M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI AVID DESIGNER OF POSTAL STAMPS;
MANY USED, MANY UNUSED, AND MANY LYING IN COLLECTIONS.

In 1946 before the birth of Pakistan, the fame of M.A. Rahman Chughtai had spread in the Muslim world and leaders. When Quaid e Azam came to Lahore, the Doctor who had invited the father of the nation, at a reception introduced the artist to Quaid e Azam himself. Liaquat Ali Khan was well familiar with him and was responsible for initiating a financial grant to the artist after that time. Designs were requested from the artist, including design of the Pakistani flag. That for later. Here we talk of the Postal stamps requested designs from the artist. A number of designs were made and given to the Government of Pakistan. Only one was used in the first anniversary on 15^th August 1948. It became the first actual Postal Stamp of Pakistan and was judged as one of the four prettiest stamps of the world. With it came the first printed envelope as well as the first printed Post Card of the Governmental Post Office.

Later on various other stamps were designed and printed. Many of them could not be printed for the Government had no money to print same. Some of them were auctioned in London by the Stamp Printer Gibbons? and are now lying in Dubai with a collector. He was asking Twenty thousand pounds for one of them, and not in our position to buy them. In any case we too have some unused designs with us. Wait for that in our next blog. We print a small page where Chughtai Sahib used to start the concept of designs and used to perfect the drawing, with ink later.

M.A. Rahman Chughtai was a designer of many things. His passion  surrounded whatever he touched and witnessed in life. We will try to record some of his designs on various levels. Till then enjoy the printed stamps!