Express News Service
CHENNAI: City-based philatelist and stamp dealer Ramesh Ethiraj recently designed a stamp bearing the image of Mahatma Gandhi for North Korea. “The stamp was designed and released by the Korea Postal Corporation to commemorate the centenary of the khadi movement (1918),” says the stamp agent for almost six-odd countries.
Ramesh left his cushy job in a leading IT company and took up his family trade last year. “My grandfather started collecting stamps as a hobby. There were not many modes of entertainment back then and this is what they used to do in their spare time. It was also extremely educative. Later, my father turned the hobby into a trade, and I followed the suit. I had a conventional job for five years, but I found my calling in this,” he says.
So far, about 120 countries have released Mahatma Gandhi’s stamps. “We wanted North Korea to also be in the list and submitted a design proposal along with details about the khadi movement. Once it was approved, we went ahead,” he says.
Unlike the usual rectangle paper stamps, Ramesh’s stamp is designed on cloth. The dimensions of the stamp are 120*80 mm, 57*36 mm. “The image of Gandhi weaving yarn in the spinning wheel and an image of the Gandhi mandapam in Kanyakumari were designed as part of the stamp. It certainly is a proud moment...this is North Korea’s first Gandhi postal stamp,” he says with glee.
Telegram collections, pre and post independence stamps, postal history, and early trade analysis logs are part of Ramesh’s collection. “Unlike foreign countries, the awareness on philately is less in India. But, India post conducts a lot of workshops and we as collectors are also constantly trying to spread awareness. Hopefully, in the future, the scenario will become better,” he says.
Stamp’s design
Unlike the usual rectangle paper stamps, Ramesh’s stamp is designed on cloth. The dimensions of the stamp are 120*80 mm, 57*36 mm.
