Thematic or Topical Philately

In contrast to Traditional Philately, which is based on geographical entitles such as stamps of a particular put together stamps on a specific theme, topic or subject. Thus, while a missing stamp of a particular series of a specific period or country may be a matter of concern to a traditional philatelist who wishes to complete the set, the thematic philatelist would only took for thematic relevance of stamps, irrespective of its other contexts. The variety in themes that philatelists have presented through stamps has been delightfully fascinating. Any philatelic material can be collected related to a theme which in addition to postage stamps includes the varieties of postal stationary, aero philatelic cachets, postmarks and maximum cards.

Significantly enough, postal administrations have adopted issuing policies that have actively encouraged thematics as a venture specially for the youth class, for whom it constitutes a veritable mine of information and education. This calls for the combined ingenuity of the postal administration, the printer, the philatelists and the subject-matter experts. In fact, there is hardly any subject of general interest that does not have a good set of stamps on it, but thematic philatelists come up with the most unique and novel ideas in relating a philatelic item to a chosen theme. these relationships involve classifications of themes taken from a broader subject of choice , their further sub-classifications and its sub-classifications. Sri Vishnu S. Saksena, for instance, has devoted an entire book on the theme of India’s freedom movement, entitled: “India’s Freedom Struggle Through India Postage Stamps.”

Thus thematic philatelists would like single, prominent themes to be pictured forcefully on stamps rather than multiple themes or commemorative set of stamps.

Indian stamps are very rich in thematic variety, specially on the freedom movement and its personalities, great men and women of various walks of life, Indian art and culture, flora and fauna. Nevertheless, there is a need to bring out many more stamps on areas of scientific discoveries and inventions, technological developments and medical advances that have taken place the world over and specially in India. These stamps will be extraordinary rich in their education value to the youth and children.