Are Mahatma Gandhi stamps disappearing from Post Offices?

Kannur: Post offices are running low on stamps featuring Mahatma Gandhi, disappointing those looking to use them for invitations to Gandhi Jayanti events on October 2. Many people visited local post offices hoping to buy stamps with Gandhi’s image but found them unavailable.

More than 100 countries have printed postage stamps honouring Gandhi and his ideals, showcasing various moments from the freedom struggle. However, stamps depicting Gandhi are becoming increasingly rare in India. Currently, post offices stock stamps featuring figures like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, A. B. Vajpayee, M. S. Subbulakshmi, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Rajendra Prasad, Chhatrapati Shivaji, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and Rabindranath Tagore. Stamps of Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru can only be found if they haven’t already been sold out.

In 2015, stamps featuring former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were discontinued. These stamps were part of the 'Sculptors of Modern India' series issued by the UPA government in 2008. While stamps of Gandhi, Nehru, Mother Teresa, and B. R. Ambedkar were retained, others were replaced with those depicting Deendayal Upadhyay, Jayaprakash Narayan, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, and Ram Manohar Lohia.

Gandhi and the history of stamps

Mahatma Gandhi was the first Indian to be featured on postage stamps in India. A set of stamps was planned for release in January 1948, but following Gandhi's assassination, they were issued as commemorative stamps instead. The stamps, marked with "Bapu" in Hindi and Urdu, were priced at various denominations and released on August 15, 1948, to commemorate the first anniversary of India's independence. 

The first country outside India to issue a Gandhi stamp was the United States, which released its stamp on January 26, 1961.

'Conspiracy'

Muhammad Rasheed Vattapoyil, Founder Secretary of the Kannanur Philatelic Club, expressed concern over the lack of availability of stamps for almost seven years, suggesting that there is a deliberate effort to erase the memories of Gandhi, Nehru, and the late Prime Ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi.

Postal officials’ response 

C. K. Mohanan, postal superintendent of Kannur, explained that the distribution of stamps comes from the Thrissur Circle Stamp Depot. He mentioned that there are currently no stocks available, as they are not being supplied from Nashik Press.