A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PHILATELIC
SOCIETY OF INDIA FOUNDED 6TH MARCH 1897,
1897-1907
The foundations of philately in India were laid by a few enthusiastic
British philatelilsts then serving in various capacities in
India. In January 1897 a band of British Philatelists headed
by Mr.(later Sir) Charles Stewart Wilson Published their first
Philatelic Journal and then founded the Philatelic Society
of India, which was inaugurated at Calcutta on 6th March 1897.
Sir Charles Wilson was the President of the Society and held
the post till 1906. The original 550 Members (including 50
ladies) were all Britishers, and it was on May 1, 1907 that
the first Indian, Mr. C.K. Dutt, joined the Society. The Society’s
first Governing Council, besides being ardent philatelists,
held high civilian and military ranks, and came from various
provinces. Sir Charles Wilson became later on Director General
of Post and Telegraphs. During this period the Society held
two successful philatelic Exhibitions in Calcutta and many
learned articles by various authors appeared in the Philatelic
Journal of India on the Stamps of the Native (Feudatory )
States, the Telegraph Stamps of India, the Stamps of Kashmir,
the Fiscal Stamps of India, and the Fiscal and Telegraph Stamps
of Ceylon. Sir Charles Wilson published, as joint author,
the “Stamps of the convention states” and the “Postage and
Telegraph Stamps of British India.”
1907-1927
The Presidents of the Society during this period were Sir
David Masson from 1907 to 1910, Mr.A.C. Cardew from 1910 to
1920, and the Hon'ble Sir Norman Macleod, the Chief Justice
of Bombay, from 1920 t o 1927. The Society’s Journal went
from strength to strength; and Mr. L.L.R. Hausberg wrote a
monumental treatise on "The Postage and Telegraph Stamps of
India" which laid the foundations of detailed studies of the
Indian Lithographs of 1854
by a group of specialists which were published in the Jouranl.
Mr. W.W. Renouf, I.C.S., wrote on " Early Indian Cancellations"
and "Indian Stamps Used Abroad", which were pioneer works
on these subjects, and are still standard books of reference.
At about this time Sir Edward Bacon published "The Proofs,
Essays and Reprints of the First Issued Stamps of British
India, 1854-55".
1928-1931
Field Marshall Sir William Birdwood succeeded Sir Norman Macleod
as President . This period was marked by new and startling
discoveries in respect of the early issues of India 1854-55,
and Col.D.R.Martin and Mr.E.A. Smythies published their classic
monograph on "The Half Anna India 1854", perhaps the last
word on the subject. This was followed by the memorable monograph
on "The Four Anna Lithographed Stamps of India 1854-55" by
the same authors. These two books were the basis of all future
research on the lithographs of 1854-55.
In 1928 Mr.C.D.Desai , a distinguished Indian philatelist,
reconstructed the One Anna Die I "A" Stone", and this was
followed by "The Unknown Setting of One Anna Die I, India
1854" by Mr.L.E.Dawson. After this Mr.CD. Desai wrote on "Indian
1854- One Anna August Printing "C" Stone".
1931-1954
Sir Ernest Hotson succeeded Sir William Birdwood as President
of the Society from 1931 till 1942. The Hon'ble Sir Arthur
Lothian then took over as President till 1946, and Mr.C.D.Desai,
the first Indian President, worked from 1946 till his death
in 1948, followed by Mr.R.F.Stoney, a scholar of the stamps
of the Indian Feudatory States . At this time Sir Eric Studd,
Col. D.R. Martin and Mr.C.D.Desai, and another renowned Indian
philatelist Mr.N.D.Cooper combined to produce "The Substituted
Transfers in India One Anna 1854", which revolutionized Indian
Philately on the subject. Mr.L.E.Dawson wrote many important
articles the Journal of the Society on the Stamps of Nowanugar,
Charkari, Bamra, Hyderabad, Bussahir, Alwar, Soruth, Sirmoor,
Travancore, Jaipur, Cochin and Bundi. On the attainment of
independence by India in 1947, the policy of the Indian Postal
Department underwent a radical change, and it was decided
to issue stamps depicting the cultural
heritage of the country, its architecture, fauna and flora,
important events, prominent personalities , etc., and the
Philatelic Society played a large part in assisting the Postal
Department in designing the new stamps. In November 1948 Mr.L.E.
Dawson published his monumental work on "The One Anna and
Two Anna of India 1854-55", followed by "The Hand Struck Postage
Stamps of India " by Mr.D. Hammond Giles.
Mr. R.F. Stoney, who had become President of the Society in
1949 and done research work on the stamps of Indian Feudatory
States , was appointed a member of the Philatelic Advisory
Committee set up by the Government of India.
Many of the British Members of the Society left India at about
this time. Mr.R.F. Stoney resigned as president in 1954, on
health grounds and was succeeded by Mr.C.N.Chandra, I.C.S.
Mr.Chandra played an important role in strengthening cordial
relations with the Government's Department of Posts. He was
also a member of the Advisory Committee. The Posts and Telegraphs
Dept, celebrated the Centenary of the first all India postage
stamps issued in 1854 and Post Office Act in a big way, which
included an International Philatelic Exhibition INDIPEX 54.
The members of the Society were closely associated with the
Exhibition. Nearly two decades later the first t National
Exhibition, the Inpex-70, was held by the Department of Posts
which laid the way for many exhibitions in the future at different
levels. The First International Exhibition was held in 1973,
followed by the Internationals in 1980 and 1989, both under
the patronage of the International
Federation of Philately, the FIP. In all these philatelic
activities, the members of the Governing Council were actively
involved as Members of the organizing Committee and/or the
Jury.. On many of these occasions the Philatelic Journal of
India brought out special issues of Journal which carried
valuable articles.
1955 to 1972
Considerable research work continued to be done during this
period, published in various important Articles in the Society’s
Journal, and Mr.M.A. Nayeem wrote on the Postal Stamps of
Hyderabad and Mr.D.Hammond Giles published his classic work
on “The Hand-Struck Postage Stamps of India”.
In 1957 the Society celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in a befition
manner with Various functions, the most important of and issued
a Souvenir on the occasion. In March 1967 the Society completed
70. Years of its eventful existence and held suitable functions
to celebrate the occasion, including a dinner. In this year
the Society published the companion volume to “The Hand-Struck
Postage Stamps of India” by D.Hannond Giles and distributed
it free to its Members, as in the case of its other publications
also. The first publication was award a large silver medal
at the Philympia-1970” in New Delhi.
The American Philatelic Society’s highest award-“The International
Award of Philatelic Achievement’ – was awarded to Mr.Dhirubhai
Mehta, the Editor of the Philatelic Journal of India, by Mr.Daniel
M.Braddock, the American Consul General, at a special function.
Mr.Dhirubhai Mehta has been editing the Philatelic Journal
of India for the last 40 years and is an internationally known
prolific writer and widely travelled philatelist.
Mr.N.D.Cooper, a distinguished philatelist, had succeeded
Mr.C.N.Chandra as President of the Society. The Society celebrated
its 71st Anniversary by a successful non-competitive Philatelic
Exhibition in Bombay, at which its President Mr.N.D.Cooper,
F.R.P.S.L., was honored for his services to the Society and
presented with a silver plaque.
The Society held its Fortnightly Meetings regularly till 1969
in the Office of Mr.Arvind Pakwasa, For which it is grateful
to him. From there the Meetings shifted to the Darbar Hall
of the Town Hall, with the kind Co-operation of the Asiatic
Society of Bombay.
In 1970 Mr.N.D.Cooper resigned owing to ill-health and was
succeeded as president by Mr.R.F.Shroff, an eminent philatelist
especially in the fields of Indain Lithographs and the British
Commonwealth, Mr.Arvind Pakvasa was elected as Vice-President.
In 1970 Members of the Society won several high awards in
the All Indai Philatelic Exhibition “Inpex 1970” held at New
Delhi. The Dum Dum Stamp Exchange club was affiliated to the
Society. Its activities consisted in circulationg the surplus
philatelic material of the Members of the Society and it was
ably conducted by Mr.R.F.Stoney. It survived for over fifty
years and finally discontinued due to unavoidable circumstance.
In 1971 the Society suffered a great loss by the death of
Mr.D.E.Wadia, an eminent philatelist, specially in Lithographs,
who had been the Honorary Secretary of the Society from 1962
to 1968 and had contributed many important articles to the
Society’s Journal and had exhibited his Lithographs at the
US International. Mr.K.D.dinshah succeeded him ad Honorary
Secretary. He specialized in thematic collecting and was named
as one of the two “Distinguished Topical Philatelists for
the year 1971” by the American Topical Association – a great
honour indeed.
1972 till today.
In 1973 several members of the Society won high awards at
“Indiex-73”, the International Philatelic Exhibition held
at new Delhi. The venue of the fortnightly meetings shifted
from the Darbar Hall in the Town Hall to the Indo-American
Society for some years, thanks to the courtesy of that Society.
The Society suffered a great loss by the death of Mr.R.F.Shroff
on 18.4.79. Mr.Arvind Pakwasa succeeded him as President,
with Mr.B.B.Paymaster, I.C.S. as Vice-President. In 1981 the
Society suffered another great loss by the resignation of
Mr.B.H.Bhiwandiwalla on health grounds who had been its Honorary
Treasurer for many years, and in whose office the Governing
Council used to meet. Mr.Arvind Pakvasa resigned as President
towards the used to 1981 and was succeeded by Mr.B.B.Paymaster,
I.C.S. (Rtd), the Vice-President being Mr.J.D.Gazdar, a Philatelist
of repute. Shri Dhirubhai Mehta continued to be the Editor
of the Philatelic Journal of India, Mrs. D.M.Pittie was the
Honorary secretary.
In 1983 the Society held a successful competitive Philatelic
Exhibition open to all its Members in India, and brought out
a Souvenir on the occasion. The Exhibition was called “Philex-83
“ and was inaugurated by the then governor of Maharashtra,
Air Chief Marshal I.H.Latif.
The Philatelic Journal of India, the Society’s Journal, has
been doing valuable service to its members and to the hobby.
In recognisation of its role in philatelic literature, a stamp
issued during the world stamp exhibition in 1989 depicting
Philatelic stamp journals included the Philatelic Journal
of India.
In 1996 the society held a club level competitive exhibition philex 1996 of 200 frames as a pre centenary celebration it was a great success, many up country dealers also took stall beside India Post.
Society celebrated its centenary in 1997 by holding centipex 1997 a national philatelic exhibition. If was first ever held show in such a large scale by a society in India. India Post issued a setenent stamp on this occassion for centenary of P.S.I. and its “Philatelic Journal of India”
Mr. Dhirubhai Mehta succeeded Mr.B.B. Paymaster as a President of the society after Mr.B.B. Paymaster retirement due to ill health. Mr.J.D.Gazdari the Vice President re signed earlier due to his ill health.
From the Indo-American Society's premises the Society shifted
its fortnightly meetings to a space in the General Post Office
kindly allotted by the courtesy of the postal department,
and the meetings continue to be held there at present, and
are well attended.
The philatelic Journal of India is published by the Philatelic
Society of India. First issued in January 1897. Available
without charge to members of the society. |