India on International Geographical Congress 1968
A commemorative postage stamp on 21st Congress of International Geographical Union (IGU), New Delhi, first time held in any Asian country:
Issued by India
Issued on Dec 1, 1968
Issued for : Since its inception in 1871, this was the first time that the Congress is being held in an Asian country. The nation was proud to play host to this distinguished assembly of geographers. The Indian P & T Department is happy to join in the welcome by issuing a special postage stamp on the 1st December, 1968, the opening day of the 21st International Geographical Congress.
Description of Design : The design of the Stamp is vertical and depicts Global Map – an emblem of 21st International Geographical Congress.
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Monastral Blue
Denomination : 20 Paise
Overall Size : 3.91 X 2.90 cms.
Printing Size : 3.56 X 2.54 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Watermark : Printed on unwatermarked paper
Number Printed : 30,00,000
Number per issue Sheet : 35
Printing Process : Photogravure
Designed and Printed at : India Security Press
About :
- The Congress of the International Geographical Union (IGU) was in session in New Delhi from the 1st to the 8th December, 1968. The main objects of the IGU are:
- (i) to promote the study of geographical problems;
- (ii) to initiate and co-ordinate researches requiring international co-operation and to provide for their scientific discussion and publications;
- (iii) to provide for meetings of the International Geographical Congress; and
- (iv) to appoint and supervise commissions for the study of topical problems during the interval between congresses.
- In pursuance of these objectives, the 17 commissions which were set up at the London meeting of the General Assembly of the IGU in 1964 will be submitting their final reports at New Delhi. The subjects dealt with by these commissions include such highly specialised branches of this science such as Applied Geography, World Population and Medical Geography, Teaching of Geography and Quantitative Methods, National Atlases, Interpretation of Aerial Photography, Economic Regionalisation and World Land Use and Agricultural Typology, all of which are of considerable interest and importance to the progress of mankind.
- Some 1200 delegates from 64 member countries were taking part in the Congress. More than 1000 papers was read and discussed in the 9 sections of the Congress, 17 commission meetings and 24 symposia which was held in various cities of India both before and after the main Congress at New Delhi. The participants also made a tour of the country to acquaint themselves first hand with the geography of India.
- The International Cartographic Association (ICA) which adheres to the IGU also had its meetings between the 6th and 13th December, 1968 at New Delhi, some jointly with the Congress and others independently. The technical symposium of the ICA on cartography was attended mainly by official delegates deputed by their respective governments.
