25 years of Speed Post Service in India….

 

25 Years of Speed Post : 24 August 2011

A special Cover was issued in Ahmedabad on completion of 25 years of Speed Post service in India. CPMG, Gujarat Circle Mrs. Humera Ahmed through an elegant function held at Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute, Ahmedabad arranged to release a special cover today .  The Chief-Guest at the function  was  Padmshree and Padmvibhushan Mrs. Ela Bhatt - founder of Internationally reputed organization SEWA .

Coutresy - Shrikant Parikh – Ahmedabad

Speed Post

It is an express mail service of India Post for letters and documents offered in league with the international EMS service. It was started on 24 August 1986 for providing time-bound and express delivery of letters, documents and parcels across the nation. It links more than 1200 towns in India, with 290 centres in the national network and around 1000 centres in the state network. For regular users, Speed Post provides delivery ‘anywhere in India’ under contractual service. For corporate customers, Speed Post provides ‘Home collection’, credit facilities, on-line tracking, account management and personalized services.

Speed Post ushered in a new era when ‘One India, One Rate’ scheme was launched @ INR  25 for all destinations across India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Now, Speed Post delivers  ‘Value for money’ to every one every where, delivering local Speed Post upto 50 grams @ INR  12, inclusive of Service Tax.  .

Speed Post Home Collection

With a view to provide convenience for the customers , Speed Post provides collection from the premises of the customers  through on-call collection and regular collection at some of he towns.

Speed Post Passport Service

In a unique partnership, Department of Posts and MEA have come together to provide convenience in getting passports. Applicants need to buy the Passport application form available with the Speed Post Centre, fill it and submit it along with the fee. Speed Post Centres will check the forms , send them to the designated Passport Office for further processing and issue of Passport. The service is available only for issue of new passports and not for the renewal of passports.

State-wise list of post offices providing Speed Post Passport Service

Speed Post International Service

Backed by Universal Postal Union, EMS Speed Post offers economical and faster service to 97 foreign countries.  Be it an important letter or University application form, be it an export consignment or a business sample, Speed Post will take it across with care. For international Speed Post tariff and destinations, click here

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New stamp on Buddha from Hong Kong….

 

Date of Issue : 2 August 2011

World Heritage Site - Hong Kong Dunhuang Grottoes

Hongkong Post’s stamp sheetlets on Mainland Scenery are a feast for the eyes with magnificent landscapes and majestic architecture. The tenth and last series presents the Dunhuang Grottoes, a cultural legacy that has enjoyed worldwide fame for centuries.

Hong Kong Post issued a beautiful Miniature sheet on 2 August 2011 featuring  Hong Kong Dunhuang Grottoes. These are famous all over the world for magnificent Buddha Caves. Its The Mogao Caves were declared a World Heritage in 1987.This souvenir sheet is a delight for Buddha stamp collectors.

 

 

Dunhuang Grottoes

Situated in Dunhuang County of Gansu Province, the Dunhuang Grottoes consist of five main cave sites, namely the Mogao Caves, Western Caves of a Thousand Buddhas, Eastern Caves of a Thousand Buddhas, Yulin Caves and Caves of the Five Temples. Of them, the Mogao Caves are the oldest in history, grandest in scale and richest in content.

Located in a cliff-face on Mount Mingsha, 25 kilometres southeast of Dunhuang County, the Mogao Caves are sanctuaries for world-renowned sculptures and murals. They showcase a millennium-long anthology of Buddhist art, with the earliest dating back to the first year (366 AD) of the Taihe Period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The 492 caves found still standing are a treasure trove of over 2,000 painted statues and 45,000 square metres of murals with 4,000-plus paintings of flying Apsaras. The Mogao Caves were declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The upper half of the stamp sheetlet captures the magnificent vista of the Mogao Caves, while the lower half depicts a Buddhist mural found inside one of the caves. The vibrant colours of the painting still show despite the ravages of time. The flying Apsaras on the right and left are delineated in silver, lending a touch of elegance and fluidity. Built on the external wall of Cave No. 96, the Jiucenglou (nine-storeyed building) featured on the top of the stamp is the tallest structure in the Mogao Caves. By accentuating the enchanting Buddhist art against the spectacular caves, the stamp sheetlet celebrates the glorious works of art of Dunhuang.

Special Covers

Tamil Nadu

Date of Issue : 29 December 2008

SIPAGOLD’06

Ashwani Dubey – Gorakhpur

Club News

Stamp exhibition on Buddhism in Leh

India Post will host a stamp exhibition  in  Leh (Jammu & Kashmir)  from Sep. 1-5 during Leh Festival. 5 special covers are proposed to be released  during the exhibition. The exhibition will display some special exhibits on Buddhism. The collectors of Buddha theme who intend to display their exhibits in this exhibition may kindly contact Mr. John Samuel, Chief Post Master General, Jammu & Kashmir Circle at the earliest.

Frangipani flowers on new Fiji stamps…..

 

Date of Issue : 12 July 2011

 

Frangipani are amongst the most colourful flowers known throughout the South Pacific

Frangipani flowers are known for their unique fragrant clusters of colorful, bright, waxy and long lasting flowers.The frangipani flower occurs as an introduced species in Fiji and is often extensively cultivated in towns and villages and naturalises along nearby streams. There are many forms of the species Plumeria rubra or frangipani with flowers observed throughout the year. Three of these have been formally documented as part of Fiji's flora. The stamp designs are based on water color paintings of the flowers. The actual flowers look as shown below.

Frangipani (Plumeria rubra), is  also known as the Hawaiin Lei flower.  Temple Tree, Champa, Dead man's fingers, Egg Flower (southern China) Amapola (Venezuela) are other synonyms of Frangipani. Plumeria or commonly known as Frangipani is a genus of flowering plants of the family that includes Dogbane: the Apocynaceae. It contains 7-8 species of mainly deciduous shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Brazil but have been spread throughout the world's tropics.

 

Special Covers

Tamil Nadu

 

SIPA GOLD’ 06 : 29 December 2001

 

 

SIPA GOLD’06 : 30 December 2001 

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

My Stamp My Cover….

 

Here I  wish to share a special cover with an innovative idea. Our distinguished member Mr Vipan Kumar Thakur of Chandigarh has prepared special covers for “My Stamp”, personalized stamps issued during INDIPEX 2011. The cancellation on the cover is from Chandigarh Philatelic Bureau. It is a fancy item for collectors to preserve the memories. A variety on covers could also be created by sending them using Speed Post or Registered Post service of India Post.

 

 

Vipan Kumar Thakur writes….

I HAVE CREATED COVERS FOR "MY STAMP" FOR MY SELF. ONE WITH "MY STAMPS" OF MY PARENTS AND OTHER WITH "MY STAMP' OF MY DAUGHTERS.The cancellation is a permanent cancellation given by Chandigarh Philatelic Bureau   It is is a Dater Stamp ( cancellation), with changeable dates and is marked on posting articles on request.

Press Clipping …

An article on renowned  philatelist of Kolkata  Mr Sekhar Chakrabarty  was published in Rajasthan Patrika on 14 August 2011 . Mr Chakrabarty has specialized on Flag theme and regarded as expert on this subject of flags.  His Blog on Flags “ Flags and Stamps”  can be viewd at  http://flagstamps.blogspot.com/  Also read Interview with Mr Sekhar Chakrabarty.

 

Rajasthan Patrika 14 August 2011 

: Ashwani Dubey- Gorakhpur

New Festival stamps from USA…

 

 

In the month of October USPS will issue 3 Forever stamps on festivals of Jews , Africans and Christians. The stamps feature Hanukkah. Kwanza and Christmas festivals.

Hanukkah — October 14, 2011 

Hanukkah is a joyous yearly festival spanning eight days and nights that is celebrated by Jewish people. It commemorates the successful Jewish revolt led by Judah Maccabee against the oppressive government of Antiochus IV in 165 B.C. Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for "dedication." Tradition relates how a miracle took place during the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated: The remaining supply of sacramental oil, thought to be enough for only one day, burned for eight. Today, family members gather each night during the festival to light candles on a menorah. Other traditions include singing, the exchange of gifts and the spinning of the dreidel.

Kwanza - October 14, 2011

With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service cel­ebrates Kwanzaa, a nonreligious holiday that takes place over seven days from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa draws on African traditions and takes its name from the phrase for “first fruits” in Swahili, a widely spoken African language. This is the fourth stamp design issued by the USPS in celebration of Kwanzaa. The first Kwanzaa com­memorative stamp was issued in 1997.

 

Holiday Baubles – October 13, 2011

Christmas trees were at first trimmed with fruit—apples were a popular choice—and nuts, candies, or paper. Glass ornaments first appeared in the late 19th century, in Germany, and their use quickly spread to other countries. Styles from the 1950s inspired the ornaments depicted in the stamp art.

Special Covers

Maharashtra

 

 

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

New Stamps on AIDS Prevention..

 

 

 

Date of Issue : 8 June 2011

Fiji Post issued a set of four stamps on 8 June 2011 in global  response to HIV AIDS Prevention. Fiji is made up of about 332 islands covering some 650,000 square kilometres of ocean. From 1874 to 1970, Fiji was a British colony. The population totals some 700,000 people.Fiji is classified as a low HIV prevalence country; however the number of new HIV infections is increasing.

Stamp Designs

Protect youth from HIV and Zero new infections (20c stamp, 40c stamp)

In Fiji HIV is mostly transmitted through unprotected sex, and there is a potential high risk of infection among young people. In 2010 more than half of all new infections, 23 of 33, were in young people aged 10-29. The high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections especially among young people, potentially increases the risk of HIV infection. It is therefore essential that young people are empowered to protect themselves from HIV infection.

Prevent mothers and babies from HIV (65c stamp)

In 2010 there were 33 new reported cases of which 12 were pregnant women, but there were no babies born HIV positive in 2010. Government has ensured the prevention of parent to child transmission as one of its main focus areas in the national response to HIV. The awareness of the availability and benefits of voluntary counselling and testing for pregnant mothers resulted in the increase of testing in the ante-natal clinics from 46% in 2006 to 67% in 2010.

Zero discrimination ($5 stamp)

HIV related stigma and discrimination continues to hamper the AIDS response. This year the Fiji Government enacted the HIV Decree. When enacted to its capacity the Decree safeguards the privacy and rights of people living with or affected by HIV, including confidentiality of personal information.

Special Covers

Many collectors often enquire about special covers issued by different postal circles.The series of special Covers, issued in different states of India is being published for the cross reference of thematic collectors. The cancellations on the covers  might become a  part of their topical collections.

Maharashtra

Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd. : 4 August 2011

 

150 glorious years of Railways in India :  28 September 2003

: Ashwani Dubey, Gorakhpur

New Stamps from UN Postal Administration..

 

Date of Issue : 1 July 2011

On 1 July 2011, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) issued a set of six commemorative stamps with the theme "ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) - Education".

The stamp designs are based on six internationally agreed "Education for All" goals which aim to meet the learning needs of all children and adults by 2015.

Education is a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights. It promotes individual freedom and empowerment and yields important development benefits. Education is a powerful tool by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and participate fully as citizens. Yet millions of children and adults remain deprived of educational opportunities, many as a result of poverty.

United Nations 30 Years of a World Living with AIDS

 

Date of Issue : 3 June 2011

On 3 June 2011, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) issued a stamp issue commemorating 30 years of a world living with AIDS.

The issue consists of three self-adhesive stamps in a ribbon die-cut shape in mini-sheets of four stamps in the denominations of US$ 0.44, CHF 1.30 and € 0.70. This is the first time ever that UNPA has issued self-adhesive stamps.

The United Nations Postal Administration is part of a global initiative of participating postal administrations around the world who are issuing stamps on the topic of HIV/AIDS in 2011 in order to raise awareness of HIV prevention and to reduce the number of new infections. This initiative was organized by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNI Global Union.

Special Covers 

Tamil Nadu

 

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

Gold medal stamps at 2012 Olympics by Royal Mail

 

David Bond, British sailor, only surviving gold medallist at the 1948 London Olympics

With one year to go to London 2012, Royal Mail has announced that it will issue special gold medal stamps to celebrate Team GB Olympic gold medal wins.This is the first time that Royal Mail will be issuing  stamps to mark Olympic victories.   The stamps will feature both individual and team gold medal wins.

Details of the actual designs themselves are set to be announced later, when Royal Mail will also announce its plans to commemorate the Paralympic Games.

Royal Mail issued its first Olympic Games Stamps in 1948, with four stamps bearing the five Olympic Rings.

It will be the third time a host nation has issued stamps to mark individual Olympic gold medal wins.  Australia Post was the first postal service to issue gold medal stamps to mark home team Olympic victories in 2000, with Hellenic Post in Greece following suit in 2004. In 2008 China Post issued a single commemorate sheet of stamps to mark their national team’s success in Beijing.  More recently Canada Post issued a stamp to mark the first ever gold medal won on home territory at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.

The 27^th July sees the issue of the final set of ten stamps in Royal Mail’s countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The three-part series has seen 30 stamps issued, reflecting all sports competed.

Royal Mail has a history of celebrating key moments in UK sporting history.  England’s World Cup football victory in 1966 was the first UK sporting achievement to be marked by a set of Special Stamps with more recent stamp issues featuring the England rugby team’s 2003 historic World Cup win and the English cricket team’s 2005 memorable Ashes success.

 

Club News

Maxim Cards on 100 years of First Aerial Post

Mr Vijay Seth of New Delhi has prepared set of four max cards  on 100 years of First Aerial Post stamps with postmarks dated 12th February and 18th February 2011. Enquiries may be sent to :  vijay_hseth@yahoo.co.in

 

 

 

 

Release of sp cover on Andilal Poddar postponed

Mr Sovik Roy from Kolkata informs that the release of sp cover on Andilal Poddar  special cover to be released on 30th July has been postponed and it will be released later.

 

Canada Post Letterbox near Niagara Falls

Our distinguished member Mr Sudhir Jain shares here  photo of  Canada Post letter box located near Niagara Falls.

Letter Box near Niagara Falls

Photo : Sudhir Jain from USA