Book Review : Pincode ( Postal Index Number) Six digits, One Nation

 

  

Pincode (Postal Index Number) Six digits, One Nation

By Sushil Mehra

Pincode ( Postal Index Number) Six digits, One Nation By Sushil Mehra : Edition  2025 (First): Philatelic Research Booklet - Pin Code Study : Publisher : Sushil Mehra : Type Paperback : Pages - 50 :  Price - Rs 850/-  : For Private Circulation : Contact : email : gaureshmehra@gmail.com  WhatsApp  : 9972091818

A Postal Index Number refers to a six-digit code in the Indian postal code system used by India Post. The PIN system was introduced on 15 August 1972 by Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, an additional secretary in the Government of India's Ministry of Communications. The system was introduced to simplify the manual sorting and delivery of mail by eliminating confusion over incorrect addresses, similar place names, and different languages used by the public. The first digit of a PIN indicates the zone, the second indicates the sub-zone, and the third, combined with the first two, indicates the sorting district within that zone. The final three digits are assigned to individual post offices within the sorting district.

 

The book “Pincode ( Postal Index Number) Six digits, One Nation” gives detail description of the PIN Code structure digit wise with Map. The promotion of PIN Code on various postal articles in form of cancellations, meter marks, on margins of stamp sheets, printing on covers and postal registration /speed post receipts. The book also gives the details of the special covers and private covers issued on PIN code. The postcards have a special feature for the use of PIN code which is a part of promotion of the use of PIN code which makes postal delivery easy and fast. It is described  with the images. The book gives the list of Philatelic Bureaus of India with PIN its codes. The author has also given special chapters on ZIP Code versus PIN Code and last Pin Codes of India. 

The book is interesting and informative with a beautiful layout . It will be helpful in the study of use, promotion and importance of the PIN code. Every philatelist would find the book quite useful. 

 

 About the Author

 

Sushil Mehra is a keen philatelist and numismatist with special interest in various varied subjects related to stamp, coin and note collection. He has participated in several stamp exhibition . He is a member of Karnataka Numismatic Society as well as member of Karnataka Philatelic Society. He has a complete collection of Post Independence India Stamps. ET (Economic Times) as well Deccan Herald have published articles on his collection. Karnataka Postal Circle has released Post Cards on his collection as well as two books on Special Covers of Karnataka to which he Contributed. He is author/co-author of many books on philately. Some of them are :

 

• Glimpses of Vintage Bengaluru’,
• ‘Guide to Permanent Pictorial Cancellations of India’,
• ‘ My Dashavatar Collection with special emphasis on Rama and Krishna’,
• ‘Exemplified Philatelic Terms’, 
• ‘Jai Hind – The True spirit of India’,
• ‘The Handbook of Permanent Pictorial Cancellations of India’.
• ‘INK THE PPC: An Updated Guide to Permanent Pictorial Cancellations’
• ‘My Collection of Special Covers issued by Karnataka Postal Circle 2019-2023’
• ‘The Post Office Buildings of India’
• ‘CARRIED COVERS of INDIA’
• ‘Gandhi Connections’ on Post Offices in India bearing the name of Gandhiji
• ‘Daakiya Aaya, Chitti Laya’ – a book in Hindi about Postmen and Letters through the ages through the eyes of picture postcards

He has won several award at National and International Philatelic Exhibitions.

-      -  Jeevan Jyoti

 

Europhilex 2025 : Results

 

EUROPHILEX 2025

Indian Winners

1. Markand Dave 2.Dinesh Kanabar 3. Nisarg Sutaria 4. Jeevan Jyoti 5. Mohanachandran Nair

6. Sridevi N. 7.Capt. Vijay Wadhwa 8.Kumesh Kumar Jain 9. Gauresh Mehra 10.Sushil Mehra

Markand Dave FRPSL

The Rocket Mails of India - Gold with Fel. of Jury.

Markand Dave

The 1929 Air Mail Stamps of India -  Gold

Dinesh Kanabar FRPSL 

-Treasure of British India Archive - - Large Vermeil

Chandrajit Ghose - The Rocket Mails in India - Large Vermeil

Nisarg Sutaria – Vermeil

Dinesh Kanabar – Vermeil

Jeevan Jyoti – Large Silver 

Mohanachandran Nair - Large Silver

Capt Vijay Wadhwa – 6 Silver  (  6 entries)

Sridevi N. – Silver + Large Silver ( 2 entries)

Kumesh Kumar Jain – Silver

Sushil Mehra – 2 Silver Bronze (  2 entries)

Gauresh Mehra – Silver Broze

View : Result 

Result: Literature Class

View : Literature Entries

-Markand Dave , National Commissioner for  India

New Book on Philately released...

 

Philately Its glorious Past and uncertain future 

By Anil Dhir

(Festschrift volume in Memory of Late Bijayshree Routray_)

A book on Philately was released at Bhubaneswar  on the 2nd June, the first Death Anniversary of  the Founder President of Eastern India Philatelists’ Association,  Bijayshree Routray.

The Book titled:  “Philately: It’s Glorious Past and Uncertain Future” is a Festschrift Volume in his honour. The book, written by Anil Dhir,  has a foreword  by Jeevan Jyoti.  It has many interesting articles on the past and present of Philately in a world perspective, with special reference to the Indian context. The book is divided into two parts, the first comprises of scholarly and informative articles, and the second part is memorials and testimonials from philatelists over the country who have written wonderful and emotive pieces.

The book was released by the governor of Odisha, Prof. Ganeshi Lal in the presence of many other eminences of the state. Speaking on the occasion, Anil Dhir, the author of the book said that Bijayshree Routray was not only a politician with a long term stint, but also an excellent scholar and academic person. His role in firming and taking EIPA to great heights will be ever remembered. Philatelists from all over the state attended the memorial.

The book is priced at Rs 400 and is available on Amazon and Flipkart. However a few copies will be given to philatelists for Rs 200.

- Anil Dhir : email : anildhir2k5@hotmail.com  Whatsapp 9861020747

 

Philatelic Tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

159th Birth Anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore and The Post Office - a Philatelic Tribute by noted philatelist and artist Shri Dipok Dey is a beautiful book on stamps and other philatelic items issued on Nobel Laureate Gurudev  Rabindranath Tagore all over the world. Sharing here some pages from this book.

Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian to win Nobel Prize, was born on 7 May 1861 in Kolkata. This year marks the 159th birth anniversary of Tagore. Every year, his birth anniversary is observed as Rabindra Jayanti across the country.

Rabindranath Tagore, one of the most celebrated and revered polymaths India ever had left behind a rich legacy of work inspiring generations across the globe. Tagore, also known as Gurudev played a pivotal role in shaping the Bengali literature, art and music. On his 159th birth anniversary,sharing here some facts about him,

-Rabindranath Tagore was the youngest of thirteen surviving children. He was born in the Jorasanko mansion in Calcutta to Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. Unfortunately, his mother died at an early age and father travelled widely for work. He was nicknamed as Rabi.

--Interestingly, the Tagore family was at the forefront of the Bengal renaissance. Their family published literary magazines; theatre and recitals of Bengali and Western classical music featured regularly.

--Rabindranath Tagore became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. It was for the beautifully written Gitanjali.

Rabindranath Tagore is the only known person to have written the national anthems for two different countries - Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem for India; and Amar Sonar Bangla, the national anthem for Bangladesh. According to some historians, however, the Sri Lankan national anthem too was based on a Bengali song originally written by Tagore in 1938. It was translated into Sinhalese and adopted as the national anthem in 1951.

--Tagore had a unique vision for school training which he conceptualised and named the school Visva-Bharati. Tagore employed a brahmacharya system: gurus gave pupils personal guidance—emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Teaching was often done under trees. He staffed the school, contributed his Nobel Prize money, and his duties as steward-mentor at Santiniketan kept him busy: mornings he taught classes; afternoons and evenings he wrote the students' textbooks. He fundraised widely for the school in Europe and the United States between 1919 and 1921.

--Tagore's Nobel Prize was stolen from the safety vault of the Visva-Bharati University, along with several other of his belongings on March 25, 2004. However, on December 7, 2004, the Swedish Academy decided to present two replicas of Tagore's Nobel Prize, one made of gold and the other made of bronze, to the Visva-Bharati University. 

New Stamps from India

Eminent Writers

Date of Issue : 31 May 2017

India Post issued  five stamps in Rs 10 denomination and a Miniature sheet commemorating   Eminent Writers of India  on 31st May 2017. The stamps feature Prof.  Balwant Gargi, Bhisham Sahni, Sh K V Puttappa,Pt. Srilal Sukla and Sh Krishan Chander.

Philatelic Tributes to Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore

(7 May 1861 - 7 August 1941)

Today, 7th May is the birth anniversary of great Indian Poet Rabindranath Tagore. He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1913 for his book Geetanjali. I am sharing here one of his most beautiful poems - I cannot remember my  Mother... 

I Cannot Remember My Mother :


I cannot remember my mother 

only sometimes in the midst of my play

a tune seems to hover over my playthings, 

the tune of some song that she used to 

hum while rocking my cradle. 


I cannot remember my mother 

but when in the early autumn morning

the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air

the scent of the morning service in the temple 

comes to me as the scent of my mother. 


I cannot remember my mother 

only when from my bedroom window I send 

my eyes into the blue of the distant sky, 

I feel that the stillness of 

my mother's gaze on my face 

has spread all over the sky.

- Rabindranath Tagore

Stamp on World Poetry Day...

21 March - World Poetry Day

Date of Issue : 21 March 2017

Here is a beautiful stamp issued by Croatia Post on 21st March celebrating World Poetry Day. The World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21 and was declared by UNESCO in 1999. Its purpose is to promote reading, writing, publishing and interpretation of poetry around the world and to, as set forth in UNESCO's decision on proclamation of the World Poetry Day, ''give recognition and fresh impetus to national, regional and international poetic movements.''

Julius Meinl, a brand that has inspired poets since 1862, is celebrating the World Poetry Day around the globe for the fourth year in a row through a project called Pay with a Poem which replaces money by a more valuable currency – emotions expressed through poetry. The purpose of the project is to stress the importance of poetry in the modern world and to show that poetry can make the world a better place.

The eternal quest for inspiration is at the essence of the culture of Viennese coffeehouses and Julius Meinl, as the ambassador of that philosophy, is reviving poetry, motivating people around the world in their quest for creativity. The vision of the brand is to bring poetry into everyday life in order to show everyone that it can change the world.

With this commercial stamp called “World Poetry Day”, the Julius Meinl brand wishes to additionally spread the awareness about this day, the importance of poets and poetry and to inspire people across Croatia to express themselves, write and share emotions in the form of poems.

The designer of the stamp, Ivona Đogić Đurić, a graphic designer from Zagreb and the Hendrih Feldbauer marketing agency based in Zagreb wanted to add value to this project by creating a commercial stamp that celebrates March 21, World Poetry Day, as well as to visually present poetry as an essential element of everyday life by choosing a pencil from which stems a tree of poetry as the stamp motif. 

Source : Croatia Post

New Stamp from India

100 Years of Tata Power 

Date of Issue : 10 June 2016

To celebrate  centenary celebrations of Tata Power, a commemorative stamp was released on 10th June 2016 by India Post.Tata Power is India’s largest integrated power company with a growing international presence. The Company together with its subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities has an installed gross generation capacity of 9184 MW and a presence in all the segments of the power sector viz. Fuel Security and Logistics, Generation (thermal, hydro, solar and wind), Transmission, Distribution and Trading. 

Image Courtesy _ Kasinath R., Philately Promoters Group

Special Covers on Tamil Writers

On the occasion of the on-going 39th Chennai Book Fair at Chennai, South India Philatelists' Association in collaboration with Department of Posts, Tamilnadu Postal Circle released Six Special Covers on six eminent Tamil writer who have made significant contribution to Tamil literature. 

Six Special Covers on following eminent writers  were released by Postmaster General, Chennai City Region, Shri Mervin Alexandeer and Postmaster General, Mails & BD, Shri J. T. Venkateswarlu at the function held on 10th June 2016 at Chennai. All six special covers bear common special cancellation.

Va. Ramaswamy, 

A. K. Chettiar, 

Pudhumaipithan, 

T. Janakiraman, 

D. Jayakanthann and 

P. V. Akilandam (Akilan) 

Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest

New stamp from India

Date of Issue : 27 April 2016

A commemorative Stamp on Govardhanram Tripathi was released by India Post on 27th April 2016. The stamp release function was held in Gandhinagar.

Courtesy : Stamps of India, Indian Philatelists' Forum

New stamps from India

Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis

Date of Issue : 30 December 2015

Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), New Delhi, India is an Indian think tank for advanced research in international relations, especially strategic and security issues, and also trains civilian and military officers of the Government of India. It is a non-partisan and autonomous body. It deals with objective research and policy relating to all aspects of defense and security. Its primary goal is creation and distribution of defence and security-related knowledge, thereby promoting both national and international security.

Alagumuthu Kone 

Date of Issue : 26 December 2015

A Commemorative Stamp on freedom fighter Alagumuthu Kone was released by Hon'ble Minister for Communications and IT Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad at Madurai on 26th December 2015.

Veeran Azhagu Muthu Kone (1681-1739), also known as Alagumuthu Konar, was a Tamil Konar warrior and one of the early freedom fighters to arouse public consciousness against foreign rule in Tiruneveli region. He is regarded for having raised one of the first revolts against the British in India. 

Sumitranandan Pant

Date of Issue : 23 December 2015

A Commemorative stamp was released in memory of renowned Hindi Poet Sumitranandan Pant by Uttarakhand Governor Shri Krishna Kant Paul at a function held at Raj Bhawan, Dehradun on 23rd December 2015 in presence of Uttarakhand Chief Post Master General Shri Uday Krishna.

Sumitranandan Pant (b. May 20, 1900 – d. December 28, 1977) was born in Kausani village of Almora District, Uttarakhand, was one of the most famous modern Hindi poets and considered one of the major poets of the Chhayavaadi school of Hindi literature.

Sumitranandan Pant was the first Hindi poet to receive the Jnanpith Award, in 1968. He did so for a collection of his most famous poems, titled Chidambara. He was awarded the Nehru Peace Prize by the Soviet Union for Lokayatan. Pant received "Sahitya Kala Academy" award for "Kala Aur Budhdha Chand". The Indian Government honored him with Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. Sumitranandan Pant composed the Kulgeet of IIT Roorkee, "Jayati Jayati Vidya Sansthan". He died on December 28, 1977, at Rajamundry, Andhra Pradesh.

Courtesy - Stamps of India, Indian Philately Digest