On 10 September 2026, Odisha Postal Circle released a Special Cover with a special cancellation on the Nicholson Forest Training School, Champua, Kendujhar.
The release was held at Champua S.O. – 758041 and marked the long contribution of the institution to forestry education and conservation in Odisha.
A Historic Forestry Institution
Nicholson Forest Training School is Odisha’s first forest training institution.
It began as the Orissa State Forest School and was later renamed the Eastern State Forest School in 1939. In 1950, it was named after J. W. Nicholson, IFS, the first Conservator of Forests of Odisha.
The institution will complete its centenary in 2027.
The Philatelic Issue
The Special Cover features the school building and campus facilities.
A specially designed pictorial cancellation bearing the name of Nicholson Forest Training School was used at Champua on the day of release.
Issue Details:
Date: 10 September 2026
Place: Champua S.O., Kendujhar
PIN: 758041
Special Cover No.: OD/13/2026
Print Quantity: 3,000
The cover shown here was actually posted from Champua on the day of release.
The Speed Post booking details remain attached on the reverse, making it more interesting from a postal-history perspective.
Acknowledgement:
Special thanks to Mr. Ajit Kumar Raut, designer of the Special Cover, and Dr. Chandra Sekhar Basak for kindly sending me the travelled cover from Champua. Their gesture made this issue even more special for my collection.
Collector’s Note
This issue fits well into collections on Odisha, forestry, conservation, institutional history and environmental themes.
With the school approaching its 100th year, the 2026 Special Cover also serves as an important philatelic record of the institution just before its centenary.
