The India Post’s ‘My Stamp’ counter at Kala Academy Philately Exhibition Zone invites with a poster ‘Lights, camera, Get Stamped’ and visitors pour in to have a personalized stamp. Nonetheless, noted actor Bhumi Satish Pednekar also found her in the stall to receive a personalized memento that she can cherish for posterity. Signing in the visitor’s book on November 25, she expressed her joy and gratitude. Bhumi was at the stall to have her own personalized ‘My Stamp’ featuring her photograph alongside the exclusive IFFI special design which is a once-in-a-year collectible created just for the festival.
Dr Smita Parsekar, a Mumbaikar now settled in Goa, is thrilled to have 12 photos alongside a valid postal stamp printed in minutes at the counter, and delivered to her with a smile. Costing Rs 300 for 12 such stamps, of Rs 5 each, these can be used as regular stamps and the receiver of the letter or envelope will have a surprise of seeing the sender’s photo printed by the side of the stamp. So far 150 sheets of Rs 300 each are already sold out till November 26 and the officers have ordered for more for the coming days.
“I really enjoyed this concept,” said Dr Parsekar who is a regular delegate at IFFI, and rarely misses the festival. “I am going to write letters to my friends and relatives and use some of these stamps,” she quipped.
The stall has postcards that are unique to Goa, Ratnagiri and Sawantwadi. Though the cost is 50 paise each, these postcards are distributed free to visitors and 500 of them are already over. Another of the concepts that’s being floated by the department of Post this year at IFFI, is that of writing a letter to anyone, which will go to Antarctica’s Maitri and Bharti Stations, get stamped there and return to the address within three to six months.
“These letters will be handed over to the scientist and researchers expedition from NIO and NCPR that leaves for Antarctica twice a year (every six months) to replace the team already working and experimenting there,” said Pradeep Mandrekar, officer at the India Post stall at Kala Academy. The returning expedition team would bring back the letters and these would be posted on their addresses. The letter thus would travel to the last icy point on earth and come back with the fragrance of the sea and snow. “The prized letter would serve as a cherished memory because not all of us can travel to Maitri or Bharati,” said Dr Parsekar.
