Back to the past: Into a world of postal history and stamps

The Philatelic Bureau in Pune General Post Office (GPO) is a bright room with high ceilings and luminate windows.

There is plenty of paraphernalia lying across the tables, and the display desk which showcases various stamps; exotic birds, transportations of India are some of the popular stamps displayed prominently. The last stamp is on the fragrances of India and displays rose in many colours.

Bombay Philatelic Bureau was the first bureau opened in India on June 21, 1941 and was functioning alone for more than seven years. Later, on August 15, 1948, nine philatelic bureaus were opened in different capitals of India. Now there are 81 philatelic bureaux in operation across India, including the one in Pune which opened on August 28, 1977.

‘My Stamp’ is the brand name for personalised sheets of Postage Stamps of India Post. The personalisation is achieved by printing a thumb nail photograph of the customer images and logos of institutions, or images of artwork, heritage buildings, famous tourist places, historical cities, wildlife, other animals or birds, alongside the selected Commemorative Postage Stamp. “It was first introduced in India during the World Philatelic Exhibition, ‘INDIPEX-2011’. There was considerable demand for it during the exhibition and many requests to resume its printing have since been received.....

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