14 November 2014

India Post on Children's Day 1957 – 2013

 

Children’s Day stamps from 1957 to 2013

 

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I am sharing here an article by Deepak Modi on Children’s Day stamps issued over the years by India Post. The tradition takes a break and there is no special stamp  issue today on children’s day. This is a special article for this  day.

 

Children’s Day and Stamps Collecting…

Children's Day is recognized on various days in many places around the world, to honor children globally. Universal Children's Day takes place annually on November 20. In India, Children's Day is celebrated on 14 November, the birthday of the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru born in 1889.

Jawaharlal Nehru, who was fondly called Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru) by the kids, emphasized the importance of giving love and affection to children, whom he saw as the bright future of India. This day is known as Bal Divas in Hindi.

Many functions are organized in schools, offices and other organizations. All over the country, various cultural and social institutions conduct competitions for children. Children's Day is seen as a day for the kids to engage in fun. Children take part in many sports organized for them.

India Post also celebrates Children’s Day by releasing special postage stamp every year on 14th November. Stamps issued on this occasion are the only stamps which are not designed by professional stamp designers of India Post.

India Post  holds a national drawing competition  and the selected best entries get  place as designs of the commemorative postage stamp, first day cover and various other such items which are issued on 14th of November by the name of that particular school student.

It was in the year 1957 when India Post issued a set of three stamps for the first time on 14th November. First of the stamp was depicting a boy eating a Banana. The price of the stamp was 8 Paisa. The stamp was created from a candid photograph of a 8 year boy Shekhar Borker. The photograph was selected from 10000 entries. Shekhar became famous as 'Banana Boy' after the stamp was issued. Until 1966, the Children's Day stamps were created using a photograph.

In 1971, instead of using a photograph, India Post started to use drawings and paintings by children, selected from all over India.

Until 1971 the stamps were printed in single color. From 1973, India Post started to issue multicolor stamps.

1957

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“Nutrition”                            “Education”                    “Recreation”

1958                       1959                            1960

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“Nurse exercising Polio “Boys awaiting admission to “Equal importance to study &

Afflicted child”                    Children’s home”                      recreation”

1961                                    1962                                       1963

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“Vocational Training”     “Passing the flag to youth”     “School Meals”

1964                                 1966                    1971

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Obverse of 1r coin of     “Infant & Dove Emblem”       “Women at work”

                    Jawaharlal Nehru

1973                               1974                                        1975

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“Children at Play                      “ “Cat”                                  “Cow”

1976                                 1977 – 1                                1977 – 2

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“Loyal Mongoose”                    “Cats”                                            “Friends”

1978                                           1980                                        1981

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“Two Friends”                                “Girls Dancing”                    “Toyseller”

1982                                          1983                          1984

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“Mother and Child”   “Women & Child at Festival”       “Forest”

1985                                      1986                                      1987

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“School Girl using Computer”     “Girl Rock Climber”                  “My Home”

1990                            1991                                   1992

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“Doll and Cat”         “Happy    Children in Colorful Dress”              “The Sun”

1993                         1994                                        1995

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“I’CYP mascot Gajju & Children”     “Me & My Pals”             “Children in circle”

1996                                   1997                                 1998

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“Indian Village”                “Chaha Nehru with Child”           “Empowered Girl

                                                                                                            Empowered Society”

1999                          2000                                      2001

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“Let us Live Tomorrow”     “My Best Friend”     “Role of I.T. in bringing the

                                                                                                     World together”

2002                               2004                      2005

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   “Holi Festival”                 “My Village”           “Vijaya Dashmi Procession”

2006                                                                               2007

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“My Mythological Hero - Krishna & Karna”                     “The Magic of The Night”

2008                                                  2009

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2010                                                             2011

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“ Dolls – Kite – Pin wheels – Puppets”                    “Save the Tiger”

2012                               2013

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“Future Post Office”                      “Holiday”

Design a Stamp Competition

India Post Organizes 'Design a Stamp Competition' for School children. The competition is organized at national level and  thousands of school children from every corner of India take part in it. A theme is given to the competitors and they have to design it in ink, water color or oil paint. Winning design is selected to depict on Children's Day stamp. The competition is open for the student of Standard IV to Standard XII, and is divided in 3 groups. The winning entry from each group gets its place on Children’s day stamp, First Day Cover, Miniature sheet and various such other collectables by released by India Post every year on 14th November.

Many stamp collectors like to specialize themselves in a specific theme. Gandhi stamps are one of the most popular themes in the collectors of stamps. Now Children's day stamps also have become a popular theme amongst the collectors. It is notable thing that India post has issued a large number of stamps on both the themes.Stamps on this theme are displayed in most of the philatelic exhibitions in India.

I myself started collecting stamps in my school days and still its going on.

- Deepak Narendra Ji Modi,JALNA

email :  Modi.philatelist@gmail.com

References: Articles in various news papers, internet and from personal collection.

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