AIDS, cancer and stamps

I t was a stamp exhibition with a difference, giving a ringside view of a world plagued by cancer, AIDS and the perils of smoking, and in dire need of blood. The show at Gaganendra Pradarshasala earlier this month was based on photocopies of the philatelic collection of Utpal Sanyal. A cancer research scientist, Sanyal used 1,150 exhibits in the presentation.

The symbol of cancer, the crab, was introduced at the start. "This Hungarian stamp portrays Hippocrates, the father of medicine, who used the word karkinos or crab in Greek to describe the tumour. But the disease can be traced even further back. Breast and bone cancer symptoms were found in Egyptian mummies," he said, pointing to relevant stamps.

Stamps can be part of the fight against a killer disease. The United States Postal Service has raised over $71 million for breast cancer research from a 55 cent fund-raiser stamp that was launched in 1998 and is still on sale.

There were stamps that displayed famous faces who died of the disease ' Ramakrishna Paramhansa to Nargis Dutt, Saratchandra Chattopadhyay to Malcolm Marshall.

AIDS also got an elaborate display with stamps, postcards and matchboxes carrying messages on how the syndrome spreads. Luc Montagnier, who discovered HIV, finds pride of place in a Mali stamp.

The third section was on blood donation. "A stamp played a big role in the blood donation movement in France. After one was issued on the subject in 1959, the number of donors trebled and as many as 117 more blood transfusion centres had to be founded," Sanyal said.

Young and enterprising

They're young, driven and bubbling with ideas. The British Council, in association with the Institute Of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development (iLEAD), announced names of the finalists for the Young Creative Entrepreneurs (YCE) Awards 2011 at an event on the iLEAD campus on July 7.

Between 21 and 40 years old, the finalists were from the publishing and performing arts category. The other categories for the award include design, fashion, music, screen interactive, publishing and performing arts.

"YCE is a networking initiative, linking entrepreneurs in India with their counterparts in the UK," said Sujata Sen, the director of British Council (East), India.

The evening also had singer Sukanya Ghosh and rapper Earl Edgar presenting a jazzed-up version of Phule phule and What a wonderful world. They were later joined on stage by Usha Uthup, who also gave away certificates to the finalists.

Varun Desai, the founder of Littlei, a city-based production company that promotes live music, was the only finalist from Calcutta. "Being shortlisted for this award has bolstered my confidence," he added.

The finals will be held in New Delhi on July 20 and the winners will go on a study tour to the UK.

(Contributed by Sudeshna Banerjee and Sneha Paul)