Date:08/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/08/stories/2007110851220200.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Enriching hobby

B. Madhu Gopal

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

G.S.R. Prasad displaying a collection of stamps on Mahatma Gandhi at an exhibition held on Wednesday. —

VISAKHAPATNAM: Philately is a hobby that not only enriches knowledge of the collector but the ‘treasure’ can be utilised to educate posterity. One such collector has inspired some 10 students to take up stamp collection as a hobby and they turned into philatelists.

Philatelist G.S.R. Prasad, a teacher at the C.B.M. High School, who is going to retire from service this month-end, continues to inspire children to take up the hobby. He held an exhibition of his collection at the school on Wednesday.

“I started collecting stamps when I was studying in Std. VIII in 1962. I was inspired by my friends and relatives who were in the habit of collecting stamps,” recalls Mr. Prasad.

Today, he has a rich collection of over 15,000 stamps from 170 countries and about 1,500 coins of some 100 countries. The collection on display included stamps issued during the British India, particularly on Queen Victoria, a series of stamps on Mahatma Gandhi and the Freedom Movement, Prime Ministers of India, Presidents of India, those issued on water, rail and air transport and stamps on Olympics and Asian Games.

There were some colourful stamps on migratory birds. They were withdrawn from circulation due to some production defects. There was a sketch of Mahatma Gandhi by noted cartoonist Ranga depicting India in the form of the Mahatma. The exhaustive collection also included world leaders, scientists, places of worship, agriculture, irrigation and culture to mention a few. Though the classroom was quite congested and poorly illuminated, the good thing is that the stamps were displayed thematically to a large extent for the convenience of visitors.