Thursday, March 02, 2006

Stars and Politics
Obviously Reagan as the past Prez got his Stamp.Arnold Schwarzenegger… The Guv’nor got his country of birth Austria to issue a stamp…not done in most countries that permit stamps to be issued only for those who are no longer alive. In the US it is a minimum of 10 years post mortem…except in the case of Past Presidents, I think.Please correct me.The shortest time for the issue of a commomerative postage stamp in India was for an Actor, Sivaji Ganesan…just 71 days…this didn’t happen even for Nehru,Gandhi and so on.N.T.Rama Rao & M.G.Ramachandran both started their acting careers playing the role of a cop. Both became chief ministers of their States,by starting their own political party…having enjoyed immense popularity as Actors.Murasoli Maran, started as a scenarist,dialogue writer became a Director and Producer as well.He followed his uncle the former chief minister Mr.Karunanidhi into the film world.His son Dayanidhi is today India’s Minister for Posts….and thanks to his interest in the subject I , as a collector of Cinema stamps ,am having a number of new issues to add to my collection. Nargis, the actress was a member of the Upper House of Parliament,the Rajya Sabha.She too has a stamp.Eva Peron, of Evita fame too has several stamps so too Grace Kelly…Princess Kelly if I may say so. Next story will have some Ladies’ stamps before I anger the Fairer sex.