Udupi man eyes Guinness record with 5,000 stamps

UDUPI: If  you thought the only link between birds and the postal service is the carrier pigeon, Daniel Monthero, an office assistant at St Mary’s Syrian College, Brahmavar, will make you think again. For, Monthero, with his collection of over 5,000 stamps on birds, has claimed to have made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. Monthero exhibited his stamps at the SMS Community Hall, Brahmavar, in a bid to set a new Guinness record on Wednesday.The present Guinness record for the biggest collection of stamps on birds is in the name of one Paul Ervin of Germany, who has a collection of over 2,400 stamps on birds, says Daniel Monthero, who is awaiting official confirmation of his new record from the Guinness authorities.The world’s first stamp on birds, that of a mute swan (Cygnus Olor), issued in 1854, in Western Australia, India’s first postal stamp on birds, that of a Magpie and Jay, issued in 1968, diamond-studded stamp on mute swan issued by Swarovski, in Austria, gold-plated stamp on US State Birds and Flowers, etc were some of the main highlights of the show. Monthero told Express that he had started the hobby of collecting stamps when he was in standard V under the guidance of philatelist of Numisphila Vittaldas Shanubhag. His hobby took him all over India.“It is said that there are over 9,800 species of birds in 27 groups. I am proud to say that I have stamps on the birds of all 27 groups,” said Monthero, whose philatelic feats have won him several national and international awards. Deputy Commissioner of Udupi M T Reju inaugurated the exhibition, in the presence of president of the Dakshina Kannada District Philatelists’ Association M K Krishnaiah. Krishniah said that Monthero’s feat was an honour to all philatelists of the region.