India Post to release picture postcards featuring Paris Paralympics medal winners

A postcard featuring Mariyappan Thangavelu
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

When India started winning medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, an idea struck a small team that consisted of an artist and deltiologists in Tamil Nadu. Chennai-based P Venkatesan, the founding treasurer of Postcrossing Society of India and artist S Sivabalan, who is based in Virudhunagar, got down to creating postcards with line-drawings of the medal winners. The set, that consists of 28 postcards featuring gold, silver, and bronze medallists, is set to be released on September 25 by India Post at the General Post Office in Bengaluru

“We quickly created a postcard each on the same days India won medals,” says Venkatesan, adding that India Post released a set of seven postcards featuring gold medallists on September 9 this year. The complete set is being released on Antyodaya Diwas (September 25) celebrated on Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary, observed for the upliftment of the marginalised.

With Nithya Sri Sivan
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

“Paralympians have it tougher,” Venkatesan feels, adding that the set is an ode to their efforts. “We need to celebrate them,” he says, “Also, this time, we’ve had more participants from South India.” The set is an initiative of the Postcrossing Society of India and Venkatesan says their team is grateful for India Post’s support. “Colonel Akhil Kumar, the president of the society, was instrumental is getting their approval,” he notes.

The set of 28 picture postcards
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

India Post recently issued a set of stamps on the Paris Olympics 2024. Venkatesan says that this, when combined with the postcards, will make for an excellent philately item for collectors. “This set will especially be of interest to members of the Postcrossing Society of India who are present across the county. They will be keen to collect it,” he says, adding that the set is ideal for those wishing to display it at exhibitions.

When postcards are dropped into a post box, they gain more value. “They will then be stamped and would travel long distances before reaching us,” explains Venkatesan. “This will make them a ‘travelled item’, rendering them more authentic for collectors.”

The set of picture postcards will be released on September 25 at the GPO, Bengaluru.