The author has been an avid collector of Indian postage stamps since 1995. Next only to currency, stamps have born the unique imprimatur of the state and have rightly been described as ‘little ambassadors’. But in a democratic dispensation such as India, do they also serve as vehicles of subtle or overt propaganda for the people in power? This paper will examine the distribution of themes reflected in commemorative and definitive stamps issued by the Department of Posts, Government of India over a twenty-year period from 1995 to 2016, during which period India has been governed by parties adhering to multiple ideologies. Themes studied include: a. National icons vs. Regional icons b. Statewide distribution of regional icons c. Nature of icons: military, political, social, religious and literary d. Human vs. institutional icons e. Domestic vs. international icons ‘Icons’ here are defined as any person, institution, event, monument or living being that is considered noteworthy or important enough to be commemorated.

1. India Post: Themes and Biases
in Commemorative Stamps Issued
From 1994 To 2016

2. INTRODUCTION

3. Introduction
• Next only to currency, stamps have born the
unique imprimatur of the state and have
rightly been described as ‘little ambassadors’.
• But in a democratic dispensation such as
India, do they also serve as vehicles of subtle
or overt propaganda for the people in power?

4. Introduction
• This paper examines the distribution of themes reflected in 820
commemorative stamps issued by the Department of Posts,
Government of India over a twenty-two year period from 1994 to
2016.
• The analysis has been carried out by looking at
– both the complete distribution over 22 years
– and also by segregating them into periods corresponding to governing
coalitions
– The period from 14/12/1994 to 4/5/1996 has been omitted for periodic
analysis due to insufficient data (38 stamps were issued in this period),
but has been included in the overall analysis

5. Political Background
Governing Coalition Period Prime Minister #Stamps issued
United Front 1996 - 1998 H. D. Deve Gowda, I.
K. Gujral
106
National Democratic
Alliance (NDA-1)
1998 - 2004 A. B. Vajpayee 268
United Progressive
Alliance (UPA)
2004 - 2014 Manmohan Singh 339
National Democratic
Alliance (NDA-2)
2014 - present Narendra Modi 71

6. MATERIALS AND METHODS

7. Introduction
• 820 commemorative stamps, accompanying
brochures and lists of stamps were examined,
tabulated and categorised.
• Additional references and verifications were
made from:
– Website 1
– Website 2
– Website 3

8. Categorisation of Icons - 1
• Nature of icons –
– Military (forces, regiments, ships, missiles, war commemorations)
– Civil State (courts, legislatures, agencies & their Jubilees, both state & central)
– Political persons & events
– Social, Cultural and Traditional Icons (festivals, objects, traditional crafts,
dances etc)
– Religious Icons (theologians, priests & gurus, Institutions & their anniversaries)
– Literary Icons (writers, poets & playwrights)
– Financial Icons (banks & NBFCs, MFs & Insurance cos, regulators, and
financiers)
– Nature/Environment (national parks, activists, wildlife, fossils)

9. Categorisation of Icons - 2
• Nature of icons –
– Music/Films
– Press (newspapers & media houses, journalists)
– Art (painters, sculptors; paintings & sculptures)
– Sport (sportspersons; sporting events)
– Industrial (industrialists, companies, infrastructure)
– Historical/Mythical persons and events
– Science/Technology/Medicine (persons, organisations, research institutes,
conferences)
– Education (libraries, schools, colleges and universities; teachers, professors
and founders of ed. Institutions)
– Law (lawyers)

10. Themes studied - 1
• Distribution of Regional, National & International Icons
• Distribution of Icons by category –
– State (Civil and military establishments, services, agencies)
– Institutional (libraries, schools, colleges & universities;
hospitals and vaidyasalas; trusts and foundations;
associations and charities)
– Human (notable people from various walks of life)
– Abstract (commemorative days and events)
– Other (Wildlife, national parks, cultural practices etc)

11. Themes studied - 3
• Forces-wise distribution of military icons
• Faith-wise distribution of religious icons
• Statewide distribution and skew of regional
icons

12. RESULTS

13. Human, 413
Sarkari, 119
Institutional, 115
Abstract, 105
Other, 68
Icons by Category (1994-2016; 820)

14. Human, 58
Sarkari, 13
Institutional, 14
Abstract, 11 Other, 10
Human, 139
Sarkari, 34
Institutional, 14
Abstract, 25
Other, 31
NDA 1 (1998-2004; 268)UF (1996-98; 106)
Human, 180
Sarkari, 53
Institutional, 45
Abstract, 48
Other, 11
UPA (2004-2014; 339)
Human, 22
Sarkari, 12
Institutional, 9
Abstract, 16
Other, 12
NDA 2 (2014-; 71)

15. Distribution Across Walks of Life (1994-2016; % of Stamps Issued)
Military, 62
State (Civil), 73
Pol, 75
Soc/Cult/Trad, 72
Religion, 99
Lit, 52
Financial, 7
Nature/Envt, 67
Music/Films, 88
Press, 16
Art, 9
Sport, 18
Industrial, 23
Hist/Myth, 82
Sci/Tech/Med, 41
Edn, 33
Law, 3

16. Distribution Across Categories (% of Stamps Issued)
7
11
11
9
14
11
0
9
2
1
0
1
1
12
5
4
1
9
8
13
8
12
8
0
10
4
2
1
1
3
14
2
4
0
6
9
8
9
11
5
1
5
19
3
1
3
3
7
5
4
0
8
11
3
11
15
3
3
11
13
0
0
3
4
7
4
3
0
-5 5 15 25 35 45 55
Military
State (Civil)
Pol
Soc/Cult/Trad
Religion
Lit
Financial
Nature/Envt
Music/Films
Press
Art
Sport
Industrial
Hist/Myth
Sci/Tech/Med
Edn
Law
UF
NDA 1
UPA
NDA 2

17. Army, 37
AF, 3
Navy, 7
Triservices, 10
Paramil, 5
Military Icons (1994-2016; 62)

18. Army, 5
AF, 0
Navy, 0
Triservices, 2
Paramil, 0
Army, 17
AF, 1
Navy, 3
Triservice
s, 3
Paramil, 0
NDA 1 (1998-2004; 24)UF (1996-98; 7)
Military Icons
Army, 9
AF, 2
Navy, 3
Triservices, 3
Paramil, 4
UPA (2004-2014; 21)
Army, 2
AF, 0
Navy, 1
Triservices, 2
Paramil, 1
NDA 2 (2014-; 6)

19. Hindu, 55
Muslim, 5
Christian, 14
Jain, 7
Buddhist, 12
Sikh, 5
Religious Icons (1994-2016; 98)

20. Hindu, 6
Muslim, 0
Christian, 4
Jain, 1
Buddhist, 4
Sikh, 0
Hindu, 22
Muslim, 0
Christian, 2
Jain, 2
Buddhist, 5
Sikh, 1
Hindu, 20
Muslim, 4
Christian, 6
Jain, 3
Buddhist, 2 Sikh, 2
NDA 1 (1998-2004; 32)UF (1996-98; 15)
Religious Icons
UPA (2004-2014; 37)
Hindu, 7
Muslim, 0
Christian, 2
Jain, 1
Buddhist, 1 Sikh, 0
NDA 2 (2014-; 11)

21. National, 198
International, 72
Regional, 550
Regional, National & International Icons (1994-2016; 820)

22. National, 79
International,
25
Regional, 235
National, 56
International
, 19
Regional, 193
National, 23
International,
13
Regional, 70
NDA 1 (1998-2004; 268)UF (1996-98; 106)
UPA (2004-2014; 339)
National, 30
International, 7
Regional, 34
NDA 2 (2014-; 71)

23. Andhra Pradesh, 24 Arunachal Pradesh, 2
Assam, 10
Bihar, 27
Chandigarh, 1
Chhattisgarh, 2 Delhi, 12
Goa, 4
Gujarat, 23
Haryana, 4
Himachal Pradesh, 10
Jharkhand, 5
Jammu & Kashmir, 7
Karnataka, 26
Kerala, 24
Maharashtra, 78
Manipur, 4
Meghalaya, 1
Mizoram, 1
Madhya
Pradesh, 16
Nagaland, 3
Odisha, 9
Pondicherry, 1
Punjab, 42
Rajasthan, 26
Sikkim, 1
Sindhi, 3
Telangana, 4
Tamil Nadu, 70
Tripura, 4
Uttar Pradesh, 58
Uttarakhand, 9
West Bengal, 39
Distribution Across States (1994-2016; % of Stamps Issued)

24. -1.75
1.06
-1.15
-3.08
-0.18
-2.03
0.14
2.49
3.78
-1.50
-0.37
0.53
1.96
-0.18
-1.51
0.78
0.15
0.39
1.78
0.06
-1.30
-5.66
0.24
-1.60
0.84
0.06
-2.66
-4.60
-0.37
-2.58
-1.48
-0.18
-2.03
1.65
-0.37
-4.79
2.84
0.70
0.61
-6.30
0.88
-0.96
0.84
-0.37
-2.66
-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh
Delhi
Goa
Gujarat
UF
NDA1
UPA
NDA2
DMK
Control
State wise Skew of Icons

25. -1.84
0.69
-2.58
0.32
3.41
2.03
2.59
-0.37
-0.37
-0.29
1.85
-0.51
0.45
-2.05
1.50
5.15
1.19
0.15
-1.42
0.11
-2.15
0.17
-1.75
0.57
5.20
0.91
-0.37
-1.84
2.20
-2.58
-1.10
12.49
-3.68
2.92
2.57
-0.37
-0.78
-0.74
-1.51
-0.04
-0.90
0.57
6.05
-0.37
-0.37
-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jharkhand
Jammu & Kashmir
Karnataka
Kerala
Maharashtra
Manipur
Meghalaya

26. -0.18
-1.05
1.24
-2.44
-0.18
4.75
-1.75
-0.18
0.00
0.33
-2.75
0.33
-1.28
-0.18
5.38
-3.05
-0.18
0.00
-0.18
-3.21
0.24
-3.44
0.24
6.54
3.48
0.24
1.28
-0.18
-2.40
-0.18
-0.93
-0.18
-2.39
-1.66
-0.18
0.00
-0.18
-2.15
-0.18
-2.80
-0.18
-2.39
0.72
-0.18
2.13
-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00
Mizoram
Madhya Pradesh
Nagaland
Odisha
Pondicherry
Punjab
Rajasthan
Sikkim
Sindhi

27. -3.13
1.39
-0.37
0.98
0.51
-2.02
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-2.09
1.11
1.19
-7.48
1.15
0.56
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-2.71
9.41
0.06
-4.52
0.36
-0.08
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-0.19
13.41
-0.37
2.91
2.02
-4.79
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-3.13
20.48
0.70
-8.35
2.27
-3.48
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-0.18
-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00
Telangana
Tamil Nadu
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
West Bengal
A&N Islands
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Daman & Diu
Lakshadweep

28. National, 35
International,
19Regional, 94
Human, 70
Sarkari, 22
Institutional, 19
Abstract, 30
Other, 7
Hindu, 8
Muslim, 2
Christian, 3
Jain, 1
Buddhist, 1 Sikh, 0
Military, 10
State (Civil), 13
Pol, 14
Soc/Cult/Trad,
22
Religion, 15Lit, 11
Financial, 1
Nature/Envt, 12
Music/Films, 9
Press, 2
Art, 1
Sport, 6
Industrial, 4
Hist/Myth, 14
Sci/Tech/Med,
4
Edn, 10 Law, 1
Distribution Across Walks of LifeIcons by Category (148)
Religious Icons (15) Regional, National & International Icons (148)
DMKControl(23/5/04–14/11/10)

29. CONCLUSIONS

30. Categories
• Humans are the most popular category,
accounting for over 50% of the stamps in the
period
• However, a marked decline is seen in their
proportions over the years, as a greater
proportion of stamps have been issued favouring
government establishments and other
institutions.

31. Walks of Life
• The press, the arts, sports and the legal & financial
professions are highly under-represented; literary and film
folks are however, well-represented
• Religious and historical/mythical icons occur in high
frequency; they occupy the highest percentages in the
NDA-1 and NDA-2 periods
• Fully 26% of stamps are dedicated to the state and political
icons
• Read with the previous slide, the state seems increasingly
happier to celebrate itself on its stamps than its people

32. Military Icons
• The share of military icons has been low throughout,
maxing at 9% under NDA-1.
• There appears to be a trend towards more equal
representation of the forces, from a previously marked bias
towards the army.
• It is to be noted that the Indian Army represents 86% of all
defence personnel (1.18 million), so increasing equality
might actually appear unfair to the army
• However, the paramilitary forces, that number 1.08 million,
have had scant representation throughout the period.

33. Religious Icons
• The share of Hindu religious figures and institutions appearing on
stamps tends to rise under the NDA-1 (69%) and NDA-2 (64%)
governments
• However it is to be noted that Hindus constitute 80% of the Indian
population (as per 2001 census)
• Muslims, who form the largest religious minority (14%) remain
underrepresented under all regimes; with 3 regimes completwely
ignoring them
• The Jains (0.37% as per 2001 census) punch well above their weight
with upto 7% representation. Buddhism (0.7%) too is
overrepresented in the stamps, peaking at 27% under the UF

34. Regionalism & Internationalism
• Regional icons occupy the lion’s share of the
stamps, though there has been a marked
decline under NDA-2, as more stamps are
issued featuring pan-Indian icons.
• Internationalism has been poorly represented
in Indian stamps, with the share of foreign
icons rarely exceeding 12%.

35. Regional biases
• With so large a representation of regional icons, a
detailed break-down was warranted. A state by state
categorisation yielded a few surprises.
• Maharashtra (78), Tamil Nadu (70), Uttar Pradesh (58)
and Punjab (42) take up a large proportion of the
stamps.
• Did this indicate a regional bias, or were the states
getting their fare share of representation on India’s
‘little ambassadors’?

36. Comparison with no. of Lok Sabha MPs
• A reasonable metric was required to compare the
stamps on regional themes
• The number of Lok Sabha MPs from each state was
found suitable as
– They are representative (somewhat) of a state’s population
and political ‘heft’
– They have not changed for the duration of the study
– At 543, they are comparable to the 550 stamps
– MPs can (and do) exert pressure to issue particular stamps

37. Skews
State % MPs %Stamps Skew
Maharashtra 8.84 14.18 +5.34
Tamil Nadu 7.18 12.73 +5.54
Punjab 2.39 7.64 +5.25
Uttar Pradesh 14.73 10.55 -4.19
Madhya Pradesh 5.34 2.91 -2.43
Telangana 3.13 0.73 -2.40

38. Skews by government
• For most states, the skews fluctuate.
• However, Maharashtra and Punjab have seen a positive
skew throughout the period.
• We might attribute Maharashtra’s outsized presence to
the fact that many icons are related to Mumbai. A
separate analysis is warranted in the future.
• Tamil Nadu marks a pronounced skew, exploding under
the UPA government.

39. The DMK effect -1
• The Ministry of Communications was under the control of
the Tamil regional party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(Dayanidhi Maran and then A Raja) from 2004 to 2010 as
part of the UPA. The Department of Posts is part of this
ministry.
• In this six-year period within the 10-year rule of the UPA,
this bias is even more pronounced.
• A number of stamps depicting obscure historic figures and
small-time politicians seem the hallmark of this period.

40. The DMK effect -2
• The DMK’s other ideological leanings (atheism, rationalism) or its
deep connection with films are however not reflected.
• Other regional parties have also controlled the Ministry of
Communications, viz.
• A study of biases under their control is also planned for the future.
Party Period Government Minister
JD(U) 13/10/99 to
1/9/01
NDA-1 Ram Vilas
Paswan
SP 1/6/96 to
19/3/98
UF Beni Prasad
Verma