At about 6.30 a.m. on Sunday morning, a hot air balloon took off from Sakthi Mills ground at Pollachi and at about 8 a.m. it landed at Kovipalayam, travelling 10 to 15 km. Travelling in the balloon were three people – the pilot, a staff of the Department of Posts and a philatelist and with them was a special cover - “Hot Air Balloon Carried Cover”.
The Department organised the event jointly with Global Media Box Innovations, to coincide with the second edition of the hot air balloon festival to be held in Pollachi this month. The Kovilpalayam post office delivered the carried mail.
Later in the day, Postmaster General of Western Region Manju P. Pillai released the special cover at a function at Pollachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and it was received by B.K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore Kendra.
There was an exhibition of stamps and philately products and a My Stamp counter too at the venue.
Ms. Pillai told The Hindu that only about 1000 covers were printed and the response had been encouraging. Philatelists from different parts of the country were enquiring about the cover.
“In the coming years, we plan to organise a philately-related event during the balloon festival at Pollachi,” she said.
The covers will be on sale in Coimbatore from Monday. The event was organised to improve awareness on philately, especially among students, she said.