JOIN USStudents here learn from stamps, coins
It is often said that students should cultivate good hobbies and engage themselves in creative activities. But, there are very few instances where they are encouraged to do so by examples.
However, in Kannamangala Government Higher Primary School of Shidlaghatta taluk various activities are undertaken to encourage children. Recently and exhibition of stamps, coins and thematic pictures was held to kindle the imagination of the students.
Stamps on the themes of environment protection, childrens’ art, education, world peace and biodiversity were displayed here. Also displayed were currency notes and coins of India and other countries. A series of rare pictures of statesman and engineer Sir M Visvesvaraya, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu and Kannada actor Rajkumar were the highlight of the exhibition.
Numismatist and philatelist M R Prabhakar gave guidance to the students on the hobby of collecting stamps thematically and how one can exhibit stamps at state, national and international level and win prizes. He also explained how to collect currency notes and coins of various counties and display the same. He described various ways in which pictures can be collected on a particular theme.
Prabhakar also released “Kanasu-nanasu”, written and edited by the students. “We got the opportunity to see stamps, coins and currency notes which we had never seen before. We also understood that we too can collect stamps and coins. Henceforth I too will start collecting stamps”, said R Varsha, a sixth standard students.
M R Prabhakara, who is a native of Melur village of Shidlaghatta taluk, is the organising Secretary of Karnataka Rural Philatelic Association (KRPA). He has conducted over 10,000 exhibitions in India and abroad.
"We try to encourage students to collect stamps. If they get motivated enough to take up stamp collection as a hobby, we feel contented," says Prabhakar.
His philately exhibitions have also been theme-based, revolving around agriculture, Mahatma Gandhi, ecology and health. He is the recipient of over six international awards and has a collection of over sixty thousand stamps with forty themes.
Inspired by a stamp exhibition in his village way back in 1976, Prabhakara held his first exhibition in 1978 and since then there has been no looking back. His team increased over the years, with philatelic enthusiasts from all over the state coming together.