What is the first thing you do when you badly want to converse with someone who is miles apart? You would rather pick up the phone and given him/her a call. If it is not that important, then you might as well send them an SMS or ping. In this age of internet, communicating with someone who is at the other end of the world is so easy and instant. From mobile phones to social media websites and online chat platforms, the options are almost never-ending. However, a few years ago, people did not have the convenience to use these tools and technology. Everyone used to rely on letters back in those days to send their messages. They kept waiting for several days to receive a reply in return. That’s the reason why, collecting interesting stamps of India was a popular hobby during that era. Not just children, even older people used to keep collecting rare Indian stamps as and when they got time.  The sad part is that today’s generation would never understand the joy of indulging in an engaging and educative hobby like collecting rare stamps of India.

There is definitely a need to create awareness about Philately. By learning about stamps in India, one can discover several fascinating aspects about our country like history, traditions, cultures, important events, personalities, scientific inventions, wildlife, architecture and much more. Our country is so diverse in terms of cultures and traditions that it is almost impossible to learn everything through textbooks.  The Government in fact, should proactively take up the responsibility and encourage young school-going kids to start collecting old Indian stamps. Children are naturally more curious by nature. They would want to know more about the imagery that is featured on these amazing old stamps of India. By introducing philately into the regular curriculum, students will discover a fun way of learning.

Our educational system definitely needs to be reformed. Yes, it is important to embrace technology but it is also important to not forget our own roots in that process. Old Indian stamps have the potential to help us stay rooted!