A Miniature Sheet consisting of 4 nos. of commemorative postage stamp on the 31^st Summer Olympic Games Rio 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil :

Issued by India

Issued on Aug 5, 2016

Issued for : Department of Posts is proud to be a part of this celebration of sporting excellence and commemorates the XXXI^st Rio Olympic Games-2016 by issuing a set of four Commemorative Postage Stamps.

Credits :
Stamp / Miniature Sheet / Sheetlet / FDC : Sh. Brahm Prakash
Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500, 500, 2500 & 2500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.5 million each

Miniature Sheets Printed : 0.1 million

Sheetlets Printed : 25,000 each (6 Types)

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• The 2016 Summer Olympics officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, and commonly known as Rio 2016, is a major international multi-sport event in the tradition of the Olympic Games due to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The 2016 Summer Olympic program features 28 sports and a total of 41 disciplines and 306 events which means 306 sets of medals. These sporting events will take place at 33 venues in the host city and at 5 venues in the cities of São Paulo (Brazil‘s largest city), Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Brasilia (Brazil‘s capital), and Manaus. More than 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), including first time entrants Kosovo and South Sudan, are scheduled to take part. India is participating in total 15 sporting events and a contingent of around 120 athletes of various sports is expected to participate in XXXI^st Olympic Games Rio.
  
• The host city of Rio de Janeiro was announced at the 121^st International Olympic Committee Session held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 2 October 2009. Rio will become the first South American city to host the Summer Olympics. The logo of the 2016 Summer Olympics represents three figures, in the yellow, green, and blue of the Brazilian flag, joined at the arms and in a triple embrace, with the overall shape reflecting that of Sugarloaf Mountain. The logo was based on four concepts: contagious energy, harmonious diversity, exuberant nature, and Olympic spirit. The Olympic mascot Vinicius, named after Brazilian musician Vinicius de Moraes, carries designs traits of mammals and represents Brazilian wildlife. His design takes inspiration from pop culture, as well as video game and animation characters.
  
• The Olympic flame was lit at the temple of Hera in Olympia on 21^st April 2016, the traditional start of the Greek phase of the torch relay. On 27^th April, 2016 the flame was handed over to the Brazilian organizers at a ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. The opening ceremony will take place in the Maracana Stadium on 5^th August 2016. The closing ceremony will also take place at the Maracana Stadium on 21^st August 2016.
  
• Department of Posts is issuing a set of four Commemorative stamps to mark this prestigious event. The stamps are a stylized portrayal of sportsmen engaged in Badminton, Shooting, Wrestling and Boxing where India got medals in the past edition of Olympics.
  
• Badminton – Badminton had made its first appearance in 1972 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport. Two decades later, Badminton had its debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics and has been contested in 6 Olympiads. It is governed by the Badminton World Federation. In XXXI^st Olympic Games-Rio, a total of 172 athletes are expected to compete in five events: men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. The sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength, speed, and precision. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements. India won a bronze medal in Badminton in London Olympic Games 2012.
  
• Shooting – Shooting had its debut at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The International Shooting Sport Federation administers Olympic and non-Olympic shooting competitions. Shooting technique differs depending on factors like the type of firearm used, the distance from and nature of the target; the required precision; and the available time. Breathing and position play an important role when handling a handgun or a rifle. A maximum of 390 athletes will be able to compete in the fifteen events across these Games. India won Silver and a bronze medal in Shooting in London Olympic Games 2012.
  
• Wrestling – Wrestling is a combat sport involving grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling has been contested at every modern Summer Olympic Games, except Paris Olympic Games held in 1900. It has been split into two disciplines, freestyle and Greco-Roman, which are further divided into different weight categories. Men compete in both disciplines whereas women only participate in the freestyle events, with 18 gold medals awarded. India won Silver and a bronze medal in Wrestling in London Olympic Games 2012.
  
• Boxing – Boxing is a martial art and combat sport in which two people wearing protective gloves throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring. Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the program at the 1904 Summer Olympics, except for the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. Till 2008 Summer Olympics Boxing was the male event only. However, since the 2012 Summer Olympics, women’s boxing is part of the program. India won a bronze medal in Boxing in London Olympic Games 2012.
  
• The Olympic motto is the Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. The three values the Olympic Games promote are excellence, friendship and respect. They constitute the foundation on which the Olympic Movement builds its activities to promote sport, culture and education with a view to building a better world.
  
• Text : Based on the material available on the internet.

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