Karnapex - 2015, First Zonal Level Philatelic Exhibition at Bengaluru - 16th - 19th January 2015.

Karnapex-2015, First Zonal Level Philatelic Exhibition organised by Karnataka Postal Circle with the active support of Karnataka Philatelic Society was inaugurated on 16th January 2015 at Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Kasturba Road, Bengaluru by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaiah and Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, Ex-Chairman, ISRO was the Guest of Honour of function. The day was celebrated as Vigyan Diwas. Exhibits in over 600 frames are on display. The exhibition will continue till 19th January 2015.

On the first day 12 Special Covers on Renaming of the 12 districts of Karnataka [viz. Bengaluru (Bangalore), Belagavi (Belgaum), Ballari (Bellary), Viajyapura (Bijapur), Chikkamagaluru (Chikmanglur), Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Hosapete (Hospet), Hubballi (Hubli), Mangaluru (Mangalore), Mysuru (Mysore), Shivamogga (Shimoga), Tumakuru (Tumkur)]. All 12 cities names were changed with effect from 1st November 2014 vide special gazette notification issued on eve of the 59th Karnataka Rajyotsava.

A Special Cover on Mars Orbiter Mission, India's First Mission to Mars was also issued on the occasion. Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, handed over the cover to the Chief Minister. (Special Cover approval no. KTK/03/2015)

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan is a spacecraft orbiting Mars since 24th September 2014. It was launched on 5th November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation. It is India's first interplanetary mission and ISRO has become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency. It is also the first nation to reach Mars orbit on its first attempt, and the first Asian nation to do so. The primary objective of the Mars Orbiter Mission is to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission, comprising various tasks and the secondary objective is to explore Mars' surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere using indigenous scientific instruments.