Kerala - Kozhikode   

A philatelist remembers Saddam

Biju Govind

S.V. Ummer Farook with his collection.

KOZHIKODE: S.V. Ummer Farook, a philatelist of Kuttichira in Kozhikode city, will remember Saddam Hussein's rule through a collection of stamps brought out during his time from 1979 to 2003.

" I started collecting stamps on Saddam during the Gulf war in 1991 when he challenged the supremacy of the United States. It was then that I learnt that he had also waged an eight-year war against neighbouring Iran in the Eighties," says the 37-year old treasurer of Calicut Philately Club.

His specialisation is collection of stamps of personalities — Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, John F. Kennedy, Vladimir Lenin, Muammar-al-Gaddafi and Princess Diana.

Almost every country has brought out stamps on Gandhiji. "But I think only Iraq has brought out stamps on Saddam, " Farook says.

"My interest in stamps began two decades ago when I visited a philately exhibition held in Kozhikode. Later, I focussed only on personality collection," he says.

One of his Saddam collections is a 50-fils stamp celebrating the birthday of the President in 1988. Saddam was born on April 28, 1937. Another 50-fils stamp is the one brought out to celebrate the July Festivals and the anniversary of his assumption as head of the party and State leadership in 1989.

A stamp was brought out to commemorate the "Basrah reconstruction Great Campaign Ends" in which Saddam is seen digging sand with a shovel. This 150-fils stamp was released in 1989.

The 25-dinars stamp "We Say Yes Saddam" is another collection of Farook. "Stamps during the regime of Saddam were usually issued to celebrate the birthday of the Iraqi leader," he says.

Farook has in his possession first day covers of Gaddafi observing the twelfth and thirteenth anniversaries of the first September revolution 1982. His collections include the first day cover of the 30th accession of President Zayed bin Sultan al-Nayan brought out by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Another UAE collection is a stamp in memory of Sheikh Rashid Bin Sayeed Al Maktoum.

He also collected stamps and first day covers of Madeena Mosque and Ka-a-ba released by Saudi Arabia. He also has collections of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait in his album.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

A philatelist remembers Saddam
NSS camp takes up development works
`Government should take steps to rename station'
Film festival to begin on January 11
Guru ashram in Palani to celebrate golden jubilee
Milk producers to get Rs.114 lakh
Workshop on puppetry from January 26
In Kozhikode Today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu