Fillip to philately

Stamps have become a rarity, a telling sign of ow differently we choose to communicate ow. It wasn't so conspicuous by its absence, but a chance sighting -- quite literally -- of a Rajiv Gandhi made one realise how long it had actually been. The Mahatma Gandhi stamp one remembers, even the tiger had been spotted many a times before, but then where have all the letters gone? It doesn't take a philatelist to see that stamps have been a reflection of the society, a matter of honour for some and a subject of learning at other times. It opens up a wide field of research and probably even compels us to dwell a little in mythology, history and the study of those who inhabit our forests.

But while influential politicians have been figuring prominently on stamps, sports figures have made it only occasionally to postage stamps. In 1988, the postal department had featured the Rs 5 Seoul Olympic stamp to depict the glory of Indian sport.
And another set of stamps embraced 12 sporting disciplines in which India had attained commendable success since Independence. The words `Freedom Forty' were inscribed at the top of the stamp. The other set of stamps paid tribute to the Indian Olympic movement by way of honouring the Indian Olympic Association. Even during the 2004 Athens Games, shooting, long jump, hockey and wrestling were featured on Rs 5 and Rs 15 postages.

But important sporting figures have been ignored for this rare honour. May be, it is only a reflection of what we deem important and what we think we can do without for the moment. An ardent stamp collector suggested early this year that personalities and youth icons such as Sachin, MS Dhoni, Saina Nehwal and Abhinav Bindra be featured on stamps to get more people interested in the popular hobby.
While the drawing power of sports cannot be ignored, may be it is time to revive the two great hobbies of a young nation simultaneously.