Hyderabad-based philatelist Upender Vennam showcases Gandhi’s life depicted through stamps

While Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary is celebrated across the nation, it is high time to remember and pay homage to the ‘Father of the Nation’ through an exclusive philatelic material

Hyderabad: A senior postal department official and a passionate philatelist, Dr Upender Vennam, has curated an exclusive collection on Mahatma Gandhi. His exhibits comprise more than 80 to 100 stamps and include Gandhi’s quotes.

Upender, who is currently working as Postmaster General, Kurnool Circle, previously served as Chief Vigilance Officer, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and Midhani. His philatelic exhibit titled ‘Dear Bapu! You Inspired Us through Your Quotes, presenting Mahatma Gandhi’s quotations through a variety of philatelic material. “It represents a humble and unique effort, likely the first exclusive 80 (A-4 size) philatelic collection of its kind. The material displayed is sourced from many countries,” he told Telangana Today.

The exhibit features impressive and scarce items and covers various facets of Mahatma Gandhi’s life and discusses Swadeshi, various phases of the freedom struggle, the principle of non-violence, and truth.

Hyderabad city also cherishes Mahatma Gandhi’s historic visits, which remain unforgettable. Apart from Vivek Vardhini High School, he also addressed a large gathering at Bolarum, where he was arrested and taken to a police station here.

Vivek Vardhini High School in Jambagh:

Mahatma Gandhi visited Vivek Vardhini High School in Hyderabad on April 7, 1929. Founded in 1907 for linguistic minorities, the school hosted Gandhi to address the rights and welfare of Harijans in the State. He spoke to a large public gathering, collected donations for the freedom movement and stressed the importance of freedom and cooperation. The school still cherishes this visit, maintaining a photo library with images of Gandhi on a stone stage where he sat and spoke.

Langar Houz:

Bapu Ghat is one of the eleven locations across India where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed at the confluence of the Musi and Esi Rivers. A 76-foot-long collage wall featuring more than 400 pictures of Gandhi stands as the central attraction. The site also includes a small museum and garden, providing a serene space for reflection and remembrance.

Additionally, there is a prayer hall with a seating capacity of 500, where religious prayers and bhajans are held during Gandhi’s birth and death anniversaries.

Arrested at Bolarum:

During the Quit India Movement, Mahatma Gandhi visited Lakshmi Ramalingam Mudaliar Govt High School in Bolarum, Secunderabad. The British police arrested Mahatma Gandhi while he was addressing a gathering on the school premises and shifted him to Bolarum Police Station. To commemorate the event, the auditorium was renamed ‘Gandhi Bhavan’ after India achieved Independence.

The Bolarum Police Station during British rule functioned both as a sub-jail-cum-police station, housing several freedom fighters. After a few days in custody, Mahatma Gandhi was released from the police station. The rooms where Gandhiji was kept have since been renovated, but the main building continues to serve as the Bolarum police station.

Golden Threshold:

Mahatma Gandhi planted a mango sapling on March 9, 1934, at Golden Threshold, once the residence of Sarojini Naidu, on Nampally Station Road in Abids. The mango sapling, which became a 91-year-old tree, was brought by Gandhi during his visit and planted here. The University of Hyderabad is protecting the tree.