Interview with Rainbow Stamp Club’s Jeevan Jyoti
This week I’ll be starting a new article category / series, which will introduce various more or less well know online stamp collectors. I have asked interviews from various blog owners, philatelic webmasters, online dealers etc. and kindly many have given some of their time. My first interview is with Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti who runs the excellent Rainbow Stamp Club blog.
Q: Could you please tell me something about yourself
I’m Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti, philatelist from Kullu Himachal Pradesh, India. Editor of Rainbow Stamp News and Co-ordinator of e- Rainbow Stamp Club.
I have participated in various philatelic exhibitions, latest participation was in National Exhibition INPEX 2008 . Recently sent entry in HONG KONG 2009 in Literature Class.
I love to write reviews of new stamps and other philatelic items issued by various countries and other related subjects of thematic philately.
Q: What areas/countries/topicals do you collect? Is there a specific reason for your choices?
My collecting interests are tourism, environment, Taj Mahal Themes and current issues of India. Special interest is in thematic philately.
New country I would like to collect stamps from is Poland, because of their exquisite design and interesting subjects.
The reason for collecting tourism is I love visiting new places and its nice to have philatelic items related with tourism.
Environment is the latest global issue and there are nice to have items on this subject. “Preserve Poles and Glaciers” is the most attractive theme creating awareness about Global Warming.
Q: Do you collect for personal fun, or to compete (in exhibitions) – or both?
I collect for both fun and to compete in exhibitions. Participating in exhibitions keeps a philatelist well informed and active all the time – searching new items for the collection.
How did you start the Rainbow Stamp Club?
Initially I started monthly e- stamp newsletter “Rainbow Stamp News” in January 2008, after that I realized there should be a common platform for the philatelists where they can share their views, get information about new issues, exhibitions and the philatelic world. And bring them together on a common platform to share their views and exchange philatelic items with each other.
One more objective of Rainbow Stamp Club is to relate philately with every day life and create interest about philately in those who never collected stamps. That is to present philately in such a way that a common man can understand the essence of Stamp Collecting. I call it “Rainbow Philately” which represents the various colors of life through stamps.
Q: How do you come up with new ideas for articles?
I regularly visit various websites and Blogs on Philately and read on current subjects, that may be interesting for one and all. I try to relate various topics of stamps with the life of a common man to make interesting for every class of philatelists including those who are not philatelists.
Q: Has the internet changed the way you collect and communicate with other stamp collectors?
Yes. Internet plays a crucial role in providing latest information about the philatelic items issued by various countries and interacting with the philatelists all over the world. It is the fastest and easiest way to get updates about philately.
Q:Do you believe people will still collect stamps in future, like year 2050? Or is stamp collecting becoming a dead hobby? Feel free to say anything about the future of stamp collecting.
As far as atttractive and beautiful stamps are issued by the countries people would love to collect them; irrespective of the fact that people have stopped sending letters by post.
Of course we are not getting stamps through the letters. It’s a fact, that youngsters are not taking up this hobby because they are not sending and receiving letters . But still I would say that Internet is playing an important role in promoting this hobby among stamp lovers through blogosphere. Through the blogs, a large group of stamp lovers is exchanging stamps with each other by postcrossing.
So I dont think philately or stamp collecting is becoming a dead hobby. However, when internet was not so popular the hobby was a bit getting down… Internet has given a chance to collectors to revive their hobby.
Q: What stamp collecting websites, communities or forums would you recommend for readers of this interview (besides your site)?
For all about Indian stamps: http://www.stampsofindia.com/
For new stamps issued all over the world: http://www.stampnews.com/
Some interesting and informative sites and Blogs are Stamp Collecting Roundup and Philately of Today.
Some notable websites of postal administrations are: Poland, Finland,Australia, Ireland, Gibraltar, USA, New Zealand and Great Britain. These I like most because they represent the stamps of their country in a very interesting way
A great thank you to Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti for this interview.
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I read the interview by Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti of Shimla, India who runs “Rainbow Stamp News” and “Rainbow Stamp Club Blog” in order to popularize Philately worldwide, especially in a country like India. She is honest in answering to the point, especially, when she expresses her thoughts about the future of Stamp Collecting as a hobby. Her monthly publication of “Rainbow Stamp News”, I must say, is unique, which she does without any monetary interest. That’s great! Avinash Jagtap
It is a good idea of publishing interview of philatelists doing online activities. A nice interview by Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti.
Great to read the interviews of Philatelists who are promoting the philately with out their personal benefit. Keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!
As said in the first paragraph, this is just the first one of many interviews to come. I’m not saying any timelines or plans, but I’ll try to make/publish one or two interesting interviews each month.
-keijo-
Jeevan Jyoti interview has been a nice beginning for a novel concept in philateli and of a deserving individual for her selfless devotion to a hobby of universal appeal. I, however differ with her optimism that philateli will survive despite the current electronic revolution of communication.
Our US postal service has been racking up losses with continuing deficits, requiring stamp price-hikes on a regular basis. Personally, seldom do I use mailing mode even for paying my bills -thanks to internet and its increade security. As a result, if not in our lifetime, postal service is bound to DIE and with it printing of new commemorative stamps. Almost all of world country GOVTs monetarily support their postal services (PS)and only through increasing deficit burdens would they avoid a nail in their PS’s coffins. Besides, GOVTs in general aren’t known for efficiency and innovative ideas with an aim to profit. Even on that front just look at what’s happening to Nespaper industry in print as many prestigeous ones have been bringing down their shutters for a last hurrah. Same with landline phone services -thanks to switching to cellphones.
Under the circumstance it’s logical to predict that sooner or later your hoard of commomerotive stamps and related memorablia is to become an antic or a collector’s item in its literal meaning -younger generation would care for less. I hope I’m wrong and will still continue to add to my treasure of commemorative stamps I LIKE for their BEAUTY & ART of no future monetary value. Even then, would it really matter to most of us hobbiests?
My advise: enjoy it while you can -just don’t spend a lot of money on it!
Hi Hemant,
you have some good arguments… One of the reasons why I started the interview series is to show how differently collectors view stamp collecting and philately worldwide. I think your comment (as well as the upcoming interviews) just show the difference in views around the world.
The future of stamps is truly interesting… For example in US and most European countries (Finland included) the drop rate for “mailed postage” is currently somewhere between 10-20% annually. This is largely due to electronic invoicing and other online activities that affect how business and individuals use postal services. Most postal services are already responding to this change by personnel cuts, new product lines (like Personalized stamps) etc.
To enjoy the hobby… that’s a truly good advice…
Very interesting interview. It shows the positive thinking of Mrs.Jeevan Jyoti when she argues that the internet is a strong media to promote this hobby since many think the use of e-mail would make it dead on or the other day.Her contibutation in promoting the hobby through net is commendable.All the best to her great efforts!
Wonderful,truthful,honest, and nteresting inetrview of Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti.This concept is unique and an interesting way to introduce philatelists to the philatelic community and to know exactly what they think.
A person with fully positive thinking and attitude giving selfless service with devotion & hard and regular efforts to promote the hobby.
We may have difference in opinion about the future of philately.It may die or may survive or may take a different shape but the efforts being put in by Mrs. Jyoti will certainly promote this hobby and observed even non- philatelic people taking ineterst in this hobby by going through RAINBOW NEWS..
My best wishes for the success of this new concept.
I look forward for such interviews from difrerent people of philatelic field.
Congratulations to you for publishing this nice interview and hates off to Mrs jyoti for her untiring efforts.This is hounor for we all Indian collectors as the First interview is by our repersentative Mrs Jyoti who set a milestone. Her emagzine named Rainbow has really spread the all colors VIBGYOR in Indian philatelic scenario.
The idea of this interaction with mindblowing questions will create a real awareness among philatelists all over the globe.
Hope to see much more such creativity for survival of this unique and actual passion of PHILATELY. Thanks.
Dear madam,
I am really thankful to you for promoting philately through your magazine and Rainbow Stamp Club. I am a philatelist at Jaipur and presently Vice President of PHILATELY SOCIETY OF RAJASTHAN.I am editing my book ‘An album of stamps Commemorating success stories’ which would be published by National Book Trust’ It is on events for all 365 days of the year covering about 800 events through stamps. I had also prepared a CD ‘Learn Science through stamps collecting-Vol I Astronomers and Mathematecians on postage stamps’ which was released in 2005. This year another CD Vol II ‘Inventions and Discoveries on postage stamps’ has been prepared.You may like to bring this to the notice of your readers.Thanks,
yours
P.M.BHARGAVA
Dear Keijo,
I read views of you all & will happy if this debate will go on. I am with fully positive thoughts that stamp collecting will never be gone dead irrespective of whatever is going on in Post offices or wherever, Only need is that that STAMPS must be very-very beautiful & attractive, with newest concepts, disgens with innovative ideas, printed in newest technology, newest different-different styles, new themes & subjects, Governments & Philatelic Organization must do their efforts to promote this hobby with time changing frame. There is very old probe in Indian Mythology that flouting water & moving saint were never gone dirty. THE SHOW MUST GO ON. Anything, which is ATTRACTIVE WILL NEVER DIE & this is fact. We all must change ourselves with the demand of time. I am conveying you this fact of human nature & sociology to you all that the vibrant colorfulness of philatelic materials is a main reason our mind want to see them every time. This is food of our brain & gives us happiness (remove tension). Simply you all ask this question to your self today that why we all watching our stamps every day few hours even we have already seen then so many times? Just because every time they look, like new. So rest assure this hobby will never die, today we are here & tomorrow some new players will come.
Mahendra sharma,
Guwahati,
India