 1986 in Mumbai, then Bombay.

At the inception of the society, in 1979, there were only two stamps on the Indian Navy. During the 30 years of the society’s existence more than 20 postage stamps on Indian Navy, depicting its ships, have been released by the Department of Posts. The society has also been instrumental in either issuing or helping other maritime organizations, more than 50 special covers commemorating naval and maritime events. These adorn the collections of many naval philatelists, the world over, and have been praised for its beautiful designs.

The society is headed by Mr. D Hemchandra Rao residing in Chennai, our chairman, who has, arguably, the finest and the largest collection of ships on stamps in the country.

The Naval Philatelic Society, in these thirty years has fulfilled its aim of popularizing Naval philately by associating itself vigorously with the Department of Posts in the release of stamps and special covers on Naval themes and, in future, will strive to further popularize the theme among the public at large, the youth in particular. Membership of the society is open to all philatelists who wish to specialize in naval themes. For Membership details contact the secretary NPS at nanasha@rediffmail.com.

- Cdr. U.N.Acharya, IN (Retd) & Sekhar Chakraborty, Kolkatta

New Special Cover

A Special Postal Cover and Cancellation was released on the occasion of 37th ISAAME Forum held in Hyderabad, from 4th to 7th December 2009. LISC India has already issued Special Postal Cover and Cancellation on World Diabitic Day 14-Nov-2009, World Sight Day 8-Oct-2009, White Cane Safety Day, Golden Jubilee of Amateur Radio 7-Nov-2009, Palandromic Date 09-09-09, Cabinet Installation of District 324D2, ARDF-FoxHunt-World Telecom Day 17th May 2009 and many more..

More details of the Lions International Stamp Club is available on http://www.lisc.nl/ email : lionajoy@gmail.com