H I L A TELIC

P
H I B I I TON
EX
T A G ORE
ON

A N I C C R P R E S E N T A T I O N
 Thou hast made me known The first stamp issued by the Indian
to friends whom I knew not Postal Department in honour of
Rabindranath Tagore was in a set of 6
stamps on leading poets and saints of
Thou hast given me seats
India. This 12 anna stamp, issued on
in homes not my own. October 1, 1952, was printed at the
India Security Press using the
Thou hast brought the distant near Photogravure process, the latest
development in printing technology in
and made a brother of the stranger.
those days.
Rabindranath Tagore : Gitanjali Poem No. 63
To mark the Poet’s Birth Centenary, the
Department of Posts issued a stamp of 15np
Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s versatility extended to his being a
denomination, on May 7, 1961. The stamp
poet, novelist, painter and musician. Tagore believed that the world was a
was designed by Satyajit Ray, an alumni of
crucible of cultures from which the universal man could find nourishment.
Visva-Bharati and renowned film director.
Thus man – made division of nations held little value for him. His spirit
The design was based on a photograph taken
soared above these, while his limitless curiosity to learn about different
during Tagore’s visit to Milan in 1926.
people and cultures inspired him to undertake the most adventurous travel.
The Post Office had a special place in the Poet’s heart. One of Tagore’s The text of the brochure published on the occasion was
famous plays is Dak Ghar. In this play, he has portrayed the Post Office as a penned by Humayan Kabir, the then Union Minister for
symbolical messenger of hope and deliverance. Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs.
In the philatelic world, the handsome profile of the Poet continues to be the On the same occasion, the then Union of
subject of commemorative stamps not only in India and its neighboring Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) issued a
countries but also in countries as far as Bulgaria and Brazil. Postal 6 K stamp on May 8, 1961. The USSR was
Departments of around 20 countries have issued stamps on him. This the first nation outside India to issue a stamp
exhibition consists of rare philatelic items on Tagore from all over the world, honouring Tagore.
which includes Official Postage Stamps, Postal Stationery, Postmarks and A special commemorative
Customised Stamps. In the Tagore centenary year, a large number of stamps letter sheet was also issued
were issued in his honour in different parts of the world. On his 150th Birth during the same period in the USSR. The
Anniversary, collectors from all over the world are hoping to add to their letter sheet wrongly
collections on the Tagore theme. states Tagore’s lifespan
During the Freedom Struggle many items as 1861 -1945, instead
of patriotic postal stationery were printed. of 1861- 1941.
Tagore, as an iconic figure in the Argentina issued a 2 peso stamp on May 13, 1961. This
Nationalist Movement, featured in many of is the first ever First Day Cancellation which has the
these patriotic national stationery items. autograph of Rabindranath Tagore.
Brazil issued a stamp of value 10 cruzeiros on December 24, 1971. Twenty-five years later, to
Tagore, on July 28, 1961. commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of the University,
On October 12, 1961, the Department of Posts provided from Santiniketan a
Romania issued a set of 6 special cover and a pictorial cancellation on December
stamps on world famous 28, 1996.
personalities, one of whom On December 10, 1973 Sweden issued a set of 3 stamps
was Tagore. The stamp of to honour Nobel Laureates of 1913, on the 60th
40 bani value, has the Anniversary of their receiving the honour. The 1.40
Poet’s portrait in green on Kroner stamp depicts Tagore in profile. Since 1961,
white. ‘R. Tagore’ is every year, the Royal Swedish Post Office commemorates Nobel Prize
inscribed on one side of the winners on ‘Nobel Day’ which falls on December 10.
stamp. The Republic of
Paraguay issued a
miniature sheet in
1977 depicting the
Nobel Medal for
literature. The sheet
margin has the list of
names of all
Though the United States of America did not issue any stamps
recipients of the
commemorating Tagore in his centenary year, the USIS Business Centre in
Nobel Prize in
Calcutta issued a meter franking stamp on all letters sent from the office for a
Literature from 1901
limited period in 1961. The franking had the following caption:
to 1976, which
RABINDRANATH TAGORE includes Tagore, who
AMERICA SALUTES TAGORE received the prize in
1913.
1861 – 1961

Comoros issued a 50 Franc stamp and a

miniature sheet in 1977 to commemorate
75 years of the institution of the award. This
stamp depicts Tagore’s portrait in profile in
the extreme left hand corner with three
To commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Visva Bharati University, Tagore’s
other Nobel Laureates. Tagore’s name is
dream project, the Indian Postal Department released a 20p stamp on
incorrectly written as R. T. Tagore.

A painting of Tagore is seen on a Rs. 1 denomination stamp released by the
Indian Postal Department in 1978, in a set of 4 stamps, issued to
commemorate contemporary Indian painters. The oval pensive face of the
painting reminds one of Tagore’s favourite sister – in – law Kadambari Debi.
The other stamps issued in this series had paintings by Sailoz Mookherjea,
Amrita Sher Gil and Jamini Roy.
Vietnam issued a 30 xu stamp on September 20, 1982 to
commemorate the Poet’s 120th Birth Anniversary. The
stamp has Tagore’s autograph superimposed on his
profile, with his name spelt as ‘Rovindoranat Tagoro’.
Bulgaria issued a stamp on
Rabindranath on December 12,
1982, on his 120th birth anniversary
describing him as a philosopher. The
photograph used on this stamp had
been used 21 years earlier by
Romania, and hence the similarity
between these two stamps.
Tagore’s 125th Birth Anniversary was commemorated by the Indian Postal
Department through a number of releases.
A special cover was sponsored by the Rabindra Bhawan, Patna, on May 7,
1986,with a pictorial cancellation.
The stamp of Rs. 2 denomination,
showing Tagore’s self portrait was
issued on May 8, 1987. Hussain’s
painting of Tagore with his signature in
Bengali was used to illustrate the First
Day Cover.
A special postmark depicting the
Jorasanko Thakurbari was provided for the
Inauguration Day of WEBPEX Stamp
Exhibition on January 2, 1987. The
postmark also commemorated the Poet’s
125th Birth Anniversary.
On the occasion of the 50th
Anniversary of India’s
Independence, Venezuela
issued a miniature sheet. In
this sheet, Rabindranath is
depicted as a unique crusader
of a unified Earth that would
nurture all mankind with love
and affection.
 Bangladesh Post issued a commemorative
stamp on Tagore’s 50th Death Anniversary in
1991. The Taka 4 denomination stamp had the
renovated Kuthibari as the backdrop.
Romania also paid a
tribute to the Poet on
this occasion,
through a
special pictorial
postmark.
On October 13, 2008, India Post released a commemorative stamp on the
Post Office, based on Rabindranath’s play ‘Dak Ghar’.

Tuvalu issued a miniature

Romania has from time to time issued various kinds of postal stationery
sheet with 3 stamps on Albert
honouring Tagore.
Einstein on September 21,
2005. The photograph of
Rabindranath Tagore and
Einstein is shown on the
margin of the miniature.
Tuvalu also brought out 2 miniature sheets on Personalities of India. One
was on Mahatma Gandhi, the other included Tagore along with Amrita Sher
Gil, Subramanyan Chandrasekhar and Satyajit Ray. These miniature sheets
also highlighted the World Stamp Exhibition ‘INDIPEX
2011’ held at New Delhi in February 2011.
The first commemorative stamp from Bangladesh Post on
Tagore was of Taka 1 denomination, issued on Bengali New
Year Day on April 16, 1987 with a quotation from the poem
‘Esho He Baisakh’ from Tagore’s Nataraj Ritu Rangashala.
 The Chinese State Postal Bureau has also issued a The Uruguayan Postal Department has
picture postcard in honour of the Poet. issued a stamp to commemorate the
150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath
Tagore. The stamp was released on
February 16, 2011 by Vice President
Danilo Astori at a ceremony in the
Foreign Ministry at Montevideo. The
stamp, illustrates the portrait of
Rabindranath Tagore, the flags of
Uruguay and India and the logo of
INDIPEX 2011.
The National Anthem of Bangladesh based on a
Baul song of riverine East Bengal was written by Tagore in 1908.
Bangladesh Post issued a First Day Cover with Tagore’s illustration and
signature and the National Anthem of the country on its Independence and
National Day on March 25, 2008.
The Royal Mail, UK,
commissioned a limited
edition (only 1000 sheets)
customized stamp sheets,
which was brought out to
commemorate the Poet’s
Between 1991 and 2000, Bangladesh Post issued 15 miniature sheets in 150th Birth Anniversary. The
memory of the martyred intellectuals of 1971. The illustration of the ten connected stamp-labels
miniature sheets, has a stanza from Tagore’s poem titled ‘Supravat’. on the sheet, feature images
A set of 6 special from Tagore’s life.
postcards depicting
Tagore in different
performing roles in
his Dance Theatre
Productions was
issued by the West
Bengal Circle of
India Post on
October 12, 2010.
 Mr. Sekhar Chakrabarti is an internationally
famed senior collector, who has served as a Jury
Member in several Philatelic Exhibitions,
organized by the Department of Posts,
Government of India .His collections have been
shown in many international exhibitions in India
and abroad, under the auspices of Federation
International de Philatelie ( F I P ).

Mr. Moloy Sarkar is a well known philatelic

personality both within and outside the country. A
life member of the Philatelic Congress of India, he
has participated in many International Philatelic
Exhibitions in India and abroad. He has in his
collection all philatelic items in original issued on
Tagore from all over the world.

Mr. Souvik Roy has been collecting and exhibiting

philatelic items at National and International
Exhibitions since 1977. His collection on
Rabindranath Tagore, which was displayed at
Rabindra Bhavan, Santiniketan in August,2010,
included stamps, covers, envelopes,
cancellations and rare picture postcards on
Tagore from all over the world.

Rabindranath Tagore Centre, ICCR Kolkata

9A, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata 700 071

www.tagorecentreiccr.org