Explainer: How to get your own Postal Stamp?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 21, 2019
With the advent of
technology, usage of postal stamps or postal products for communication has
decreased substantially. The Department of Posts now has a ‘My Stamp’
initiative that aims at encouraging people to buy customized stamps. Here is an
explainer of this initiative.
Commemorating the establishment ofUniversal Postal Union, 09 October every year is celebrated as World Post Day. India Postcelebrates National Postal
Week from 09 October to 15 October every year byorganising wide variety of programs ranging from exhibitions to competitions inorder to spread awareness on postal services and schemes. With the advent oftechnology, postal services are witnessing a decline in demand sincecommunication has become quick and simple. The annual reports of the Departmentof Posts reveal that the revenue from sale of stamps has reduced substantiallyover the last few years. The revenue from sale of stamps decreased from Rs.470.9 crore in 2016-17 to just Rs. 78.3 crore in 2018-19, a drop of more than80%.
The My Stamp scheme throughwhich personalised stamps are sold was launched to promote use of stamps in thecurrent technological era.  This storyprovides an explanation of the ‘My Stamp’ initiative.
Personalised
stamps of face value Rs.5 each are available for all under My Stamp scheme
World Philatelic Exhibition, INDIPEX was organised byIndia Post (Department of Posts) in 2011 where My Stamp scheme was launchedin the country for the first time. My Stamp is the brand name for the businessdevelopment of postal department. Anyone can have his/her thumbnail photograph beit their own photograph or that of family, artwork, tourist spots, wildlife,flowers, historical monument, logos or anything else, alongside a thematic commemorative
postage stamp as per their choice. The stamp, which has avalue of Rs.5, can be used for domestic postage.
For commemorative
stamps, a proposal has to be sent to the PhilatelyAdvisory Committee two years in advance. The proposal is scrutinised by thecommittee which decides whether or not it will be recommended. Unlikecommemorative stamps which have to undergo a tedious process, getting apersonalised My Stamp is simple and takes only a few minutes to process.
There are dozens of options forcustomers to choose from the thematic commemorative stamp which will beaccompanying their photograph. Some examples are Indian monuments such as TajMahal, Red Fort, Mysore Palace, Qutb Minar, and Hawa Mahal, flowers such asCineraria, Dahlia, Lilly and Pansy, butterflies and even Fairy Queen, theheritage locomotive of India.
Stamp
sheets with the customer’s photograph is made on submitting required documents
and payment of fee.
My Stamp is available at select post offices, philatelybureaux, philatelic museums and tourist spots. The My Stamp order
form has to be filled by the customer. Details suchas name, address, contact details and ID proof should be filled. Governmentrecognised valid ID Proof is mandatory at the time of placing the order.Photograph (square shape), which is to be added to the stamp, should not beoffensive or one that contravenes law. It can be either sent to or clicked atthe select post offices. The stamp sheets should be collected within a week. Thecost of one My Stamp sheet is Rs. 300 and each sheet has twelve stamps. Thereare discounts for those placing bulk orders. A Lok Sabha answer stated that in2016-17, postal department estimated earnings of approximately Rs. 87 croresthrough My Stamp.
Authorised
personnel should apply for corporate entities on their letter pad
As per the postal department’s website,educational institutions and corporate entities can also get their own stamp.For corporate customers, an authorised signatory has to apply along withhis/her valid ID proof on the official letter pad. Logos/images of corporateentities can also be incorporated in their stamp. It is mandatory for corporatecustomers to place an order of at least 500 sheets.
Government
provides scholarship under ‘Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana’ to promote philately
Though postage stamps were originallycreated as small pieces of paper to mark the receipt of postage, stamps serve avariety of purposes. They highlight a nation’s achievements, depict importantmilestones, promote national heritage among other things. In addition to this,there are stamps that honour eminent personalities and leaders of the country.Stamps convey a lot of valuable information about a place, person, history andculture through time. To encourage school children to collect stamps, thegovernment also awards annual scholarship of Rs. 6000 to school children under Deen Dayal SPARSH
Yojana (Scholarshipfor Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby is the full form of SPARSH​).
My Stamp initiative not only acts as ameans of revenue generation for the postal department but also gives the peoplea memorable souvenir which can be cherished for a life time.