Jane D’Souza- ‘Woman’ Philatelist Showcased Stamps on ‘Women’ on ‘Women’s Day’
Mangaluru: Women and men probably collect things about equally. Sources reveal that Women, however, just don’t collect stamps. Philately has long been a man’s domain. After the passing of the “timbremania” phase about 1860, the vast majority of stamp collectors, and certainly the vast majority of more serious philatelists, have been men. Of the hundreds of early philatelic books and articles, only a few have been penned by women. Even the greatest female collector of the last century, Louise Boyd Dale, was carrying on the great collection of her father Alfred Liechtenstein. But for that matter, we have an exemption here locally- Senior citizen Jane D’Souza of Valencia-Mangaluru has been a stamp collector for decades, a hobby she started in her school days-and since then she has collected lakhs of stamps from all over the world. So who said that there no Women Stamp Collectors?
On Second Sunday of every month, a group of local philatelists of Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association (DKPNA) meet at Mangaluru Head Post Office-Pandeshwar to resuscitate what is quickly becoming the lost art of stamp collecting. Established in 1975 to promote the hobby of philately and build and disseminate philatelic knowledge around it, the dream of Philatelists of Mangaluru came true with N V Shenoy, Director General of Post and Telegraph Department, Govt. of India inaugurating the MangalorePhilatelic Club. In 1976 the Club hosted the 1st ever District Level Exhibition in India – “Mangalapex”, and in 1992, with a strength of 66 members, the Club was renamed Dakshina Kannada Philatelic Association with an aim of reaching every nook and corner of the District. DKPA was again renamed as Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association (DKPNA) on April 14, 2002. Today they are on the Web with an aim to show India through her stamps and coins.
And Jane D’Souza who is the current Vice President of DKPNA said that the membership of DKPNA is open to all. Members meet every second Sunday at 10 am at Head Post Office, Pandeshwar, Mangaluru, during which the latest developments in the Philatelic World are discussed, and new members are introduced. Forthcoming activities of DKPNA are chalked out during these meetings. DKPNA has a very good library with lots of interesting books for the beginner to Philately. Exhibitions are also held at the venue. D’souza wants people to start the hobby of stamp collecting, and also become a member of DKPNA.
Couple of days ago a rare exhibition of stamps, first-day covers and pictorial cancellations featuring women, organised by DKPNA at the Head Post Office in Pandeshwar, a tribute to the women of India- and Jane D’Souza was the exhibitor of the day. Jane’s nearly 300 Stamps, first-day covers, miniature sheets and pictorial cancellations on Indian women achievers were part of the expo. Stamps on Indian women achievers in the field of art and culture featured dance exponent T Balasaraswathi, musician M S Subbulakshmi, miniature sheet on Indian actresses Devika Rani, Nutan, Kanan Devi, Savitri, Meena Kumari and Leela Naidu, freedom fighters Rani Abbakka, Kittur Chennamma, Sarojini Naidu, Kamala Nehru, social reformers Dr Annie Besant and Mother Teresa, Ashok Chakra awardee Neerja Bhanot, writers Kranti Trivedi, Mahadevi Verma, among many others. The oldest one in the collection was the stamp on Meera Bai which was released in 1952-it was the first stamp released by the Postal Department during the post Independence era on any woman.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Jane D’Souza said, “My stamp collection dates back to the late 1960s when I received an envelope filled with stamps, gifted to me by the then Postmaster of Mangalore Head Post Office-Robert Mascarenhas, who also happened to be my neighbour. Mascarenhas simply asked me to add more to the collection, and just like that it became my hobby, and my collection of stamps is growing day by day. Apart from buying the stamps, my relatives and friends donate stamps to my collection. At the recent stamp exhibition, exclusively on Women to mark ‘Women’s Day’ I featured around 300 stamps on Indian women, which is just a part of my much wider collection on International women achievers. Every woman featured in the stamp expo had a story to tell. Each stamp was inspiring, and spoke on woman’s personality. I don’t just collect the stamps, but also write a note on the woman featured so that others can know them. It’s my way of storytelling”
Married to Edwin J F D’Souza, a renowned Konkani Writer in Mangaluru, she joined her husband who was employed in Kuwait in a oil company. Even while she was working as a secretary for a British Firm in Kuwait, her stamp collection grew tremendously. “Our company used to receive letters from all over the world, and due to this my collection doubled. And the best part was that when my company boss found out about my stamp collection hobby, he contacted other branch offices of our company, advising them to forward all the postage covers received by them to me. But due to hectic job hours I couldn’t find time to sort them out, instead I stored them in few boxes. I think I had over a lakh in my stamp collection. But unfortunately I lost all my stamp collection when we had to leave Kuwait during the Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990- due to restricted luggage that was allowed to carry in a Red cross convoy, I had leave back all my stamp boxes back in Kuwait” said Jane.
Returning back to Mangaluru along with her husband in 1990, and deciding not to return back to Kuwait, Jane D’Souza once again started her hobby due to the motivation by her daughter Ruth, a freelance journalist, now based in Bengaluru. Ruth is married to Sudhakar Prabhu, an engineer, and is a proud mother of baby girl, Anuksha. Jane joined DKPNA in 1990 and once again started her stamp collection. Apart from stamps of various Countries, on women etc, she has a wide stamp collection exclusively on Christmas, which she is planning to display it during the Christmas stamp expo.
In her message to those who want to start Stamp collection as a hobby, Jane D’Souza says, “Often being referred to as “the hobby of kings and the king of hobbies,” philately has an immense cultural importance attracting enthusiasts from all walks of life. Millions all over the world have dedicated to the hobby of assembling this miniature works of art from all over the world. Stamp collecting is interesting once you get started. It will keep you busy-where you’ll spend time sorting them out, placing them on covers, write a small description of the stamp etc- I love my hobby. So why not you, also? I welcome you to join for the next meeting of DKPNA on 8 April where you can get more information or you can call me at 9845950021