Outlook for Future In Philately

The saga of Indian Philately – both pre-Independence and post-Independence – has been a fascinating and romantic one. Generations of collectors have grown up savouring the joys, thrills and challenges the hobby has to offer and many have carried their abiding interest in Philately to adulthood and old age. The same cannot be said of the present generation. What with various distractions in the present-day world – TV and Cable, Computers, Internet and Video games, sports and highly competitive academic pursuits, the youth of today have less inclination to pursue a serious hobby like philately. In fact, many of the senior collectors even find it difficult to bequeath their precious and painstakingly nurtured collection to their young ones. Thus the outlook for future is uncertain.

One way to regain the lost ground is to promote Philately through websites and Internet. Video games related to philatelic themes need to be devised and put on popular websites to attract the younger generation. Many educative and intellectual games and exercises with stamps can be designed to stir the imagination and ignite the minds of children. Only time will tell what the future of the hobby will be with all such efforts put in to promote it.

Philatelic Exhibitions

Holding of philatelic exhibitions periodically at different levels – District, Region, State, National and International – was one of the major steps taken by the Department of Posts since Independence. Exhibitions not only gave opportunity for collectors to display their collections and thus steadily improve and upgrade their collections but they enable public at large, especially children, to view excellent collections. Thus, many prospective and potential collectors get drawn to the hobby.

The first National Philatelic Exhibition was held in New Delhi in March 1948. It was organized by the P&T Department in co-operation with the Indian Institute of Art in Industry. A total of 121 exhibitors participated displaying exhibits on 132 themes including stamps of British Colonies, Indian States and Convention Stamps, India Postage stamps and Afghanistan. Besides, there were tow specialized collections of Indian Stamps of King George V and VI.

The first ever International Philatelic-cum-Postal Exhibition in India was held in New Delhi in 1954 on the occasion of the Centenary of Indian Postage Stamp. It was inaugurated by Pandit Nehru, Prime Minister, in the presence of Minister of Communications, Shri Jagjivan Ram. The Exhibition was held in a specially constructed hall with an area of 15,000 sq. ft. 79 Postal Administrations participated in the exhibition and as many as 17 countries sent official representatives. The highlight of the exhibition was part of Queen’s collection from U.K which was specially brought by Sir John Wilson, Keeper of the Royal collection. Also on display at this exhibition were rare exhibits of plates, dies and proofs from Thomas de la Rue of England who printed stamps of India for over 70 years till 1926 and Courvoisier of Switzerland who had the honour of printing 1948 Mahatma Gandhi issues. A special visitor to the Exhibition was Dr. Weber, Director-General of U.P.U.

Thereafter, number of National Philatelic exhibitions were held including those in 1970 (New Delhi), 1975 (Calcutta) and 1977 (Bangalore). And international exhibitions have been held – Asiana 77 Delhi). At the India -80 exhibition, the 1-cent British Guiana stamp, the only one of its kind available and considered the rarest and most valuable stamp in the world, was brought to India by its then owner, Irwin Weinberg, and displayed in a special bullet-proof glass case.

Philatelic Congress of India

Formation of a national philatelic body in India, the Philatelic Congress of India (PCI) in 1975 marks a watershed in the philatelic history of the country. For with this, the national body got formal affiliation with the world philatelic body, Federation Internationale de Philatelie (FIP). Philatelic regulations and conventions got codified both at National and International levels and conduct International exhibitions also got streamlined according to FIP regulations. In these efforts, the pioneering role played by late D.N Jatia, who was also the first Indian to become President of FIP, is worthy of mention. It will be no exaggeration to say that D.N Jatia was largely responsible for placing India prominently on the world philatelic map. Many prominent Indian philatelists not only won prestigious awards at International Philatelic exhibitions but also had the honour to serve as Jury in international exhibitions.

The contributions made by other eminent philatelists such as Jal Cooper, P.M Medhora, G.B. Pai, Dhirubhai Mehta, Vispi S. Dastur, L.G Shenoi and S.P Chatterjea to Indian Philately in the post-independence era cannot be forgotten.

National Seminar on Philately

A national Seminar on ‘Philately’ was organized on November 26 and 27, 1967 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi in which large number of prominent Philatelists, Artists and Printing experts participated. The Seminar was addressed by the then Minister of Communications Dr. Ram Subhag Singh and Minister of State, Shri I.K Gujral. It was attended by a total of 113 persons which included 24 eminent philatelists, 17 leading artists (including Jamini Ray, M. F Hussain, Krishen Khanna and Satish Gujral) and 11 printing experts. The philatelists included Jal Cooper, N.C Chandra, D.E Wadia, M. P Polson, N. D Cooper, Dhirubhai Mehta and General (Retd.) K.M Cariappa.

Three Working Groups deliberated comprehensively on 3 different areas: (i) General matters relating to Philately; (ii) Designing and Printing of Stamps and (iii) Sales Promotion and Publicity. The Seminar came up with a series of recommendations on development and promotion of the hobby which wee implemented over the next few years. These included:
i)Regular meetings of the Philatelic Advisory Committee (PAC) presided over by the Minister to decide proposals and themes on which stamps are to be issued.

ii)Meetings of Design Sub-Committee under the PAC to consider and approve designs of stamps, FDCs, etc, and suggest steps to improve the designs of stamps;

iii) Steps to popularize and promote philately;

iv) Improve publicity of philatelic issues;

v) Improve and expand the network for sale of stamps, FDCs, etc. at home to reach a wider segment of population.

vi) Promote sale of Indian stamps abroad; and

vii) Augment revenues from sale of philatelic items.

The implementation of the above measures led to all-round and robust growth of Indian Philately in 1970’s and 1980’s.

Post-Independence Era - Modernisation and Expansion

After Independence, Philately in India gained further momentum. Number of issues on varied themes-historical, cultural, artistic, developmental and scientific – came to be issued reflecting the rich heritage of the country. Series such as those on Mahatma Gandhi (1948), Archaeological series of definitive stamps (1949), Republic of India (1950), Indian Saints and Saint Poets (1952), Five-Year Plan series (1955) and Map of India series (1957) proved very popular among collectors. By 1971, India Security Press was equipped with a multi-coloured machine for printing stamps by photogravure process. With this, India started issuing multi-coloured stamps which added both colour and variety. Thereafter India has come out with many multi-coloured stamps and demand for Indian stamps in UK, USA, Japan and Australia. The network of Philatelic Bureaux and Counters across the country was expanded to make for easier access to Philatelists to new issues. By 1980 there were 30 Bureaux and 142 Philatelic Counters in the country, including 2 Bureaux and 2 Counters in the Army Postal Service.

The series of stamps on Birds, Wild Life, dances, Brides, Tribes, Flowers and Flowering Trees, Railway Engines and Airplanes, Adventure Sports etc. provided a delightful fare to thematic enthusiasts.

More Landmarks In Philately

The postal system grew in popularity and more philatelic issues in the form of stamps and postal stationery came into existence. Post Card was introduced on July 1, 1879 and 1-anna revenue stamp was introduced on September 1, 1886 replacing Indian Postal Notes introduced earlier on 1st January 1883. Other services introduced were VP system and Insurance in 1877, Certificate of Posting in 1878 and all these gave scope for new collectors’ items. Issue of stamps by some of the native States led to the creation of an entirely new and fascinating field for philatelists.

One of he major landmarks in Indian Philately towards the end of the 19th Century was the formation of the Philatelic Society of India (PSI) on March 6, 1897 by a band of British Philatelists serving in high civil and military ranks in India. in January 1897, the first philatelic journal was issued under the stewardship of Charles Stewart Wilson who also served as President of the Society from 1897 – 1906. Later, Charles Wilson became Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs. PSI had initially 550 members including 50 women which speaks of the popularity of the hobby even in those early days. The Philatelic Journal of India (PJI) carried many erudite articles on the early stamps, Telegraph stamps, Fiscals, native States issues and so on.

A most beneficent and lasting result of the formation of PSI and publication of the Journal was the organized and serious study of early Indian Philatelic issues leading to the publication of a number of well-researched works. Notable among these are ‘The Postage and Telegraph Stamps of India’ by L.L.R Hansburg, a magnum opus on the 1854 lithographs, ‘Early Indian Cancellations’ and ‘India Used Abroad’ by W.W Renouf and Sir Edward Bacon’s ‘The Proofs, Essays and Reprints of the First Issued Stamps of British India, 1854-55’ which were all pioneering studies. Other major works to follow were ‘The Half Anna India 1854’ and ‘The 4-annas Lithographed Stamps of India, 1854-55’ both by Col. D.R Martin and E.A Smythies, a ‘History of the Post Office in India’ by Geoffrey Clarke, who was the Director-General of P&T, ‘The Handstruck Postage Stamps of India’ by D. Hammond Giles. The PSI celebrated its Centenary in 1997 in a befitting manner and the eminent philatelist of Mumbai, Dhirubhai Mehta continues the good work of PSI and edits the journal, PJI.

The formation of the Empire of India Philatelic Society in Mumbai in December 1941 was another significant event. Jal Cooper, the well-known authority on Philately, served as its founder-Secretary. The EIPS acquired the publication ‘India’s Stamp Journal’ (which was started in January 1937) form a Swiss dealer, Mr. Neukom of M/s Philatelic Orient in October 1940. To begin with, EIPS had some 140 members and it grew from strength to strength, Jal Cooper worked hard for he popularization of philately till his demise in August 1972. He also wrote a popular column ‘Stamp News’ in the Illustrated Weekly of India, a popular Times of India publication, in the 1950’s and ‘60’s. The good work of EIPS is now being carried on by the Veteran Philatelist V.S Dastur.

Progress of Indian Philately - a Historical Perspective

Indian Philately has made significant strides over the last century and half. The journey which began in the 1850’s reached its pinnacle in the 1980’s and ‘90’s. the progress was particularly marked since Independence when Indian Philately registered many milestones – the Indian Post Office observed the Stamp Centenary in 1954, National and International exhibitions were held from time to time, a national seminar on ‘Philately’ was held in New Delhi in 1967 and the national philatelic body he Philatelic Congress of India, was formed in 1975. Indian Philately found its due place on the map of world philately. This paper proposes to trace the gradual but steady progress of Philately in India.

Pre-Stamp Era and Lithographs:
Though the first postage stamp in India –the ‘Scinde Dawk’ – was issued only in 1852 and the first all-India postage stamp in 1854, cancellations and tokens of pre-payment of postage were in vogue even prior to that. There was the Bishop mark and the 2 annas copper tickets which were introduced by the East India Company from 1774. Several other collections were also in use prior to the advent of the postage stamp. These form rich philatelic materials for collectors who specialize on the pre-stamp era.

However, with the issue of Lithographs from 1854, the hobby of philately got a fillip. A variety of issues appeared which offered a wide range of collection. These ‘Classics’ are now a rarity and are to be found with only a select group of collectors. Especially rare among these are the ‘Lion and Palm Tree’ essays (which wee never issued), half anna issue of 9 ½ and 8 arches and the inverted Head of Queen Victoria of which only very few issues are with collectors. From 1856 to 1926 when the India Security Press was set up, Indian stamps were printed by Messrs. Thomas de la Rue and Co. of London.