Kerala designer Muhammed Bilal has achieved a major milestone as six of his visual designs were selected for the Emirates Post official commemorative stamp collection honoring the 23rd Sharjah Heritage Days. Here are the key details of this achievement: Muhammed Bilal is a 28-year-old Indian designer from Kozhikode, Kerala. Six of his visual designs were chosen for the Emirates Post official commemorative stamp collection. The collection honors the 23rd Sharjah Heritage Days and is themed The Radiance of Authenticity.
Bilal serves as a senior designer at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and has been associated with the institution for approximately nine years. According to a Gulf News report from September 9, 2026, Bilal created eight visual concepts for the 2026 festival, six of which were chosen for the joint issue between Emirates Post and the Sharjah Institute for Heritage. He began his design career in Kerala before moving to the UAE in 2017. His work at the institute allowed him to learn the Arabic language and deepen his understanding of Emirati heritage. His father, Hameed KT, is also associated with the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.
The collection features six distinct visual themes: The Cannon of Joy, The Spirit of Authenticity, The Joy of Return, The Light of the Path, The Blessing of the Home, and Steps for the Future. Bilal integrated his own photographs with those captured by the institute’s photographers to create the final visual language for the stamps. As noted in an official media release from the Sharjah Institute for Heritage on February 8, 2026, this marked the first time in the festival’s two-decade history that a commemorative postal issue was released. During the opening ceremony, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, signed the commemorative issue. The 23rd Sharjah Heritage Days took place from February 4 to 15, 2026, in the Heart of Sharjah district, featuring participation from 27 countries, over 265 artisans, and various cultural groups. Beyond this project, Bilal has contributed to major UAE initiatives, including visual work for Expo 2020 Dubai, public installations, and the marine route map connecting Al Ghubaiba to the Heart of Sharjah. His designs are now part of the UAE’s official postal archives and are listed on the Emirates Post official online shop.
