Why do you get Mail: Chapter 2

India Commemorative UPU 75th Anniversary Stamps

David Silverstein, MD

Retired Pulmonologist & Honorary Medical Staff

In following with the presentation of countries that participated in the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union commemorative event in 1949, I follow with India. It was one of the few countries that created special cancels with the names of towns on the cancels celebrating the event. Additionally, the first description of these stamps from India was actually described in an urgent press release which appeared around September 1949 in a Swanbourne (Western Australia) newspaper proclaiming the release in October of the Australian (with the word UNION) and India stamps commemorating the event. Both stamps illustrated are similar to the ones issued, yet not exactly the same. The India stamp is actually similar to the stamps on the black imperforated commemorative sheetlet (see India). This was the ad:

INDIA (Sc 223-6; SG 325-8; Mi 207-10)

Date of Issue: October 10, 1949.

Value(s): 9P, 2A, 3½A and 12A (Pies and Annas).

Perforation(s): 13½ x 13

Paper: Watermarked (multiple five-point stars)

Process: Lithography

Designer: C. Biswas, Indian artist and manager of the Commerce Ministry Press, New Delhi (using an idea from Lt. Col. Sharrard Smith and with design assistance from Col. R.C.G. Chapman).

Engraver: I. M. Das (Chief engraver India Security Press).

Printer: India Security Press (ISP) in Nashik (now Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd. [SPMCIL])

Notes: Joined UPU July 1, 1876. Printed in sheets of 128 (8 x 16). Totals printed: 1,600,000 of the 2Annas; 800,000 of the 3½Annas; 800,000 of the 12Annas and 1,100,000 of the 9Pies. A set of larger imperforated pre-decimal Anna series from the archives of the ISP exists on card; with color shaded frame on the top and left margins, each sample measuring approximately 68mm x 53mm (see below). A commemorative post office poster exists with stamp drawings and actual stamps (advertisement). A VIP commemorative folder with all four stamps also exists. The stamps are known overprinted DRUK-PU (Bhutan overprint) and SIKKIM (Northeast Indian state). Special cancels with the same globe design as on the stamp and with the names of at least 8 towns are known to the author (Bombay, Calcutta, Lucknow, Madras, Nagpur, New Delhi, Shillong and Shimla). “Private” or common FDC cancels abound (no special design) used from different cities (below example from Batanagar). An unapproved imperforate ungummed essay in blue exists for the 3½ annas value with a different design.A sheetlet with all four values imperforated in black is known (larger in size than actual stamps) with 2 diagonal white lines across left upper corners reading on top “Commemorative Postage Stamps for Universal Postal Union 1949” (Promotional item?). Lastly, they are known used from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal (via Calcutta). Special thanks to Prashant H. Pandya, Vice President of the Philatelic Congress of India for his invaluable support and knowledge.