Indian Coast Guard stamps

Name of Stamp:Indian Coast guard

Issue Date: 12th AUG'2008

Details:

1. India Post released a set of 4 stamps in the denomination of Rs 5 each and a miniature sheet on August 12, 2008 to mark 30 years of Indian Coast Guard.
2. The stamps depict the Dornier Fixed Wing Aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, Hovercraft, and Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel.
3. The Indian Coast Guard is the fourth armed force service created to guard India's vast coastline on August 18, 1978. The coast guard works closely with the Indian navy and the Indian Customs Department, and is usually headed by a naval officer of the rank of Vice-Admiral. India's coast guard has a large number of fast craft including hovercrafts and hydrofoils. They patrol the seas and river mouths. The coast guard has performed a number of commendable tasks of rescuing distressed personnel. It has also apprehended pirates on high seas and cleaned up oil spills. Heavy patrolling of sensitive areas such as Gujarat, West Bengal and Mumbai have resulted in catching a large number of smugglers and illegal immigrants.
4. Brahm Prakash designed the Stamp and the First Day Cover.
5. Alka Sharma designed the pictorial first day postmark.
6. Brochure containing write-up and technical data was issued on the occasion. The First Day Cover and the Brochure are priced at Rs 2 each. Security Printing Press, Hyderabad printed the stamps by wet offset in the quantities of 0.8 million each. The miniature sheet was printed in the quantity of 0.2 million.

Remark:Very good stamps with attractive blue color was issued by India post,But the mini sheet was very big to be fit in the FDC,India post should come up with idea that for min sheet there should be separate FDC.