A Gandhi stamp for Britain

By our Philately Correspondent

MAHATMA GANDHI, ignored, feared, imprisoned, and later loved by the British, will have his portrait on a special 1s 6d stamp issued by the GPO on August 13, to mark the Indian leader’s centenary year.

It will be the first UK postage stamp commemorating an overseas leader, and, to make it a double first, it will be the first UK stamp designed by an overseas artist—an Indian, Biman Mullick, who lives in South-east London. The colours are orange, green, grey, and black.

Mr. Mullick, whose father was a political leader near Calcutta, and a disciple of Gandhi, met the Mahatma when he was 10. “At my age,” he said yesterday, “he seemed very ordinary. He did not look like a great man. He was friendly and patted me on my shoulder.”

Mr. Mullick, who is 35, is married and came to Britain in 1960. He is now visiting teacher in graphic design at Folkestone School of Arts and Crafts.