27 Sep :The largest private collection of international stamps on Mahatma Gandhi, non-violence and Jainism will be put on exhibition in London for four days from 30th September.
More than 300 individual stamps of Mahatma Gandhi, from over 60 countries, will highlight how the world has honoured the father of India through philately in an exhibition organised by the Hindu Forum of Britain at the Nehru Centre here in association with Amu Shah, a keen philatelist.
The first ever stamps depicting Gandhi were issued in 1948 to mark the first year of Indian independence while in 1961 the USA issued stamps of the great leader under the theme ‘Champions of Liberty’.
Over 100 countries throughout the world have followed suit with commemorative stamps and coins.
"I have been passionately collecting stamps ever since I was a child. My collection include various topical issues, specifically on non-violence and Gandhi for 40 years and my entire collection will be on show at the exhibition," Shah, who is also chairman of Hindu Council of Tanzania and founder Chairman of Tanzania Philatelic Association, said.
"The theme of non-violence has a relevance to Jainism as Gandhi adopted the principle from Srimad Ramchand, a Jain saint and philosopher," he said.
"The finest and great statesmen and women of the 19th and 20th Century have been honoured through commemorative stamps and coins and Gandhi is no exception," Ramesh Kallidai, secretary general of Hindu Forum of Britain, said.