AIR INDIA First Flight 2nd April 1983, BOMBAY- SANA'A - BOMBAY 2.4.1983

AIR INDIA First Flight 2nd April 1983, BOMBAY- SANA'A - BOMBAY

Thank you Dear Ella for this nice cover. I think I am going to start a new album of First Flight Covers. 

AIR INDIA First Flight Cover - 1982 BOMBAY- MONTREAL 2.10.1982

AIR INDIA First Flight Cover - 1982 BOMBAY- MONTREAL- BOMBAY AIR INDIA FIRST FLIGHT ON GANDHI JAYANTI.
Thank You Ella.

The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016 at Vizag- Bridges of Friendship 6.2.2016

This lovely First Day Cover commemorating The 2nd International Fleet Review (IFR)  was given to me by my Dear friend Commodore Bibhu Mohanti.

A Naval Fleet review is a ceremonial and stately inspection of the Naval Warships by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Honourable President. The last International Fleet Review held off Mumbai in 2001.

The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016 was conducted at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh from February 5 to February 8, 2016. It was an International Military Exercise hosted and conducted by Indian Navy on behalf of the President of India. It's objective was to enhance mutual trust and confidence with neighbouring navies by inviting their ships to participate in the event. Indian Navy took this opportunity to display display its maritime capabilities. The last International Fleet Review by Indian Navy was conducted in January 2001 at Mumbai.

54 countries participated in IFR2016. Ships included 24 warships from foreign countries, 24 foreign Naval chiefs, and 90 foreign delegates.  

The Vizag International Fleet Review 2016 opening ceremony was done by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu on February 4, 2016. The special celebrities who attend the event were President Pranab Mukherjee, Governor E.S.L Narasimhan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shri Manohar Parikkar, Raksha Mantri.

India - A Marvel Of Architecture

Brihadeeswarar Temple is an architectural wonder and reflective of the artistic skills of the erstwhile Chola rulers who ruled peninsular India in the early medieval period. Built by the Chola king Rajaraja I in the 11th century, it is one of the tallest temples in the world. It was so designed that the vimana never casts a shadow at noon. The Brihadeeswarar Temple belongs to the south Indian style of temple architecture: The basic structure of temples in India is a room or the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) where the idol of the main deity is kept. The temple is approached by a flight of steps and is often built on a platform. A porch covers the entrance to the temples, which is supported by carved pillars. A prominent roof called the shikhara surmounts the top of the Garbha Griha and dominates the surroundings. Gradually, with the passage of time, small temples grew into temple complexes. Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple: Thanjavur is "Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu" and a great pilgrim destination of South India. It was the capital of Chola kings who ruled the region during 9th to 13th centuries. Thanjavur is a flourishing centre for bronze sculpture and painting. The temple, dedicated to Nandi, the Bull is a masterpiece of the captivating Chola architecture. The mount of Lord Shiva i.e. Nandi has been made from a single granite rock.
Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple is unique to have the tallest tower (216 ft) over the sanctum sanctorum unlike other temples. The Temple, made over a 29 m square base, is surrounded by moat on two sides and Grand Anaicut river on the other side. The compound within its inner wall measures about 500 feet x 250 feet. The walls of the sanctum are adorned with the wall paintings of Chola and Nayak periods. The temple has a soaring vimana and a stunted gopuram. The inner sanctum and the gopuram were constructed over a period of 12 years. It was constructed from a single piece of granite weighing around 80 tonnes. I must thank My friend Kasinath, who designed this wonderful maxicard for sending it to me.

500th anniversary of Krishna Deva Raya’s coronation

The Vijaynagar Kingdom rose to its highest peak of glory during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya. Not only was he an able administrator and a great warrior, but, he was also a scholar, a poet, a musician and a good king. His subjects loved him, and he even treated his enemies with honour. He is believed to have won all the wars he waged during his rule.

Much information about his reign comes from the accounts of Portuguese travellers Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz. Krishna Deva Raya benefited from his able Prime Minister Timmarusu, who was regarded by the king as a father figure and was responsible for his coronation. Krishna Deva Raya was the son of Nagala Devi and Tuluva Narasa Nayaka, an army commander under Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya, who later took control of the empire to prevent its disintegration. The king's coronation took place on the birthday of Lord Krishna, and his earliest inscription is from July 26, 1509 CE. He built a beautiful suburb near Vijayanagara called Nagalapura in memory of his mother. Krishna Deva was the younger brother of Vira Narasimha who defeated the Sulvas to snatch the throne. Krishna Deva succeeded his brother and soon proved his mettle as an able king. He won all the wars he fought and expanded his kingdom. He defeated the king of Orissa and also the Sultan of Bijapur. He defeated the Bahamani ruler Ismail Adil Shah to put an end to the Muslim dominance in Southern India. His empire extended from Cuttack in eastern India to Goa in the west and Raichur Dobe in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south.

During Krishna Deva's reign the European (mainly the Portuguese) traders came to India and he encouraged foreign trade with the visitors. Krishna Deva was a great patron of art, poetry and music. Tenali Ramakrishna - the scholar who was famous for his wisdom, was a prominent member of Krishna Deva's court. He built the famous Vithalswami and Hazara temple in Hampi.

This Special Cover commemorates the 500^th anniversary of Krishna Deva Raya’s coronation. Mr Veeraraghavan sent me this nice philatelic item.

UK - India Vs England Cricket Match

75 Years ago this famous cricket match was played between India and England at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta. Bhagyesh Dash got me this First Day Cover and a replica of the score sheet of that match.

Ferguson College – Pune

Many of my friends and relatives and some visitors, mainly ex – students of the college wanted more info. Not having studied at these hallowed precincts, I decided to show the full info sheet. Click for an enlarged view.

125 years of Fergusson College, Pune

Fergusson College has 125 years of history as the flagship of higher education in Pune. Alma Mater to leaders across the entire spectrum of societal positions: Prime-Ministers, Industrialists, Doctors, Engineers, Academicians, Scientists, Litterateurs, Artistes, and Sportspersons.

Fergusson College is 125 years on 2nd January, 2010.

1st World Agriculture Fair

Today is the 50^th Anniversary of the First World Agriculture Fair held at the Exhibition Grounds (now called Pragati Maidan) in New Delhi. It was on this Day 50 years ago that the Gates were thrown open to the Public at large. For us younger lot living in India then, this was indeed a very proud moment. For the rest of the World it was a reiteration of the Government Policy of recognizing the fact that India was and is an agricultural country at heart. We urban folk moved around the various stalls, admiring the skills of our farmers in producing grains for the rest of India. The implements used by our farmers was in sharp contrast to the mechanized equipment on display in the stalls of many Western countries. I still maintain that we were proud of what our farmers were doing, despite the obvious disadvantages. It is their effort of those days that have brought India to the brink of Super-Power status today.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad 1984

Today is the 125th Birth Anniversary of India's 1st President Late Dr. Rajendra Prasad. The Nation pays tribute to this simple man who Graced the Office of President with great Dignity and Humility.

The Sangam Age

This special cover is in commemoration of the Sangam Age and the Maritime Heritage of the Tamil people. Below is a brief description of that Great Period in Indian History.

The Sangam Age

The Sangam age is one of the greatest periods of tamil Nadu chronology. It might have been produced in the first 3 centuries of the christian era.
Sangam Literature
The most available tamil Work is Tolkappiyam--A work on phonetics and clearly established grammar of Tamil language
Ettuthogai(eight Anthologies)
Pathupattu(ten Idylls)
Pathinenkil kanaku(18 ways of civilization)(this is a post sangam work.
Twin epics
1.Sillapadikaram(talks about ancient madurai city and Metaphor on Women)
2.Manimekali(literature attached with sillapadikaram) talks about Buddhism and Hinduism

Kings during Sangam age
1.the cheras - cheran senguttuvan
2.the cholas - karikalan
3.the pandiyas - Illapervaludi(meaning of name- a person of young and brave)
4. kurunila mannarkal(7 chieftains) were the subordinate kings to the chera, chola, pandiyas. also known as Kadaiyelu vallalkal.
Kingship
1.king is center of administration
2.he had separate identical flag and tree
3.if any king fell down the tree, it symbolizes he wants to have war with that king.
4.more importance to the local govts,ie., decentralized form of governance.
5.there were charismatic, traditional and democratic form of govt.
revenue
1.main source of income was tax
2.1/6th of procuts of land was collected as tax.
3.there was tax exemption also.
4.tributes and court fees were also the sources.
Infrastructure
1.main infrastructure was to tanks and canals
2.cosiderable amount was to education, literature
3.plenty of revenue expended to roads, hospitals and defense
Division of land
the land was divided into 5 types for easy administration, viz,
1.kurinji - hills and forest(hunting place)
2.mullai - pastures and lands(cattle breeding place)
3.marudam - field and plantation(plough cultivation)
4.niethal - seashore(fishing)
5.palai - dry lands(plunder warfare)

(Enlarge the picture on the Right for details of the coins depicted on the cover)

India - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

The Nation salutes this Great son of India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a patriot and true nationalist par excellence. Today we celebrate this Great Man’s 134^th Birth Anniversary.

Teacher's Day

Today is Teacher’s Day in India. It is observed in memory of our 2^nd President Dr. S Radhakrishnan. Dr. S Radhakrishnan was born in the year 1888 in a well-known religious state in Chennai, then called Madras. He was the second son of Veera Samayya, a tehsildar in a zamindari. It was a middle-class, respectable Hindu Brahmin family.

He graduated with a Master's Degree in Arts from Madras University. In partial fulfilment for his M.A. degree, Radhakrishnan wrote a thesis on the ethics of the Vedanta titled "The Ethics of the Vedanta and Its Metaphysical Presuppositions", which was a reply to the charge that the Vedanta system had no room for ethics.

The Origin of Teacher's Day in India
Since 1962, 5th of September has been celebrated as Teacher's Day in India. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakhrishnan was a philosopher and a teacher par excellence. Some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday. In reply, Dr, Radhakrishnan said, "Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5th is observed as Teacher's day". The request showed Dr.Radhakrishnan's love for the teaching profession. From then onwards, his birthday is observed as Teacher's Day in India.

In this connection I would like to place before you a First Day Cover and a Brochure issued by the Dept of Posts and Telegraph.

One of the photographs from the brochure is indeed rare as it shows the Past (1^st), Present (2^nd) and the Future (3^rd) President of India.

India 15.8.1949 - India Two years old

Independent India was Two years old, and I was eight years old. And, that was 60 glorious years ago.

China - 1st Anniversary of India's First Individual Olympic Gold Medal

It was indeed a Glorious August 11^th 2008 when Abhinav Bindra won for India the first Individual Gold Medal in her Olympic history. This was achieved in Shooting. I was watching it all on TV, and the stunned silence at the end told its own story of how happy we all were. I found a folder of the 2008 Olympic Games and felt it was an appropriate occasion to share it with the sport lovers amongst you.

SWINE FLU

(Please Click to Enlarge)

This was published in today's (6th August) Delhi Edition of the Daily Mail. As this issue is far more important than anything concerning Philately, I thought that in public interest I must highlight it on my blog. Any inconvenience caused to the visitors to this blog is deliberate. TAKE CARE.

Indo-Soviet Joint Manned Space Flight

This year, namely 2009 is the 25^th Anniversary of the Indo-Soviet 1^st Space Flight. It was a manned flight and Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian cosmonaut. Born on 13th January 1949 in Patiala, Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma was a test pilot in the IAF. He was selected on 20th September 1982 to become a cosmonaut. In 1984 he became the first citizen of India to go into space when he flew aboard the Russian rocket Soyuz T-11. The take-off from Baikonur in the Soviet Union on April 2, 1984 was a high point in Indo-Soviet relations.

The Soyuz T-11 docked and transferred the three member Soviet-Indian international crew which also included the Ship's Commander Y.V. Malyshev and Flight Engineer G.M. Strekalov (USSR) to the SALYUT-7 Orbital Station. The crew spent seven days aboard the Salyut space station during which they conducted scientific and technical studies, which included 43 experimental sessions. Sharma used Yoga techniques to combat the debilitating effects of weightlessness. His work was mainly in the fields of bio-medicine and remote sensing. The crew held a joint television news conference with officials in Moscow and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. "Saare jahan se achcha", said Sqn Ldr Sharma when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked him how India looked from outer space. That was also a proud moment for millions of Indians who watched India become the 14th nation to send a man to outer space. Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, for the successful completion of the Space Mission. As were his Russian companions Malyshev and Strekalov. This is the first and the only time, the Ashoka Chakra was awarded to foreigners.

You will notice that the Russian First Day Cover has the autographs of the three member Soviet-Indian international crew. I am also displaying the Indian FDC commemorating that historic occasion.

You will also notice the Indian design Sun chariot on the 50k Soviet miniature sheet.

Hi!

 I have chosen this particular Miniature Sheet because it’s the oldest one I have. I got it in Panjim, Goa just 15 days after Goa was liberated by the Indian Armed Forces in Dec 1961. I was a cadet then on the training ship the mighty INS Tir. The Mini Sheet depicts the Exposition of St. Francis Xavier in 1952. I believe there are very few of these in circulation. Not even in Portugal.