1809, Letter from Nattore of Rajshahi District to Calcutta, from Pittie's collection

But she isn't the only philatelist in the room, as Ramu MS, 46, a fellow of London's Royal Philatelic Society and an employee of the Tata Group also comes with an impressive collection, including the first stamp of independent India and the early postal covers of Mysore State (1810). "Although these are being displayed here, I also have about 50 stamps on the various angles of Victoria Terminus that can be traced back to the early 1900s," he reveals. Ask the duo about the weather and they'll chuckle in response. It's what determines the condition of their precious artefacts, which Ramu informs sell for crores, and the Indian climate is no good.

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The five-day show will see a national competition of exhibits, as well as seminars and workshops aimed at the youth. INPEX that has been in the works for six months is also supported by the Department of Posts, who will have a counter at the venue. Here, there will be a replicated variety of Bombay's oldest postcards that young people can write a message on and mail.

Damayanti Pittie and Ramu MS

Talking about the significance of philately as a profession, both experts highlight the need of the subject as a part of the education system. "There was nobody to teach me. I would buy packets as a child and sort it by country. I didn't even know what cataloguing was, or even the name of the country — that Germany was Deutsches Reich, for instance. But rather than what you find on the Internet nowadays, this can teach you so much more about the world," Pittie explains, while Ramu adds that it is not only important for the topic to be introduced in schools, but also introduced at a lower level. "The learning curve here is very high. So, when you're old, it may not make sense."

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