Gandhi Khadi Stamp

Gandhi Khadi Stamp

Rs 100 /-

Much Awaited Khadi Stamp Of Gandhi Designed By Sankha Samantha Was Unveiled By President Of India Today As Part Of Indipex 2011

A postage stamp printed on khadi -- Gandhi's preferred fabric and symbol of swadeshi during the freedom movement. The khadi stamp is actually printed on the home-spun cotton fabric that has the image of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi, revered the world over as an apostle of peace and self reliance. The stamp is a limited edition offering in a special collector's pack. It costs Rs.250  for Presentation Pack & Rs 100 for Miniature Sheet. For the first time, a special stamp printed on khadi has been released. A person can order a maximum of 10 khadi stamps of Rs 250 each, according to the department, which issues them in a special collector's pack. 

The Man Behind The Gandhi Stamp.

As the nation awaits the release of Special Khadi Stamp Of Gandhi during Indipex 2011, a man has silently added one more Gandhi design to his art Portofolio.His name is Sankha Samantha the man behind 250 stamps of India.

Since 1947, the postal department has issued 33 commemorative stamps on Gandhi. Of those 33, Samanta has designed 14, making him the most sought after Gandhi stamp artist

For a man who makes such an art of stamp design, Samanta’s career started by chance. In 1987, when he was a student at the Delhi College of Art, Samanta was forced to visiting Dak Bhawan to audition as a stamp designer. To test the soft-spoken Bengali’s skills, the India Post officers asked him to draw a portrait of Indira Gandhi. They were impressed with the result, and Samanta was appointed an empanelled artist. The first stamp he designed was of Veer Narayan Singh, a sepoy executed in 1857. Since then, Samantha said he’s designed more than 300 stamps, which include portraits of freedom fighters, politicians and industrialists.


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By Anil Kr Pujara and Dr.Pradeep Jain

Mega philatelic event i.e.INDIPEX-2011 had a sensational item for sale. It was release of GANDHI KHADI stamp. For the first time, India Post used Khadi cloth i.e. other than paper for printing the stamp. Though use of other material and not paper is quite common in other countries but in India it was used for the first time. Its sale was advertised in a big way n with lot of fanfare. The on line booking was started. Even during exhibition, the mad rush was seen. Collectors were seen thronging the counters to take their copy of stamp. India Post officials were seen pleading for calm n disciplined behaviour from the collectors but the response was quite chaotic. Even collectors were seen indulging in fights of course verbal on the issue.
From reliable sources, it has been learnt that the type of response INDIA POST had expected for the sale of this item has not been seen. Though total quantity printed is 1 lac but around 45000 thousand khadi stamps have only been sold online as well as through counter. It has also been learnt from the reliable sources that sources that unsold stamps will be dispatched to all the bureaus across the country for sale very soon. These PRESENTATION PACKS will be available for sale   shortly from New Delhi Sansad  Marg Philatelic Bureau. This PP Will be put on sale through e-post office site of India Post. This is a welcome move for the collectors who could not visit INDIPEX nor they could book the PP online. At last India Post has correctly taken a wise step which will go a long way to promote philately n check the unscrupulous elements from booking the profit.

http://philamirror.info/2011/03/23/gandhi-khadi-stamp-soon-available-at-bureaus-for-common-collectors/