National
By Our Special Correspondent
November 25, 2004, 11:53 IST
Press Information Bureau - Gov. Release
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=5087

COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMPS ON THE NINTH AGA KHAN AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE

The Department of Posts will bring out a set of two postage stamps to commemorate the Ninth Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The two stamps in the denomination of fifteen rupees each feature the Agra Fort. The 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture stamps depict three views from different angles of Khas Mahal (Private Palace) built entirely of marble by Shah Jahan in 1637. The stamps will be released at Agra by the Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology, Dr. Shakeel Ahmad on Sunday to coincide with the 2004 Award ceremonies scheduled to be held on 27th and 28th November, 2004.

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture has completed eight cycles of activity since its establishment in 1977 by the Aga Khan, the forty-ninth hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims to enhance the understanding and appreciation of Islamic culture as expressed through architecture. The Award seeks to identify and encourage building concepts as a conscious endeavour to sustain the inheritance of cultural pluralism. The Ninth Award cycle covers the period from 2002 to 2004 and the prize amounts totalling upto US$ 500,000 which is considered to be the largest and most prestigious award in the world in the field of architecture. The award wining project is selected by an independent Master Jury every three years.