Kids at the exhibition. Picture by Uma Shankar Dubey

Jamshedpur, April 3: Stamp lovers of the city would once again get an opportunity to take a look at rare stamps that have been displayed at the 9th philatelic exhibition organised by the Jamshedpur Philatelic Society at Tulsi Bhavan.

The three-day exhibition, which has been organised to mark the society’s 30th anniversary, was inaugurated today by the president of the society, Sarosh J. Ghandy, in the presence of postal department officials. The exhibition has been named in memory of its founder president, M.S. Katre.

The aim of organising the exhibition is to provide information about this “educative” hobby to beginners and students. “We have been organising philatelic workshops in different schools and at Jubilee Hobby Centre in Telco,” said secretary of the society, S.S. Basan. According to him, during the exhibition a workshop and a quiz on philately would be organised for students and the winners would be given away prizes and certificates.

Stamp collection is a hobby, which is still liked by teachers and parents. And this was evident as a large number of teachers and parents flocked the exhibition, along with their children on the first day.

Just after the inauguration the exhibition was thrown open to the visitors who got a glimpse of some of the rare stamps, including the recently-introduced scented stamps of Switzerland and stamps for the blind (in Braille script). The chief attractions of the exhibition were the stamp books, albums, miniature sheets and hinges displayed by the philatelic bureau of the postal department. This is for the first time that the philatelic bureau has been invited to display its postal items.

Several award-winning exhibits, along with those belonging to collectors from other states, have also been displayed. Various topics have been given for the three-day exhibition. The first day has been dedicated to its founder president, while the second and third days have been devoted to the “legends of Indian film music” and “protect polar environment”.