2016-10-08 Sat

On 5th October, a special 80-minute first-day ceremony was organised to officially launch the United States forever stamp for Diwali at the Consulate General of India in New York City. Members of the Indian community residing in the US have been requesting to release such a stamp since many years now. The U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan approved the new stamp. U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney of New York’s 12th Congressional District worked with the Indian community in New York City to achieve this.

The ceremony began with a presentation of colours and the singing of the U.S. national anthem followed by the Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. Many esteemed guests were present at the event like Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Consul General of India; India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Member of the United Nations Security Council (Ret.) Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri; and Sand Hill Group Managing Director M.R. Rangaswami, U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng of New York’s 6th Congressional District and Congresswoman Maloney. The chief guests were Ravi Batra, chair of the National Advisory Council for South Asian Affairs and his wife, Ranju Batra, as chair of the Diwali Stamp Project.

The official stamp dedication was led by Pritha Mehra, USPS vice president of mail entry and payment technology. It was followed by the lighting of the diyas, which is a major aspect of Diwali celebrations and is also depicted on the stamp as a photograph by Sally Andersen-Bruce, who was present at the event. The audience enjoyed a dance performance by Shaan Mutiyaaran Di Bhangra Club.

The festival is celebrated by different religious sects like Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs. Officials revealed that more than 100,000 stamps have already been sold. They believe that the stamp is a token of love to mark the friendship between the world’s largest democracy, and the world’s oldest democracy. It also portrays inclusive indivisibility: E Pluribus Unum — within America and between two sovereigns.

After the Diwali stamp designs were unveiled, the guests were invited to enjoy food and beverages.