stamp collectors from across the country are in town for a special exhibit organised by the philatelic congress of india at the world trade centre in mumbai apart from getting a glimpse of some unique ones novices will also get an opportunity to learn more about stamps from across the world which are also part of the exhibit a stamp of historywhen people talk about stamp collection as a hobby they also dvelve into how its also a process of learning we caught up with pk khaitan a philatelist who shared how one stamp kickstarted his journey as an avid stamp collector khaitan says air india internationals first flight to london was a huge landmark for the country which resonated with people as a nation we were going through a difficult time the partition of india had just happened and mahatma gandhi had also been assassinated it was during this time that the national carrier introduced its first international flight to london and to mark the day the postal department issued a block of four 12a stamps on june 8 1948 this stamp was issued in special circumstances and was valid only for a day and for mail that would be flying from bombay to london on this flight khaitan says this historical flight kick started his journey as an avid stamp collector and he has over the years held exhibits simply with this one stamp apart from lessons in history stamp collection as a hobby can also open your minds to a treasure trove of information madhukar deogawanka a postal explains philately is a great stressbuster and a hobby that teaches you a lot about your country and the world you learn about different currencies and their exchange rates the geography and history of different nations and also learn the qualities of patience and perseverance clearly this exhibit can be your window to the world of philately