Former RS member keen on opening philately club in Jharkhand

Former Rajya Sabha member and stamp collector, Ajay Maroo, is planning to open a philately club here to motivate children, who are hooked to cell phones and tabs in this e-age.

One of the reasons for making the proposal is to instil among the children the realisation that collection of stamps is still relevant as it helps people to trace the rich heritage and culture of a country.

The 60-year-old philatelist said he will approach the central government for setting up the club after having garnered support of at least 15 to 20 members.

Maroo, who took up the hobby of collecting stamps as a ten-year-old in 1968 said, "We used to wait for newspapers to publish about release of new stamps so that we could go to post offices and stand in a queue and purchase stamps. The prices of the stamps were then one anna, two annas or three annas.

 

"Now as I complete 50 years of stamp completion, I am planning to open a philatelic club to show children, that philately is still a good hobby even in the digital information age."

A philately exhibition displaying his rich collection of stamps is on display at the 'Rashtriya Khadi and Saras Mahastov', which was inaugurated by Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Union Minister Giriraj Singh on December 20 and will continue till January 6.

"It has been six days since the exhibition is underway and only one person called me and expressed interest for setting up of the club. We have to generate awareness to increase the membership," Maroo said.

His collection of 3,000 stamps includes a stamp on Guru Granth Sahib, perfumed stamps and a stamp made on khadi among others.

Maroo said, initially he used to collect stamps of Bhutan and 3D stamps of Russia before switching over to collection of country-made stamps.

"I became a member of the Philatelic Bureau at General Post Office in Kolkata, and got new stamps whenever they were released and I used to send money by money order," Maroo said.

Showing some of the rare stamps, Maroo pointed to a stamp published on the 400 years of the compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs.

The stamp was cancelled after its release as the holy book was showed lying on the ground.

"I have also got rare perfumed stamps--- in 2006, I purchased a stamp having sandalwood smell. I also have rose scented commemorative stamps. Similarly, in 2011, I purchased a stamp made of Khadi, normally all stamps are made of paper, but it was made of Khadi," Maroo said.

There are also miniature stamps on veteran stars of the film industry, in his collection.

"The Philately club can be set up in the post office here after getting the permission from the government. In Ranchi, we have a philately division and it will be better if it is turned into a philately bureau on the lines of the Philatelic Bureau in Kolkata," the philatelist said.