News : October 2017

Commemorative Stamps on India and Russia Joint Issue – 26th October 2017.

One of the most famous Russian folk dances is the "Beryozka" dance. This dance represents the synchronous movement of dancers and the simultaneous performance of a choral song. Characteristic elements - smooth movements in a circle, a chain (one after another), a snake, in two lines; Rotations around each other or in pairs around common centers in groups; Short and frequent steps that create the impression of slipping. In the hands of the dancer holding handkerchiefs or branches of birch.

Bhavai is a popular folk theater form in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Men play music, while a woman, dressed in a bright, colorful costume with numerous ornaments, performs the dance, holding 8-9 pitchers on her head. The dance of bhavai is performed at various festivals and weddings. This artistic folk dance is popular not only in India, but also abroad.

India Post and Russian Postal Administration issued commemorative stamps and miniature sheet on folk dances Bhavai of India and Beryozka of Russia as Joint issue.

Commemorative Stamp on 3 Kumaon (Rifles) – 23rd October 2017.

The Kumaon Regiment is one of the most decorated infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars. Kumaon gets its recruits from Kumaonis of Kumaon division and Ahirs from the plains.

During World War I, a Kumaon Battalion was raised at Ranikhet on 23 October 1917 as 4/39th Kumaon Rifles. In 1918, it was redesignated as 1st Battalion, 50th Kumaon Rifles and a second battalion was raised. These were merged with the Hyderabad Contingent into the 19th Hyderabad Regiment in 1923. The first battalion of the 50th Kumaon Rifles survived to become the 1st Kumaon Rifles, and is today the 3rd Battalion, Kumaon Regiment (Rifles) of the Indian Army.

3 Kumaon Rifles Regiment Celebrated 100th Raising Day on 23rd October 2017. On this occasion a commemorative stamp was released by Department of Posts.

Philatelic Seminar at Mumbai to be held on 2nd December 2017.

The Royal Philatelic Society London has organized Philatelic Seminar on 2nd December during INPEX 2017 covering the philatelic subjects of Traditional Philately, Postal History, Thematic Philately and Postal Stationery.

The Speakers are Brian Trotter RDP FRPSL, UK (Traditional Philately), James Mazepa RDP FRPSL, USA (Postal History), Jari Majander, Finland (Thematic Philately), Ajeet Singhee, India (Postal Stationery) and Steven Zwillinger, USA (Exhibiting Techniques)

Date & Time: 2nd Dec 2017 (Saturday) 9 am to 5 pm
Venue : Hotel Taj President-Mumbai (3 minutes walk from World Trade Center)
Fee : Rs. 2000 (includes Lunch & Tea)
Every participant will receive free copy of Indian Princely States Stamps and Postal History by Sandeep Jaiswal & Steven Zwillinger. (Normal Price Rs. 1300/-)
Contact for more information: indiarpsl@gmail.com

Special Cover on Sir Syed Ahmad Khan Bi-Centenary Celebrations - 17th October 2017.

Born on 17th October 1817, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founder of the Aligarh Muslim University was not only an educationist, historian, author and jurist but an extraordinary reformer, secular nationalist and one of the most important architects of modern India. Aligarh Muslim University is a Central University established in 1920 which offers more than 300 courses in both traditional and modern branches of education.

A Special Cover was released on 17th October 2017 by the Vice Chancellor along with the SSP of Agra Region at Aligarh. Other dignitaries on the dais were Prof. Tariq Ahmad, Director Sir Syed Ahmad Academy, Major S. M. Mustafa (retd), Member of AMU Court, Aligarh and Principal of SSSHS and senior members of the AMU faculty.

Courtesy: Rahul Ganguly, Allahabad

Commemorative Stamps on Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport – 15th October 2017.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport formerly known as Sahar International Airport, is the primary international airport serving the Mumbai. It is the second busiest airport in the country in terms of total and international passenger traffic after Delhi, and was the 14th busiest airport in Asia and 29th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic in calendar year 2016 handling over 44.68 million passengers. The airport is the second busiest in the country in terms of cargo traffic also. In March 2017, the airport overtook London's Gatwick Airport as the world's busiest airport in terms of single runway operations. The airport has three operating terminals spread over an operational area of 1,850 acres and handles about 850 aircraft movements per day. It handled record 51 movements in one hour on 16 September 2014. It won the 2015 ASQ Best Airport Award in the 25-40 million passengers per annum category by Airports Council International. It has also won the "Best Airport in India and Central Asia" award at the Skytrax 2016 World Airport Awards. It is one of the three airports in India to have implemented Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) to ensure timely takeoffs and landings.

Two Commemorative Stamps and a Miniature Sheet were released on 75 years on Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport by Shri Harish C. Agrawal, Chief Postmaster General Maharashtra circle on 15th October 2017. The event was organised in the memory of the Late JRD Tata, who on October 15, 1932, piloted the first flight of Tata Air Services from Karachi to Mumbai via Ahmedabad carrying airmail.

Commemorative Stamp on Nanaji Deshmukh – 11th October 2017.

Chandikadas Amritrao Deshmukh also known as Nanaji Deshmukh (b. 11 October 1916 – d. 27 February 2010) was a social activist from India. He worked in the fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance, and has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India. He was a leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and also a member of the Rajya Sabha. Deshmukh became inspired by Lokamanya Tilak and his nationalist ideology, as well as showing an acquired interest in social service and activities. His family was in close contact with Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar who was a regular visitor to Deshmukh's family. He could discern potential in Nanaji and encouraged him to attend RSS shakhas.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi releasd the commemorative postage stamp on Nanaji Deshmukh, on his Birth Centenary Celebrations at IARI, in New Delhi on 11th October 2017. The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh, the Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Mines, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, the Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Panchayati Raj, Shri Parshottam Rupala and the Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri Ram Kripal Yadav were also present on the occasion.

Special Cover on World Mental Health Day – 10th October 2017.

World Mental Health Day (10 October) is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries. This day, each October, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on peoples' life worldwide. In some countries this day is part of an awareness week, such as Mental Health Week in Australia.

A Special Cover was released on World Mental Health Day on 10th October 2017 at Electronic City, Bengaluru on 10th October 2017 (Special Cover Approval No. KTD/78/2017).

Courtesy: Suresh Rao, Bengaluru

Commemorative Stamp on Rapid Action Force – 7th October 2017.

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) is a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) to deal with riot and crowd control situations. RAF was raised on 11 December 1991 with headquarters in New Delhi. It became fully operational on 7 October 1992, to deal with riots, riot like situations, crowd control, rescue and relief operations, and related unrest. The first five battalions were raised by October 1992 and an additional 5 battalions were added in April 1994. On October 2003, with 11 years of service, the force was presented with the President's colors. On 9 November 2013, the RAF Academy of Public Order was established in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. In 2017, the Indian government approved an additional five battalions to be based in New Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

A commemorative Stamp was released on Rapid Action Force on 7th October 2017 by Hon. Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh at Meerut to mark Silver Jubilee Parade of the Rapid Action Force.

Special Cover on ‘Dhai Akhar’ – 2nd October 2017.

India Post had organised All India Letter Writing Competition ‘Dhai Akhar’ 2017-18 on the theme ‘Dear Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) you inspire me...’ in English, Hindi or any local language. There were two categories: Inland Letter Card in 500 words and Envelope category/A-4 size paper in 1000 words. The last date to apply for participation was 15th August 2017. On 2nd October 2017 prizes were declared and distributed by Hon. Minister Shri Manoj Sinha. On this occasion a Special Cover on ‘Dhai Akhar’ was released on PAN India basis.

At Vadodara a Special Cover was released by Sr. Superintendent of Post Offices Ms. Mita Shah in presence of Shri Prashant Pandya, President, Baroda Philatelic Society and other officials of Department of Posts.