The Philatelic Society of India
An Indian philatelic society founded in 1897 that promotes the study, collection, documentation, and publication of material relating to postage stamps and postal history.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Philatelic Society of India (PSI) is a long-established Indian philatelic organization founded in 1897. It was created as the first society intended to bring together collectors and researchers from across India, rather than serving only a local or regional collecting community. Its origins lay in discussions at the Philatelic Society of Bengal in 1896, followed by an open appeal by Charles Stewart-Wilson for support for an all-India organization. The inaugural meeting took place on 6 March 1897 at 6 Middleton Row in Calcutta. Stewart-Wilson became the first president, while Lady Collen, Professor O.V. Muller, and Major C.H.I. Hopkins were appointed vice-presidents. Wilmot Corfield served as treasurer and P. Aylwyn Selfe of the Bank of Bengal became secretary. The society was initially composed largely of expatriate English residents and other members of the Anglo-Indian community. Its membership gradually became more representative of Indian philately. C.K. Dutt of Calcutta is identified as the first Indian admitted to the society, joining in 1907. During its first half-century, PSI included many prominent collectors and specialists in the stamps, postal markings, fiscal issues, and postal history of India and neighboring territories. A central part of the society's identity has been scholarship and publishing. Its journal, the Philatelic Journal of India, began publication in 1897 and provided a vehicle for specialist research, collection notes, and documentation. The society also sponsored or published substantial studies of Indian and Asian philatelic material. Two particularly notable works received the Crawford Medal of the Royal Philatelic Society London: E.A. Smythies and D.R. Martin's study of the four-anna lithographed stamps of India, published in 1930, and L.E. Dawson's work on the one-anna and two-anna postage stamps of India issued in 1854–55, published in 1948. These awards reflected the society's historical contribution to serious philatelic research rather than merely recreational collecting. Its publication program covered British Indian adhesive, fiscal, and telegraph stamps; the issues of princely states and other Indian territories; Jammu and Kashmir; Afghanistan; Ceylon; Burma, including Japanese occupation issues; and the postal history of Bhopal and other regions. The society's early books were assigned volume numbers, although the numbering did not constitute a single continuous scholarly series. This output helped preserve specialist knowledge at a time when much information about colonial and princely-state postal systems was dispersed among collectors and difficult to access. PSI marked important anniversaries through exhibitions. A Bombay exhibition in March 1957 commemorated the society's diamond jubilee. In 1997, its centenary was celebrated with Centipex '97, a Bombay display that included important Indian philatelic rarities such as a red Scinde Dawk. India Post issued two commemorative stamps in connection with the centenary. In the contemporary period described by reference material, the society meets on the first and third Saturday of each month at the Mumbai General Post Office. The meetings are convened by president Dhirubhai Mehta and honorary secretary D.M. Pittie. PSI's continuing role is centered on fellowship among collectors, exhibitions, research, and the preservation and dissemination of knowledge about Indian philately.
History
The Philatelic Society of India emerged from the growth of organized stamp collecting in colonial India. In 1896, members of the Philatelic Society of Bengal discussed creating a society with an all-India scope. Charles Stewart-Wilson subsequently published an open letter in Calcutta inviting expressions of interest. The founding meeting was held on 6 March 1897 at 6 Middleton Row, Calcutta. Stewart-Wilson was elected the first president, with Lady Collen, Professor O.V. Muller, and Major C.H.I. Hopkins as vice-presidents. Wilmot Corfield was appointed treasurer and P. Aylwyn Selfe, associated with the Bank of Bengal, became secretary. The early society reflected the social composition of the Anglo-Indian collecting community: most of its initial members were English expatriates living in India. Its membership expanded over time, and C.K. Dutt of Calcutta became the first Indian member in 1907. During the first fifty years, PSI included many important collectors and specialists and developed a reputation for documenting the stamps and postal systems of India and surrounding territories. Publishing became one of the society's defining activities. The Philatelic Journal of India was launched in 1897 and served as an ongoing platform for specialist research. PSI-associated publications addressed British Indian postage, fiscal and telegraph stamps, the issues of princely states, Jammu and Kashmir, Afghanistan, Ceylon, Burma, Bhopal, and other areas of regional postal history. Among the society's most influential works were E.A. Smythies and D.R. Martin's The Four Annas Lithographed Stamps of India, 1854–55, published in 1930, and L.E. Dawson's The One Anna & Two Annas Postage Stamps of India, 1854–55, published in 1948. Both received the Crawford Medal from the Royal Philatelic Society London, in 1932 and 1950 respectively. Other works included studies of surcharged British Indian stamps used by native states, fiscal and telegraph stamps, Jammu and Kashmir, Afghanistan, and Japanese occupation stamps of Burma. The society also used exhibitions to build public interest and mark institutional milestones. A Bombay exhibition in March 1957 celebrated its diamond jubilee. For its centenary in 1997, PSI organized Centipex '97 in Bombay. The display included notable Indian rarities, including a red Scinde Dawk, and India Post issued two commemorative stamps for the anniversary. In the period covered by the available reference material, PSI remained active as a meeting and research society. It held meetings on the first and third Saturday of each month at the Mumbai General Post Office, with Dhirubhai Mehta serving as president and D.M. Pittie as honorary secretary. Its historical importance rests on its longevity, its role as an all-India forum for philatelists, and its contribution to the scholarly literature of Indian and regional postal history.
- 1997
Centenary and Centipex '97
[1]PSI marked its hundredth anniversary with Centipex '97 in Bombay. The exhibition included significant Indian philatelic rarities, and India Post issued two commemorative stamps.
- 1957
Diamond jubilee exhibition
[1]The society held an exhibition in Bombay to commemorate its sixtieth anniversary.
- 1950
Second Crawford Medal recognition
[1]Dawson's study received the Crawford Medal from the Royal Philatelic Society London.
- 1948
Publication of Dawson's Indian stamp study
[1]L.E. Dawson's study of the one-anna and two-anna postage stamps of India issued in 1854–55 was published for the society.
- 1932
Crawford Medal recognition
[1]The Four Annas Lithographed Stamps of India, 1854–55 received the Crawford Medal from the Royal Philatelic Society London.
- 1930
Publication of the Four Annas study
[1]The society published E.A. Smythies and D.R. Martin's major study of India's four-anna lithographed stamps of 1854–55.
- 1907
First Indian member admitted
[1]C.K. Dutt of Calcutta became the first Indian identified in the society's membership history.
- 1897
Society founded in Calcutta
[1]The inaugural meeting took place on 6 March at 6 Middleton Row, Calcutta. Charles Stewart-Wilson became the first president and the society began publishing its journal in the same year.
- 1896
Proposal for an all-India philatelic society
[1]The Philatelic Society of Bengal became the setting for discussions about establishing a philatelic organization with nationwide scope.
Products and positioning
A historic, research-oriented national philatelic society focused on Indian stamps, postal history, specialist publications, exhibitions, and collector fellowship.
Journal · 1897
Philatelic Journal of India
The society's principal journal began in 1897. It provided a continuing outlet for research, specialist observations, and documentation concerning Indian stamps, postal history, and related material.
Research monograph · 1930
The Four Annas Lithographed Stamps of India, 1854–55
Written by E.A. Smythies and D.R. Martin and published for the society in 1930, this specialist study examined India's four-anna lithographed stamps. Its scholarly importance was recognized with the Crawford Medal in 1932.
Research monograph · 1948
The One Anna & Two Annas Postage Stamps of India, 1854–55
L.E. Dawson's detailed study of two early Indian postage-stamp denominations was published for the society in 1948. The work later received the Crawford Medal in 1950.
Research publication · 1897
British Indian Adhesive Stamps Surcharged for Native States
Charles Stewart-Wilson's research on British Indian adhesive stamps surcharged for use by native states appeared in multiple parts and editions between 1897 and 1904, forming part of PSI's early specialist publishing program.
Philatelic exhibition · 1997
Centipex '97
The centenary exhibition held in Bombay in 1997 presented important Indian philatelic material, including a red Scinde Dawk, and served as the society's principal public celebration of its hundredth anniversary.
Marketing campaigns
- 1997Centipex '97
India
The society's centenary program in Bombay featured a display of important Indian philatelic rarities, including a red Scinde Dawk.
Outcome. India Post issued two commemorative stamps to mark PSI's centenary.
- 1957Diamond Jubilee Exhibition
India
PSI organized a Bombay exhibition to commemorate sixty years of activity and to showcase philatelic material to collectors and the public.
Outcome. The exhibition marked the society's diamond jubilee.
Sources2 sources
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