For many, retirement can pave away for new opportunities and give time to pursue forgotten hobbies. M. Lokeshwara Rao, retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in Nagaland who was the director of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education in the city, is highlighting the destruction of a species of flowering plant and the ways to conserve it. And he is doing this not as a forest service official, but as a philatelist.

Mr. Rao, who retired in June last year and lives in Bengaluru, always liked collecting stamps. “As a child, I used to collect whatever stamps I could. But once I got selected as an IFS officer, I had to give up the hobby as there was no time to pursue it. Now, after retirement I have all the time I need,” he said.

The theme he has chosen is orchids.

“Orchids are only found in the Western Ghats region and in the northeastern regions of the country. I am fascinated by them. It is no secret that we are losing forest cover. I wanted my stamp collection to represent this,” said Mr. Rao, who within a few months of starting his collection won a bronze medal at the IMPEX-2017 contest held by the Philatelic Society of India.

Silver medal

In May this year, he was awarded a silver medal at the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show in Denver, United States, for his exhibition on ‘Orchid distribution, its habitat destruction and conservation’.

At the exhibition, he displayed orchid stamps from 65 countries. “The first orchid stamp was released in 1909 by countries in the Caribbean Islands. Now I am collecting stamps representing national parks,” said Mr. Rao, who during his service was recognised for his efforts to save the Amur falcon.

He is now getting ready for his next international exhibition, in Macau in September.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu /Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter / June 09th, 2018