India personalised stamps 'big hit'

in Mumbai.


 The Mumbai postal authorities have marketed the scheme aggressively
A scheme launched by India's postal authorities that allows people to
pay for their photos to be printed on stamps has become a hit in the western city
of Mumbai (Bombay), officials say.More than 650 people have registered to take
part since the scheme opened on Friday and many more are interested.
Called My Stamp, the scheme allows photographs to be printed on a five-rupee
(10 US cent) stamp.The scheme is aimed at boosting philately and letter writing.
'Overwhelmed' "We are overwhelmed by the response. Parents, grandparents,
children, and even people from villages have turned up to get pictures of themselves,
friends and relatives on stamps," Abha Singh, director of postal services for Maharashtra,
told the BBC."A lot of people are gifting the stamps to their grandchildren.
It is like creating your own history."Only 3,500 people - paying 300 rupees ($6)
each to put personalised pictures on a set of 12 stamps - will be able to take part in
the scheme, which closes on Saturday. 
The stamps contain the personalised picture and a backdrop based on Indian themes -
folklore, sun signs and monuments.