There was an
overwhelming response from young and old alike for Manipal University
Philately and Numismatics Club launched here on Sunday. While the older
lot were keen to see the huge collections of stamps and coins on display
at the Interact building of the University, the younger ones showed
interest in getting started with the hobby.
Vice Chancellor Manipal University, Dr H Vinod Bhat who is a philatelist himself, with a fairly large
collection of stamps on medicine and space, launched the club
officially and hoped that it would encourage people of the region to
take it up as a hobby. “It has been my dream for a long time to start
this club and today that dream has come true,” he said. “The Club will
promote philately as a hobby amongst youngsters,” he said. “It should be
an activity where all the lovers should get together at least once a
month to talk, discuss and exchange stamps. This is hobby of kings and
is king of hobbies”.
Some
of the finest collectors of the region displayed their stamps and coins.
Prabhakar M Kamath, President of DAKAPANA (Dakshina Kannada Philatelic
and Numismatics Association) who inaugurated the exhibition had a
collection of Falkland Islands which is a national awards winner.
M.K. Krishnayy’S collections which have won more than 15 national
awards for flags and two national awards for postal stationary were on
display. Krishnayya is a curator and guide of Corp Bank Heritage museum.
Vishvesh K., his son who is the first secretary of the Club had his
collection of primates, elephants, hoofed mammals and cynofelidae (wild
dogs and cats). Mr Jayaprakash Rao’s collections were of
pre-independence India. He also presented coins of Moghul period and
post and pre-independent India. He has won national awards in stamps.
Baikady Srinivas Rao’s display had stamps on butterfly which won a
national award. He also had Army postal covers on display. Nagendra Pai,
a philatelist who won international award at Brazil in a one-frame
collection on “Global Warming” last year and his recent Gandhi
collection were an attraction. Ratish Udupa a pediatrician had his
exhibits on Children’s Day.
Daniel Monteiro’s collection of
birds and water fowls which have won 10 international awards and holds a
Guinness record for the most number of bird collection was yet another
interesting display. He also collects stamps on monuments of India which
too were presented yesterday. Mansoor Hussain has country collections
on Russia. Dr GG Laxman Prabhu HoD Urology KMC Mangalore has stamps on
Rotary and elephants.
