“Stamps are the windows to the world,” says Rolands Nelson, philatelist and retired civil engineer. When asked how many stamps he has in his collection, he approximates the number to be around a lakh. Nelson’s book, Princely States of India: a Philatelic Overview, was launched recently. The event was conducted in the Anna Centenary Library, Karapakkam, and was attended by several stamp enthusiasts across the city. Philately is the study of stamps and there is a great following for it across the country.
Nelson’s book details the evolution and history of stamps in India’s princely states. Stamps were brought to the subcontinent by the British, who were the first ones to print them. Through the book, the author aims to create an interest among young people. He has been writing Princely States of India for around a year, but also spent a decade researching.
