India Post: Themes and Biases

in Commemorative Stamps Issued From 1994 To 2016

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

• Next only to currency, stamps have born the unique imprimatur of the state and have rightly been described as ‘little ambassadors’.

• But in a democratic dispensation such as India, do they also serve as vehicles of subtle or overt propaganda for the people in power?

Introduction• This paper examines the distribution of themes reflected in 820

commemorative stamps issued by the Department of Posts, Government of India over a twenty-two year period from 1994 to 2016.

• The analysis has been carried out by looking at– both the complete distribution over 22 years– and also by segregating them into periods corresponding to governing

coalitions– The period from 14/12/1994 to 4/5/1996 has been omitted for periodic

analysis due to insufficient data (38 stamps were issued in this period), but has been included in the overall analysis

Political Background

Governing Coalition Period Prime Minister #Stamps issued

United Front 1996 - 1998 H. D. Deve Gowda, I. K. Gujral

106

National DemocraticAlliance (NDA-1)

1998 - 2004 A. B. Vajpayee 268

United Progressive Alliance (UPA)

2004 - 2014 Manmohan Singh 339

National Democratic Alliance (NDA-2)

2014 - present Narendra Modi 71

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Introduction• 820 commemorative stamps, accompanying

brochures and lists of stamps were examined, tabulated and categorised.

• Additional references and verifications were made from:– Website 1– Website 2– Website 3

Categorisation of Icons - 1• Nature of icons –

– Military (forces, regiments, ships, missiles, war commemorations)– Civil State (courts, legislatures, agencies & their Jubilees, both state & central)– Political persons & events– Social, Cultural and Traditional Icons (festivals, objects, traditional crafts,

dances etc)– Religious Icons (theologians, priests & gurus, Institutions & their anniversaries)– Literary Icons (writers, poets & playwrights)– Financial Icons (banks & NBFCs, MFs & Insurance cos, regulators, and

financiers)– Nature/Environment (national parks, activists, wildlife, fossils)

Categorisation of Icons - 2• Nature of icons –

– Music/Films– Press (newspapers & media houses, journalists)– Art (painters, sculptors; paintings & sculptures)– Sport (sportspersons; sporting events)– Industrial (industrialists, companies, infrastructure)– Historical/Mythical persons and events– Science/Technology/Medicine (persons, organisations, research institutes,

conferences)– Education (libraries, schools, colleges and universities; teachers, professors

and founders of ed. Institutions)– Law (lawyers)

Themes studied - 1• Distribution of Regional, National & International Icons• Distribution of Icons by category –

– State (Civil and military establishments, services, agencies)– Institutional (libraries, schools, colleges & universities;

hospitals and vaidyasalas; trusts and foundations; associations and charities)

– Human (notable people from various walks of life)– Abstract (commemorative days and events)– Other (Wildlife, national parks, cultural practices etc)

Themes studied - 3

• Forces-wise distribution of military icons

• Faith-wise distribution of religious icons

• Statewide distribution and skew of regional icons

RESULTS

Human, 413

Sarkari, 119

Institutional, 115

Abstract, 105

Other, 68

Icons by Category (1994-2016; 820)

Human, 58

Sarkari, 13

Institutional, 14

Abstract, 11 Other, 10

Human, 139

Sarkari, 34

Institutional, 14

Abstract, 25

Other, 31

NDA 1 (1998-2004; 268)UF (1996-98; 106)

Human, 180

Sarkari, 53

Institutional, 45

Abstract, 48

Other, 11

UPA (2004-2014; 339)

Human, 22

Sarkari, 12Institutional, 9

Abstract, 16

Other, 12

NDA 2 (2014-; 71)

Distribution Across Walks of Life (1994-2016; % of Stamps Issued)

Military, 62

State (Civil), 73

Pol, 75

Soc/Cult/Trad, 72

Religion, 99

Lit, 52

Financial, 7

Nature/Envt, 67

Music/Films, 88

Press, 16

Art, 9Sport, 18

Industrial, 23

Hist/Myth, 82

Sci/Tech/Med, 41

Edn, 33

Law, 3

Distribution Across Categories (% of Stamps Issued)

7

11

11

9

14

11

0

9

2

1

0

1

1

12

5

4

1

9

8

13

8

12

8

0

10

4

2

1

1

3

14

2

4

0

6

9

8

9

11

5

1

5

19

3

1

3

3

7

5

4

0

8

11

3

11

15

3

3

11

13

0

0

3

4

7

4

3

0

-5 5 15 25 35 45 55

Military

State (Civil)

Pol

Soc/Cult/Trad

Religion

Lit

Financial

Nature/Envt

Music/Films

Press

Art

Sport

Industrial

Hist/Myth

Sci/Tech/Med

Edn

LawUF

NDA 1

UPA

NDA 2

Army, 37

AF, 3

Navy, 7

Triservices, 10

Paramil, 5

Military Icons (1994-2016; 62)

Army, 5AF, 0

Navy, 0

Triservices, 2

Paramil, 0

Army, 17

AF, 1

Navy, 3

Triservices, 3

Paramil, 0

NDA 1 (1998-2004; 24)UF (1996-98; 7)

Military Icons

Army, 9

AF, 2

Navy, 3

Triservices, 3

Paramil, 4

UPA (2004-2014; 21)

Army, 2

AF, 0Navy, 1

Triservices, 2

Paramil, 1

NDA 2 (2014-; 6)

Hindu, 55

Muslim, 5

Christian, 14

Jain, 7

Buddhist, 12

Sikh, 5

Religious Icons (1994-2016; 98)

Hindu, 6

Muslim, 0

Christian, 4

Jain, 1

Buddhist, 4

Sikh, 0

Hindu, 22

Muslim, 0

Christian, 2

Jain, 2

Buddhist, 5

Sikh, 1

Hindu, 20

Muslim, 4

Christian, 6

Jain, 3

Buddhist, 2 Sikh, 2

NDA 1 (1998-2004; 32)UF (1996-98; 15)

Religious Icons

UPA (2004-2014; 37)

Hindu, 7

Muslim, 0

Christian, 2

Jain, 1

Buddhist, 1 Sikh, 0

NDA 2 (2014-; 11)

National, 198

International, 72

Regional, 550

Regional, National & International Icons (1994-2016; 820)

National, 79

International, 25

Regional, 235

National, 56International

, 19

Regional, 193

National, 23

International, 13

Regional, 70

NDA 1 (1998-2004; 268)UF (1996-98; 106)

UPA (2004-2014; 339)

National, 30

International, 7

Regional, 34

NDA 2 (2014-; 71)

Andhra Pradesh, 24 Arunachal Pradesh, 2

Assam, 10

Bihar, 27

Chandigarh, 1

Chhattisgarh, 2 Delhi, 12

Goa, 4Gujarat, 23

Haryana, 4

Himachal Pradesh, 10

Jharkhand, 5

Jammu & Kashmir, 7

Karnataka, 26

Kerala, 24

Maharashtra, 78

Manipur, 4

Meghalaya, 1

Mizoram, 1

Madhya Pradesh, 16

Nagaland, 3

Odisha, 9

Pondicherry, 1

Punjab, 42

Rajasthan, 26

Sikkim, 1

Sindhi, 3

Telangana, 4

Tamil Nadu, 70

Tripura, 4

Uttar Pradesh, 58

Uttarakhand, 9West Bengal, 39

Distribution Across States (1994-2016; % of Stamps Issued)

-1.75

1.06

-1.15

-3.08

-0.18

-2.03

0.14

2.49

3.78

-1.50

-0.37

0.53

1.96

-0.18

-1.51

0.78

0.15

0.39

1.78

0.06

-1.30

-5.66

0.24

-1.60

0.84

0.06

-2.66

-4.60

-0.37

-2.58

-1.48

-0.18

-2.03

1.65

-0.37

-4.79

2.84

0.70

0.61

-6.30

0.88

-0.96

0.84

-0.37

-2.66

-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00

Andhra Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh

Assam

Bihar

Chandigarh

Chhattisgarh

Delhi

Goa

Gujarat

UF

NDA1

UPA

NDA2

DMKControl

State wise Skew of Icons

-1.84

0.69

-2.58

0.32

3.41

2.03

2.59

-0.37

-0.37

-0.29

1.85

-0.51

0.45

-2.05

1.50

5.15

1.19

0.15

-1.42

0.11

-2.15

0.17

-1.75

0.57

5.20

0.91

-0.37

-1.84

2.20

-2.58

-1.10

12.49

-3.68

2.92

2.57

-0.37

-0.78

-0.74

-1.51

-0.04

-0.90

0.57

6.05

-0.37

-0.37

-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00

Haryana

Himachal Pradesh

Jharkhand

Jammu & Kashmir

Karnataka

Kerala

Maharashtra

Manipur

Meghalaya

-0.18

-1.05

1.24

-2.44

-0.18

4.75

-1.75

-0.18

0.00

0.33

-2.75

0.33

-1.28

-0.18

5.38

-3.05

-0.18

0.00

-0.18

-3.21

0.24

-3.44

0.24

6.54

3.48

0.24

1.28

-0.18

-2.40

-0.18

-0.93

-0.18

-2.39

-1.66

-0.18

0.00

-0.18

-2.15

-0.18

-2.80

-0.18

-2.39

0.72

-0.18

2.13

-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00

Mizoram

Madhya Pradesh

Nagaland

Odisha

Pondicherry

Punjab

Rajasthan

Sikkim

Sindhi

-3.13

1.39

-0.37

0.98

0.51

-2.02

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-2.09

1.11

1.19

-7.48

1.15

0.56

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-2.71

9.41

0.06

-4.52

0.36

-0.08

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-0.19

13.41

-0.37

2.91

2.02

-4.79

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-3.13

20.48

0.70

-8.35

2.27

-3.48

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-0.18

-10.00 -5.00 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00

Telangana

Tamil Nadu

Tripura

Uttar Pradesh

Uttarakhand

West Bengal

A&N Islands

Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Daman & Diu

Lakshadweep

National, 35

International, 19Regional, 94

Human, 70

Sarkari, 22

Institutional, 19

Abstract, 30

Other, 7

Hindu, 8

Muslim, 2

Christian, 3

Jain, 1Buddhist, 1 Sikh, 0

Military, 10

State (Civil), 13

Pol, 14

Soc/Cult/Trad, 22

Religion, 15Lit, 11

Financial, 1

Nature/Envt, 12

Music/Films, 9

Press, 2

Art, 1

Sport, 6

Industrial, 4

Hist/Myth, 14

Sci/Tech/Med, 4

Edn, 10 Law, 1

Distribution Across Walks of LifeIcons by Category (148)

Religious Icons (15) Regional, National & International Icons (148)

DM

K C

on

tro

l (2

3/5

/04

–1

4/1

1/1

0)

CONCLUSIONS

Categories• Humans are the most popular category,

accounting for over 50% of the stamps in the period

• However, a marked decline is seen in their proportions over the years, as a greater proportion of stamps have been issued favouring government establishments and other institutions.

Walks of Life• The press, the arts, sports and the legal & financial

professions are highly under-represented; literary and film folks are however, well-represented

• Religious and historical/mythical icons occur in high frequency; they occupy the highest percentages in the NDA-1 and NDA-2 periods

• Fully 26% of stamps are dedicated to the state and political icons

• Read with the previous slide, the state seems increasingly happier to celebrate itself on its stamps than its people

Military Icons• The share of military icons has been low throughout,

maxing at 9% under NDA-1.• There appears to be a trend towards more equal

representation of the forces, from a previously marked bias towards the army.

• It is to be noted that the Indian Army represents 86% of all defence personnel (1.18 million), so increasing equality might actually appear unfair to the army

• However, the paramilitary forces, that number 1.08 million, have had scant representation throughout the period.

Religious Icons• The share of Hindu religious figures and institutions appearing on

stamps tends to rise under the NDA-1 (69%) and NDA-2 (64%) governments

• However it is to be noted that Hindus constitute 80% of the Indian population (as per 2001 census)

• Muslims, who form the largest religious minority (14%) remain underrepresented under all regimes; with 3 regimes completwely ignoring them

• The Jains (0.37% as per 2001 census) punch well above their weight with upto 7% representation. Buddhism (0.7%) too is overrepresented in the stamps, peaking at 27% under the UF

Regionalism & Internationalism

• Regional icons occupy the lion’s share of the stamps, though there has been a marked decline under NDA-2, as more stamps are issued featuring pan-Indian icons.

• Internationalism has been poorly represented in Indian stamps, with the share of foreign icons rarely exceeding 12%.

Regional biases• With so large a representation of regional icons, a

detailed break-down was warranted. A state by state categorisation yielded a few surprises.

• Maharashtra (78), Tamil Nadu (70), Uttar Pradesh (58) and Punjab (42) take up a large proportion of the stamps.

• Did this indicate a regional bias, or were the states getting their fare share of representation on India’s ‘little ambassadors’?

Comparison with no. of Lok Sabha MPs

• A reasonable metric was required to compare the stamps on regional themes

• The number of Lok Sabha MPs from each state was found suitable as– They are representative (somewhat) of a state’s population

and political ‘heft’– They have not changed for the duration of the study– At 543, they are comparable to the 550 stamps– MPs can (and do) exert pressure to issue particular stamps

Skews

State % MPs %Stamps Skew

Maharashtra 8.84 14.18 +5.34

Tamil Nadu 7.18 12.73 +5.54

Punjab 2.39 7.64 +5.25

Uttar Pradesh 14.73 10.55 -4.19

Madhya Pradesh 5.34 2.91 -2.43

Telangana 3.13 0.73 -2.40

Skews by government

• For most states, the skews fluctuate.

• However, Maharashtra and Punjab have seen a positive skew throughout the period.

• We might attribute Maharashtra’s outsized presence to the fact that many icons are related to Mumbai. A separate analysis is warranted in the future.

• Tamil Nadu marks a pronounced skew, exploding under the UPA government.

The DMK effect -1• The Ministry of Communications was under the control of

the Tamil regional party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Dayanidhi Maran and then A Raja) from 2004 to 2010 as part of the UPA. The Department of Posts is part of this ministry.

• In this six-year period within the 10-year rule of the UPA, this bias is even more pronounced.

• A number of stamps depicting obscure historic figures and small-time politicians seem the hallmark of this period.

The DMK effect -2• The DMK’s other ideological leanings (atheism, rationalism) or its

deep connection with films are however not reflected.• Other regional parties have also controlled the Ministry of

Communications, viz.

• A study of biases under their control is also planned for the future.

Party Period Government Minister

JD(U) 13/10/99 to 1/9/01

NDA-1 Ram Vilas Paswan

SP 1/6/96 to 19/3/98

UF Beni Prasad Verma