Forgotten Biography

Shri Khusal Chand Suri

Shri Khusal Chand Suri was a well known stamp collector and dealer. He was familiar by name K. C. Suri to one and all in the stamp world.

He was born in Lahore and studied in Government College of Lahore as a medical student. Somewhere during the time of his studies he got fascinated by stamps and was lured to philately. He started his career as a full-fledged stamp dealer at the early age of 18. He started Suri Stamp Company at ‘The Mall’ in Lahore in 1935. By dint of hard labour with the constant quest of philatelic knowledge he rose from a very mediocre dealer of Lahore to the standard of the leading stamp wholesaler of the sub-continent. He used to hold auctions at regular intervals.

After the partition of India in 1947, he moved first to Allahabad, then to Bombay, and later to New Delhi and finally he settled in England. Shri Suri's knowledge was incomparable. He was instrumental in changing various listings in the British Commonwealth catalogue especially those of Indian Princely States.

Shri Suri had travelled all over the world and he was perhaps the most travelled Indian philatelist. He had extensively travelled to all parts of India as well. He was very generous in business and of a fine nature and used to meet and greet new or old acquaintances alike with warmth of smiles. Shri Suri was helpful by nature and parted knowledge to anyone who seeked it. His advice to whosoever he met was cherished by them for all their lives. Shri Suri passed away on 22nd May 1972 at New Delhi.