Philatelists ‘stamp’ their presence with collection

Daniel Monteiro from Brahmavar in Udupi district begun collecting stamps when he was in Class V.

“It is difficult for any philatelist to surpass the stamp collection of Monteiro,” Philatelist and Numismatist Baikady Srinivas Rao said.

Monteiro’s name found a mention in the Guinness Book of Records when his collection exceeded 5,000 stamps.

“Now, I have 10,000 stamps on birds alone,” Monteiro told DH. Monteiro has installed 12 frames of his unique stamps on birds, including a special series tracing the evolution of water fowl, at ‘Karnapex 2019’ organised at Dr T M A Pai Convention Hall.

He also has earliest stamps on birds released in India. “In order to draw the attention of vistors and jury, the stamps should be presented in the sequences of narrating a story,” he said. Baikady Srinivas Rao, who has been collecting stamps for the past 38 years, has laboured hard to organise a special collection of maximum or maxi cards.

A maximum card includes a picture card with an image, a stamp on the same image and a pictorial cancellation.

Seventy six-year-old Rao has displayed 96 such maximum cards at the exhibition.

Rao also has pictorial cancellation dating as early as 1979. His 48 sheets on butterflies highlights unknown facts about the winged beauties.

His daughter Satyashree, who is based in Netherlands, has displayed over 96 Army Postal Covers (Army Postal cover is a tribute to the services of heroic deeds of soldiers and their battalions). Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka circle, Dr Charles Lobo himself has displayed some ‘Pictorial letters’ which is not to be missed.

Daniel Monteiro says due to lack of awareness, the hobby of collecting stamps is no longer popular among the children.

“Children should not be blamed as they don’t receive personal letters. There are many children who have not seen a post box. The only option for those collecting stamps is to buy them,” he added.