06 January 2013

The inventor of Braille – Louis Braille

 

LOUIS BRAILLE 

(4 January 1809 To 6 January 1852)

- K.RAMARATHNAM

 

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Louis Braille was the inventor of “Braille”, a system of reading and writing used by people who are blind or visually impaired.

Blind From the Age three, Louis Braille learned to read at a School for the blind in Paris. Inspired by the indented dots on dice, he invented the Braille System of reading and writing, now available in every language of the world.

6th January happens to be his death anniversary and we salute his immense contribution to the empowerment of the visually impaired .

The first stamp with embossed lettering in Braille was issued by Brazil in 1974, but this stamp in Braille is more symbolic than practical, because the paper used for stamps is so light that it cannot maintain the character raised for a significant period of time, The Stamp tend to flatten quickly once pressure is applied on the stamp.

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The first Braille Stamp was issued in the year 2007 by INDIA on the occasion of International Year of the Disabled.

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This was followed by another Braille Stamp in the year 2009 on the occasion of his Birth Centenary.The Brochure for this particular issue was printed in Braille by India Post.

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Many countries have issued Braille Stamps in the year 2009 and some significant ones are:

Norway-2009

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As a small child, Braille was blinded in an accident; as a boy he developed a mastery over that blindness; and as a young man – still a student at school – he created a revolutionary form of communication that transcended blindness and transformed the lives of millions. After two centuries, the Braille system remains an invaluable tool of learning and communication for the blind, and it has been adapted for languages worldwide.

SANMARINO2009

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IRELAND 2009

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Braille was determined to fashion a system of reading and writing that could bridge the critical gap in communication between the sighted and the blind. In his own words: "Access to communication in the widest sense is access to knowledge, and that is vitally important for us if we [the blind] are not to go on being despised or patronized by condescending sighted people. We do not need pity, nor do we need to be reminded we are vulnerable. We must be treated as equals – and communication is the way this can be brought about."

SLOVENIA2009

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The latest Stamp Issue in Braille is by Sri Lanka in the Year 2012.

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Club News

From our Readers…

Dear Friend,

We are pleased to inform that our stamps of India Market guide - 2013 is going to be released at Inpex –2013,  Mumbai on 21st February. The guide will contain full listing of pre and post independence India up to 2012. This will be a soft paper back edition with 120 pages, 6x8 in size and Multicolored printing of Front & Back page + 2 color printing inside. Market prices will be given for mint & used stamps. The guide will be sold @ Rs.100 per copy.

- Dipak Dave

  email : dipakdave7@yahoo.com

 

Book_Add_2012

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