In Chennai, philatelist releases a e book on colonial-era stamps and their evolution

Stamps from the princely state of Orchha
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

“Stamps are the home windows to the world,” says Rolands Nelson, philatelist and retired civil engineer. When requested what number of stamps he has in his assortment, he approximates the quantity to be round a lakh. Nelson’s e book, Princely States of India: a Philatelic Overview, was launched just lately. The occasion was carried out within the Anna Centenary Library, Karapakkam, and was attended by a number of stamp fans throughout town. Philately is the examine of stamps and there’s a nice following for it throughout the nation.

Rolands Nelson on the launch of his e book at Anna Centenary Library.
| Photograph Credit score:
R Ravindran

Nelson’s e book particulars the evolution and historical past of stamps in India’s princely states. Stamps have been delivered to the subcontinent by the British, who have been the primary ones to print them. By way of the e book, the creator goals to create an curiosity amongst younger individuals. He has been writing Princely States of India for round a 12 months, but in addition spent a decade researching.

The creator is the vice-president of the South India Philatelists’ Affiliation (SIPA) and has been amassing stamps since 1958. “I used to review in Madurai, and my good friend would stand in line on the publish station in Madras to purchase and ship stamps to me,” he recollects fondly.

Prints of Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II on stamps.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

“The rulers wished to indicate the world what that they had within the states,” says Nelson, talking of the stamps of princely India. The stamps would show their ruler’s faces or monuments — that is has lasted to at the present time. He hopes his e book will probably be helpful to aspiring philatelists, and plans to work on extra publications sooner or later.