Commemorative stamps on Indo-French tie up in space technology

PUDUCHERRY: A set of commemorative postage stamps released recently in Paris by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande, marking the five decades of Indo-French collaboration in space technology, were today launched here by the Department of Posts.

Post Master General of Chennai City Region Mervin Alexander handed over the stamps to Chief Minister N Rangasamy and to French Consul General in Puducherry Philippe Janvier Kamiyama at a function in the Consulate General premises here.

Rangasamy later told reporters that the release of the stamps was a proud event as it focussed on the close relations between the two nations.

He said Puducherry, a former French colony, was retaining French culture and the French connection was also vibrant.

India Post and La Poste France had issued a set of two commemorative stamps of SARAL and Megha Tropiques Satellites and were in Paris on April 10 during the ongoing three-nation visit of Modi.

The French Consul General expressed his happiness over collaborative initiatives between India and France on space technology and said the relations between the two countries would further be strengthened.

The Post Master General said that the Indian postage stamps were in the denomination of Rs 25 and Rs 5 and the release of the stamps was an "important and most significant event".

This would kindle popularity and generate awareness among the people on close collaboration between two countries in space science, he said adding the stamps would be available at all the Philately Bureaus across the country.