2008 Indian Stamps : Centenary Of Tata Steel

Tata Steel, formerly known as TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited), is a steel company based in Mumbai, India. It is part of Tata Group of companies.

Its main plant is located in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, though with its recent acquisitions, the company has become a multinational with operations in various countries. The registered office of Tata Steel is in Mumbai. In the year 2000, the company was recognised as the world's lowest-cost producer of steel. The company was also recognised as the world's best steel producer by World Steel Dynamics in 2005. The company is listed on BSE and NSE; and employs about 82,700 (2007) people

Tata Steel was established by Indian Parsi businessman Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata in 1907 (he died in 1904, before the project was completed). Tata Steel introduced an 8-hour work day as early as in 1912 when only a 12-hour work day was the legal requirement in Britain. It introduced leave-with-pay in 1920, a practice that became legally binding upon employers in India only in 1945. Similarly, Tata Steel started a Provident Fund for its employees as early as in 1920, which became a law for all employers under the Provident Fund Act only in 1952. Tata Steel's furnaces have never been disrupted on account of a labour strike and this is an enviable record of sorts.

On October 20, 2006, Tata Steel announced that it had agreed to pick up a 100% stake in the Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus Group at 455 p. per share in an all cash deal, cumulatively valued at GBP 4.3 billion (USD 8.04 billion).

On November 19 2006, the Brazilian steel company CSN launched a counter offer for Corus at 475 pence per share, valuing it at $8.4 billion.

On December 11 2006, Tata preemptively upped the offer to 500 pence, which was within hours trumped by CSN's offer of 515 pence per share, valuing the deal at $ 9.6 Billion. The Corus board promptly recommended both the revised offers to its shareholders.

On January 31 2007 Tata Steel won their bid for Corus after offering 608p per share, valuing Corus at £6.7 bn ($11.3bn); as a result and pending acceptance and completion of the takeover, the joining of the two will create the fifth largest steel company in the world

2008 Indian Stamps : Jasmine Scented Stamps

Jasmine or Jessamine (Jasminum) (Yasmin in Arabic, Persian or Hebrew) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae), with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. The majority of species grow as climbers on other plants or on structures. The leaves can be either evergreen or deciduous, and are opposite in most species; leaf shape is simple, trifoliate or pinnate with up to nine leaflets.

Jasmine flowers are generally white, although some species have yellow flowers. Unlike most genera in the Oleaceae which have four corolla lobes ("petals"), jasmines often have five or six lobes. They are often strongly and sweetly scented. Flowering is in spring or summer in most species, but in a few species, notably J. nudiflorum, in winter on the bare branches of this deciduous species.

Jasmine is widely cultivated for their flowers, enjoyed in the garden, as house plants, and as cut flowers. The flowers are worn by women in their hair in southern and southeast Asia. Some claim that the daily consumption of Jasmine tea is effective in preventing certain cancers Many species also yield an absolute which is used in the production of perfumes and incense.

Jasmine tisane is consumed in China, where it is called Jasmine flower tea (茉莉花茶; pinyin: mò lì huā chá). Jasminum sambac flowers are also used to make tea, which often has a base of green tea, but sometimes an Oolong base is used. The delicate Jasmine flower opens only at night and is plucked in the morning when the tiny petals are tightly closed. They are then stored in a cool place until night. Between six and eight in the evening, as the temperature cools, the petals begin to open. Flowers and tea are "mated" in machines that control temperature and humidity. It takes four hours or so for the tea to absorb the fragrance and flavour of the Jasmine blossoms, and for the highest grades, this process may be repeated as many as seven times. Because the tea has absorbed moisture from the flowers, it must be refired to prevent spoilage. The spent flowers may or may not be removed from the final product, as the flowers are completely dry and contain no aroma. Giant fans are used to blow away and remove the petals from the denser tea leaves. If present, they simply add visual appeal and are no indication of the quality of the tea. Typically, Jasmine petals left in the tea are for export, whereas domestic Chinese tastes prefer the petals removed from the tea.

Jasminum sambac is also the National Flower of Indonesia, where it is known as "Melati", and of the Philippines, where it is known as "Sampaguita". In Indonesia (especially the island of Java), it is the most important flower in wedding ceremonies for ethnic Indonesians. Jasminum officinale is the national flower of Pakistan, where it is known as the "Chambeli" or "Yasmine". In Sanskrit it is called Mallika. Jasmine is cultivated at Pangala, in Karnataka, India, and exported to Middle East countries.

J. fluminense is an invasive species in Hawaii, where it is sometimes known by the inaccurate name "Brazilian Jasmine". J. dichotomum is also invasive in Florida.

Civil Services Stamp