Issued by India

Issued on Oct 9, 2024

Issued for : To commemorate the UPU’s 150^th anniversary, the Department of Posts, Government of India is proud to release a special set of three postage stamps. These commemorative stamps celebrate the UPU’s rich history and its enduring impact on global communication. They serve as a tribute to the Union’s achievements and its ongoing efforts to connect people around the world. The stamps not only honor the UPU’s legacy but also reflect the significance of postal services in bridging distances and fostering understanding among nations. They symbolize the shared values cooperation, innovation, and inclusivity that underpin the UPU’s work.

Credits :
Miniature Sheet/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Shri Anuj Kumar

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 1500, 1500, 1500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 111350

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• The Universal Postal Union (UPU) was established on October 9, 1874, in Bern, Switzerland. This year marks the 150^th anniversary of the UPU, a milestone that not only highlights its enduring legacy but also underscores its pivotal role in shaping modern postal services. It was founded to create a single postal territory for the reciprocal exchange of mail among its member countries. The UPU was one of the first international organizations, and its establishment marked a significant step towards global cooperation in postal services.
• The creation of the UPU was driven by the need for standardized postal regulations and practices to facilitate international mail delivery. With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services. Before the UPU’s inception, sending mail across borders was fraught with challenges. Different countries had their postal systems, rates, and regulations, which made international correspondence cumbersome and expensive.
• The UPU’s structure consists of several key organs that ensure its efficient functioning and oversight, The Congress, The Council of Administration, The Postal Operations Council, The Consultative Committee, The International Bureau.
• The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is dedicated to promoting and coordinating international postal services, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring accessibility for all. Its mission is to guarantee that individuals everywhere can access high-quality postal services, irrespective of their geographical location.
• To achieve this, the UPU establishes regulations and standards that govern the exchange of international mail, thereby improving the speed and reliability of postal services. Additionally, the UPU encourages member countries to modernize their postal systems, making them more efficient, sustainable, and adaptable to the evolving global landscape.
• India, being one of the oldest members of the UPU and having the largest postal network in the world, has played an integral role in the Union’s activities and development. India’s participation in the UPU reflects its commitment to enhancing global postal services and supporting the growth of postal infrastructure in less developed regions. In recent years, India Post has been working on the lines of UPU to modernize postal services by promoting e-commerce and digital financial services, improving tracking and tracing systems for mail and packages, and enhancing the security and reliability of postal services through the use of advanced technologies. The Department of Posts, Government of India has been instrumental in sharing its expertise and resources to help other countries improve their postal systems. This collaborative approach aligns with the UPU’s mission to foster international cooperation and ensure that the benefits of an efficient postal network are accessible to all.
• Text : Referenced from content available on UPU website.

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Issued by India

Issued on Mar 1, 2023

Issued for : Department of Posts is honouring APS Corps by issuing Commemorative Postage Stamp on 75 Years of 1 Central Base Post Office & salutes its immense contribution to Armed Forces seamless mail communication.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure : Shri Brahm Prakash
Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 202000 each

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• The saga of 1 CBPO (56 APO) began in 1947 when troops were sent to maintain law & order at the east Punjab border and to help in refugee management, the need for an exclusive postal arrangement was felt by the Army. 56 APO came back from Iwakuni, Japan, in 1947 after WWII, it formed the nucleus of what later came to be known as 1 Central Base Post Office (CBPO) and started to function at New Delhi.
• 1 CBPO acts as the head post office and hub of postal and SDS mail for 259 FPOs/SDOs spread out in Northern, Western, South-Western, Central and Southern Commands. The unit also ensures base censorship. It also serves parliamentary forces acting under the operational control of Army deployed in the Northern and Western borders. It provides service to all the Air Commands except Eastern Air Command and all Naval Commands. It serves the Indian contingents in UN Peace Keeping Forces through five Foreign FPOs.
• On 24th Oct 1947, the APO started functioning as the base sorting office, with the designation of New Delhi 56 APO. All FPOs operating in Punjab and J & K were based on it for receipt and despatch of mails as well as maintenance of postal accounts. In early 1948, the prefix “New Delhi” was dropped and it became 56 Base Post Office. The coded address “C/O 56 APO” also came to be used as the security form of address for the troops deployed in sensitive areas and it worked as the nodal point for receipt and dispatch of mails.
• In May 1960, the 56 Base Post Office, was renamed as 1 Central Base Post Office when another Central Base Post Office was opened at Calcutta to provide base postal cover to the FPOs of Eastern Command. 1 CBPO shifted to its own Key Location Plan accommodation at Rao Tula Ram Marg in Feb 1977 in an area of forty-eight acres. Army HQ SDS Unit was merged with 1 CBPO on 01 Feb 1987. 1 Postal Tracing Section merged into 1 CBPO in Sep 1973. From 01 Jan 1989, this section has been renamed as Returned Letter Office (RLO). The Philatelic Bureau started functioning as part of the CBPO from 18 July 1970.
• The 1 CBPO took the responsibility of supplying Newspapers and periodicals to the troops serving in J & K through FPOs w.e.f. 01 Nov 1966 on a no profit no loss basis. From 01 Apr 1967, this facility was also extended to the troops of Eastern Command.
• To maintain the confidentiality of locations of Units, security form of address is used. Units and stations are identified with unique pincodes. In the pincode system of India Post, PIN block “9” is allocated for APS. The keystone of this system of operation is 56 APO / 1 CBPO.
• During the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic when restrictions were imposed throughout the country, regular flow of mail communication was maintained by 1 CBPO by implementing mail contingency plan after adhering to all precautionary measures. All endeavours have been made by 1 CBPO being hub of mail operation in Army by exploring all options while adhering to guidelines issued by formation Headquarters (Army) in connection with the pandemic.
• Consequent upon stoppage of air and rail services, the only mode left for transmission of mail was road network (only a few Cargo flights and Parcel trains were operating). Mail Contingency Plan activated by 1 CBPO for detailment of Army vehicles and couriers as an essential duty for exchange of mail bags with nodal Field Post Offices. The services of Blue Dart Cargo flights / Air India / Private Airlines flights, Mail Motor Service (MMS) and Road Transport Network (RTN) have been utilised under the aegis of Department of Posts as mode of conveyance for exchange of Army mail bags. In addition, Helicopter Services wherever available under the aegis of formation Headquarters and Indian Air Force aircraft (IL) have also been utilised for the purpose based upon flight availability in northern sector.
• During the journey of 75 glorious years of 1 CBPO, it has created many histories and Rajhans is flying with pride and will reach newer heights in the years to come. Hence, it is befitting to commemorate this rich history and devotional work by way of issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp.
• Text : Based on information received from the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Oct 12, 2022

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue Commemorative Postage Stamp on 50 Years of Pincode and appreciates its contribution to the economic development of the Nation.

Credits :
Stamps/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Mrs Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 201600

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• India Post, a network of 1.59 lakh post offices, spread across the length and breadth of India, is mandated to provide doorstep mail delivery to every Indian. Locating 25 crore households in an area of 32.87 lakh sq. km makes this task both challenging and exciting. It requires professional mail management and a scientific system to ensure timely deliver of mail.
• In the absence of Pincode, considerable time was being consumed in collecting, sorting, transporting and delivering of the postal articles. Reading an address was a time consuming process and the sorter had to memorize a very large number of sorting patterns to route the mail to the proper destination.
• The PIN (Postal Index Number) was introduced in India on August 15, 1972. It is a 6 digit code of Post Office numbering used by India Post. Each digit in the 6-digit number has a specific meaning. The first digit from left designates which is the overall geographical region, and the first 2 digits designate the postal circle or sub-region. The third digit designates the sorting district. Thus the first 3 digits collectively designate the postal district while the last 3 digits indicate the specific post office within the district. Entire country is divided into 9 PIN regions in the country.
  
• Each Pincode is mapped to one delivery post office which receives all the mail to be delivered to one or lower offices within its jurisdiction, all of which share the same code. The delivery office can either be a General Post Office (GPO), or a head office (HO), or a sub-office (SO) which are usually located in urban areas. The post from the delivery office is sorted and routed to other delivery offices for a different PIN or to one of the relevant sub-offices or branch offices for the same PIN.
• PIN Code ensures speedy and accurate processing of mail. While many of the small places may not be known to the officials who sort the mail, the Pincode helps in identifying immediately the correct routing for such mail and helps in ensuring a fast and reliable sorting and delivery. The Pincode has also simplified the sorting system for bulk mail users. In long distance transmission of mail, it cuts down the time of sorting by giving broad indications, firstly of the routing and thereafter of the details of the sorting.
• Pincode simplify the delivery of mail by finishing confusion over incorrect addresses, similar place names, and different languages used by the public. Use of Pincode on mail articles and parcels ensure timely delivery even in the remotest parts of the country.
• To make citizens aware about their Pincode, the department has created an online Pincode finder tool. Available on India Post website, this tool helps the users to locate the Pincode for a locality and vice versa. Users can search the Pincode of their area either by providing locality, State, and District Details or by entering Post Office Name.
• Department of Posts has computerised and mechanised the entire process of mail delivery in India. The department now uses more sophisticated ways of sorting out the mail through computers. Pincode is also essential for sorting of mail through automated machines.
• With the emergence of Digital Systems, the relevance and use of Pincode has extended to other government departments and private sector. MICR code being used by banks is based on the Pincode system. The cowin.gov.in platform developed for COVID vaccination has also adopted the mechanism of Pincode for booking of vaccination slots by the general public. Anyone can book the nearby vaccination centre by using the Pincode of the particular area.
• Pincode is a national asset contributing to economic development. It provides readymade national geographical classification system. Businesses can plan their internal systems of sales and distribution according to the Pincode geographical classification.
• Text : Department of Posts.

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Issued by Bangladesh

Issued on May 27, 2021

Issued for : To celebrate the occasion of ‘the Inauguration of Newly Constructed Dak Bhaban’, Bangladesh Post has issued 01 (One) Commemorative stamp of Tk. 10 (ten), 01 (one) First Day Cover of Tk. 10 (ten), a Data Card of Tk. 5 (five) and a Special Canceller.

Designer : Mr. Sanjiv Kanti Das

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

No. of Stamp : 01 (One) Piece

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination of Stamp : Tk. 10/- (Ten)

Size of Stamp : 32 mm x 48 mm

Perforation of Stamps : 12.5

Qnt of Stamps : 50,000 (Fifty Thousand) pcs

Process of Printing : Offset

Printer : The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Ltd., Gazipur-1703

About : 

• Postal Communication exists from the ancient age. The evidences of existence of earliest postal system in the subcontinent were found in the Vedic works of Atharvaveda record. The postal service of Bangladesh is an inseparable part of the subcontinent’s ancient Postal heritage. During the Great Liberation War of Bangladesh the Mujibnagar Government setup a Postal service with more than 50 field Post Offices in different front or border areas, fully or partially administered by the Mukti Bahini (Liberation force). Field Post Masters and Scouts were appointed for carrying mails. Mujibnagar Government released 08 definitive stamps, which were the first stamps of Bangladesh on 29 July 1971 simultaneously from the secretariat of Mujibnagar Government, Bangladesh diplomatic missions and the House of Commons in London.
• After the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state in 16 December 1971 the Directorate of Posts formally and officially started functioning from 20 December, 1971. It is a service oriented government organization under the Posts and Telecommunication Division, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication & Information Technology. It is responsible for running postal and postal related services within the country and also with other countries of the world. Though the Bangladesh Post is a quite old organization but it had no building of its own for its Head Quarters.
• A 14 (fourteen) storied building with 02 (two) basements with all modern facilities as the model of Post Box on 75 acres of land in the Sher-E-Bangla Nagar Area of Dhaka City has been constructed as the Head Quarters of the Directorate of Posts.
• Aims and objectives of the project:
  • To establish individual Head Quarters of the Directorate of Posts, to ensure efficient and skillful administrative activities free from any obstacles, to run the activities of the Head Quarters of the Directorate of Posts centrally through well equipped modern machineries and information technologies and to create a healthy and developed working environment.
• The opening of the newly built Dak Bhaban as the Head Quarters of the Directorate of Post left behind an unique legacy of being inaugurated in the year of the Golden Jubilee of Independence and in the Mujib Year (Mujib Borsho) by the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina whose beloved and very glorified great father, the Great Hero of Independence, the Great Architect of Independent and Sovereign Bangladesh and the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose dynamic, charismatic and magical leadership and statesmanship Bangladesh became a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) on 7^th February 1973. The newly built Dak Bhaban will remain standing as a remarkable and unprecedented visual manifestation of an epic testimony of eternal postal heritage.
• Narrator:
  Shafiee Billah Jabber
  Son of Martyred Intellectual Abdul Jabbar of Bangladesh Liberation War and
  Author of the Trust: Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial Trust, Bangladesh.
  Editor and Publisher: The Daily Asian Express and Fortnightly City of Joy.
  

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Issued by India

Issued on Jan 30, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on India Post Payments Bank.

Credits :
Stamp / FDC / Brochure / Cancellation Cachet : Sh. Sankha Samanta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 300000

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• Financial inclusion of 100% adult population is a national objective. It is critical for the socio-economic development of the country. There are significant gaps in this area and a large proportion of country’s population remain unbanked or underbanked. In order to effective leverage the ubiquitous post office network with its pan-India physical presence and long experience in cash handling and savings mobilization, the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) is being set up by the Department of Posts which will bridge the gap in financial inclusion.
• As mandated by the RBI, the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) would focus on providing basic financial services such as all kinds of payments; including social security payments, utility bill payments, person to person remittances (both domestic and cross-border), current and savings accounts upto a balance of Rs 1 lac, distribution of insurance, mutual funds, pension products and acting as business correspondent to other banks for credit products especially in rural areas and among the underserved segments of the society.
• Set up as a 100% government owned Public Limited Company under the Department of Posts, it will open around 650 branches in district HQ locations. All 1.55 lacs post offices including the 1.39 lac of the rural post offices will be the access points for IPPB. IPPB will usher in state of the art internet and mobile banking platforms, digital wallets and use innovative and emerging technologies to catalyse the shift from a cash dominant to a less cash economy.
• While many other banks and financial institutions are working on the same theme, the strength of IPPB lies in its ability to ease access and handhold the adoption of new age banking and payments instruments among citizen of all walks of life through the delivery postmen and Grameen Dak sevaks, saving agents and other franchisees who will take banking to door steps.
• IPPB thus aspires to be the most accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man with the motto – “No customer is too small, no transaction too insignificant, and no deposit too little”.
• Text : Based on the material available on internet.

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Issued by India

Issued on Oct 12, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts reaffirms its commitment to the teachings and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi by issuing a Souvenir Sheet. On the occasion of ‘Philately Day’, Department of Posts is paying tribute to the most prominent and influential leader of our country, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who has played a pivotal role in building a free and democratic India. His indelible contribution in India’s freedom struggle has inspired many generations and great leaders of humankind.

Design : The Souvenir sheet issued depicts Mahatma Gandhi with spinning wheel (Charkha) in the background as he propagated ‘Khadi’, a hand-woven cloth all through his life. The stamp on Souvenir sheet is a collage of two stamps issued by Department of Posts in 1948 and 1969. It also has in background a slightly modified version of a stamp issued on Mahatma Gandhi in 1969.

Credits :
Souvenir Sheet/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 2000 Paise

Souvenir Sheet : 0.41 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

About : 

• “Truth alone will endure, all the rest will be swept away before the tide of time. I must continue to bear testimony to truth even if I am forsaken by all. Mine may today be a voice in the wilderness, but it will be heard when all other voices are silenced, if it is the voice of Truth”.
• Mahatma Gandhi dedicated his life to the wider purpose of discovering truth, or ‘Satya’. He tried to achieve this by learning from his own mistakes and conducting experiments on himself. He not only propagated the ideals of truth, non violence and ethical means but also lived his life following these ideals. Mahatma Gandhi’s greatness is unparalleled in history and is unlikely to be surpassed in the coming century.
• In the present era of globalization and technical revolution, the development of digitized communications system has affected every area of human life, in every part of the world. It has reshaped and transformed the ways in which people organize their lives, interact with each other and participate in the various spheres of society. In spite of the rapid growth of electronic communication services, the existence of physical communication infrastructure, as provided by postal services, remains an essential element in the exchange of information in both developed and developing countries. However, the customer is now more in control. Customers are now much more demanding and well informed about service standards. This control and power comes from their use of technology — new media, mobile, computers and new methods of interacting with each other.
• In such a scenario, where customer satisfaction is a key to survival for any organization, the words of Mahatma Gandhi regarding the importance of the customers hold great significance. He said, “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.”
• Text : Department of Posts.
  

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Issued by India

Issued on Sep 3, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts pledges its support to the cause of conserving India’s rich biodiversity by issuing these Commemorative Postage Stamps on Wild Flowers of India.

Credits :
Photographs and Text : Prakash Dubey(Padma Shri)
Miniature Sheet / Sheetlet / FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma
Technical Inputs : Director, CSIR–NBRI, Lucknow

Type : Miniature Sheets, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise each (12 stamps)

Sheetlet : 0.81 Million

No. of Miniature Sheet : 3

Miniature Sheet Printed : 0.81 Million each

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nasik

About : 

• India has a rich and varied heritage of plant diversity exhibiting a wide spectrum from tropical rain-forests to alpine vegetation and from temperate forests to the coastal wetlands. The Flora of India is one of the richest in the world due to its diverse climatic regimes and topology. There is virtually no area in India without a particular treasure or species of special beauty or interest.
• India Post is paying a tribute to the pristine beauty of twelve of its rare and beautiful wild flowers by issuing a sheetlet of stamps and three miniature sheets.
• Dibang Chirita :
  • Botanical name : Chirita dibangensis
  • Family : Gesneriaceae (Gloxinte family)
  • Dibang Chirita is a species named after Dibang valley in Arunachal Pradesh, where it is found. It is an erect herb. Flowers arise singly in leaf axis. They are bluish white outside with two yellow lines on the lower parts of the palate and in throat.
• Kashmir Mallow :
  • Botanical name : Lavatera cachemiriana
  • Family : Malvaceae (Mallow family)
  • Kashmir Mallow is a beautiful plant species, endemic to Kashmir in Western Himalayas. It is a bush of ivy shaped leaves. A single funnel shaped flower blooms from midsummer through fall in a clear pink shade. Flowers are borne singly. They are 4-8 cms across, obovate or oblong-obovate.
• Himalayan Mini Sunflower :
  • Botanical name : Cremanthodium ellisii
  • Family : Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
  • Himalayan Mini Sunflower is a perennial herb growing 25-35 cms tall with yellow, sunflower like flowers, 4-7 cms long having dark centres. Flowers are solitary, looking down, with dark disk florets and narrow elliptic yellow coloured ray florets approximately 2.5 cms long. It is found at an altitude of 3,500 – 4,800 metres, from Kashmir to South-East Tibet. Flowering season is from July to September.
• Himalayan Lantern :
  • Botanical name : Agapetes serpens
  • Family : Ericaceae (Rhododendron family)
  • Himalayan Lantern is a beautiful shrub, 40-60 cms tall with arching stems and tiny hanging lantern like flowers. The flowers are bright red, orange or pinkish white, with dark red zig zag bands. Himalayan Lantern is found at an altitude of 1,200 – 3000 metres in North-Eastern Himalayas, particularly in Darjeeling and Sikkim. Flowering season is from May to June.
• Roundleaf Asiabell :
  • Botanical name : Codonopsis rotundifolia
  • Family : Campanulaceae (Bellflower family)
  • Roundleaf Asiabell is a perennial vine, flowers are bell shaped, greenish white veined with purple short lobes, 2-3 x 1.5-2 cms in size. Sepals are elliptic to lanceolate, leaf like, hairy about 2 cms long, pointed to blunt. It is found at an altitude of 1800 – 3600 metres. Flowering season is from July to August.
• Blue Poppy :
  • Botanical name : Meconopsis aculeata
  • Family : Papaveraceae
  • Blue Himalayan Poppy is a rare beautiful herb. Flowers are usually 4-5 petalled measuring 5-11 cms across. The golden yellow stamens contrast well with the deep blue petals. It is found from Uttarakhand to Kashmir at an altitude of 3,000 – 4,500 metres.
• Globe Thistle :
  • Botanical name : Echinops niveus
  • Family : Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
  • Globe Thistle is a sharp spiny herb with a simple stem and dense head flower which is spherical, 6-8 cms across. It is found from Kashmir to Nepal at an altitude of 1,400-1,700 metres.
• Himalayan Iris :
  • Botanical name : Iris kemaonensis
  • Family : Iridaceae
  • Himalayan Iris is found in alpine pastures at elevations of 3000-4000 metres. It is a stunningly beautiful perennial rhizomatous herb with deep lilac to purple flowers, growing 45-50 cms tall. Flowering season is from April to June.
• Himalayan Bellflower :
  • Botanical name : Campanula latifolia L.
  • Family : Campanulaceae (Bellflower family)
  • Himalayan Bellflower is a beautiful perennial herb. It is found in the wild from Kashmir to Nepal. It is a plant having spikes of large, nodding, dark blue – purple, bell shaped flowers. Flowers are 4-5 cms long, borne in a spike at the top of stems. They are found at an altitude of 2,000-3,500 metres.
• Cobra Lily :
  • Botanical name : Arisaema wallachianum
  • Family : Araceae
  • The Cobra Lily derives its name from its hood-like incurved spathe, 7-21 cms long, longitudinally striped in purple or bronze colour. The plant is distributed from Himachal Pradesh to Sikkim at an altitude of 1800 to 4300 metres. Flowering season is from July to September.
• Bladder Campion :
  • Botanical name : Silene vulgaris
  • Family : Caryophyllaceae (Carnation family)
  • Bladder Campion is a perennial herb, with branched stems 30-100 cms tall. It is easily recognized by its few large drooping white to greenish flowers, with deeply lobed petals and its bladder like greenish sepal tube with a network of darker veins. Flowers are 1.5 – 2.5 cms across, usually in lax branched clusters. The sepal is 1.5 cms long, enlarging to 2 cms in fruit, with triangular lobes. Flowering season is from June to August.
• Rhododendron : 
  • Botanical name : Rhododendron arboreum
  • Family : Ericaceae
  • Rhododendron, pink coloured with a bellflower shape, is a native to the Himalayas from Eastern Nepal to Arunachal Pradesh in forests and on rocky hillsides. It grows at an altitude of 2700 – 3700 metres. This evergreen shrub has leaves upto 11 cms long which are white or fawn beneath. Flowering season is from March to June.

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Issued by India

Issued on Apr 12, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts is happy to celebrate the 100 glorious years of the post office buildings of Mumbai G.P.O. and Agra H.P.O.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise each

Stamps Printed : 0.51 Million each

Miniature Sheet : 0.21 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nasik

About : 

• India Post has featured some of its landmark post office buildings on postage stamps over the years. This year, India Post celebrates the 100 years of Mumbai G.P.O. and Agra H.P.O. buildings.
• Mumbai General Post Office :
  • The earliest records of the existence of Bombay (now Mumbai) General Post Office (G.P.O.) indicate that the post office was located in St. George Fort near Apollo Pier. The building was lost in a fire, following which the G.P.O. moved into another building built for it in 1869. In course of time, the said building became inadequate for the G.P.O. and plan to construct a new building outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Station, earlier known as Victoria Terminus Railway Station, was undertaken in 1902. Jhon Begg, Consulting Architect to the Government, designed the G.P.O. building. The construction of the building was completed in March, 1913 and the G.P.O. moved into it in April, 1913.
  • The Mumbai G.P.O. is built in Indo–Saracenic style with a solid exterior and well ventilated interiors built in local Kurla basalt with dressings of yellow stone from Malad and white stone from Dhrangadhara. The architecture reflects strong influences of Islamic architecture in its skyline dominated by domes and minarets. The monumental structure stretches to a length of 522 feet. The height of the dome is 119 feet. The facade is symmetrical along the central axis, with the centre punctuated by a front porch and capped by a dome. The dome fashioned after the Bijapur dome has a diameter of 65 feet. The building is listed as a Grade–l heritage building in the Heritage Regulation for Greater Bombay, 1995.
  • Mumbai G.P.O. has come a long way since its birth and has evolved into a modern fully computerized post office representing the changing face of India Post.
• Agra Head Post Office :
  • Agra Head Post Office was built in 1913. It is located on the Mall Road of the beautiful cantonment area of Agra.
  • Agra H.P.O. building, an important landmark of Agra has two beautiful porches on both sides and a 45 feet high dome in the middle of the building. The building also finds a place in the list of Postal Heritage buildings. Keeping with the times, this office is also fully computerized.
• Text : Rashi Sharma.

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Issued by India

Issued on Oct 12, 2012

Issued for : Department of Posts is happy to commemorate ‘Philately’, the king of hobbies by issuing a Souvenir Sheet.

Design : Department of Posts is issuing a Souvenir Sheet to commemorate philately, and mark the celebration of Philately Day by India Post. This souvenir sheet depicts the evolution of Indian postal system from ‘Dak Harkara’ to ‘Air Mail’ and show-cases two iconic postage stamps issued in pre and post-independence era. The first stamp ‘The Inverted Head Four Annas’ was issued in 1854. It was one of the world’s first multicolored stamps. The second stamp depicted in the Souvenir Sheet is one among the three stamps of Jai Hind series issued after independence. This stamp was issued in 1947 and depicts the national emblem of India.

Credits :
Souvenir Sheet/FDC/Cancellation – Alka Sharma

Type : Souvenir Sheet, Mint condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 2000 Paise

Souvenir Sheet : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

About : 

• Philately is termed as collection and study of postage stamps. It is an extremely popular hobby and has millions of collectors worldwide. The first postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued by Britain in 1840 picturing a young Queen Victoria. It was produced without perforations and consequently had to be cut from the sheet with scissors in order to be used. Postage stamp collecting began at the same time that stamps were first issued, and by 1860 thousands of collectors and stamp dealers were appearing around the world as this new study and hobby spread across Europe, European colonies, the United States and other parts of the world. At present, it is estimated that about 25 million people enjoy the hobby in the United States; while worldwide the estimated numbers of stamp collectors is around 200 million. There are numerous philatelic clubs and societies who are promoting philately as a hobby. Over the years, postage stamp has assumed additional dimensions. It is a mode of commemorating, celebrating and promoting national heritage and events; it plays a significant role as an ambassador, a brand image of postal administration and a statement of sovereignty of a nation.
  
• Postage stamps of India can be collected through 68 Philately Bureaux and 1111 Philatelic Counters across the country. Stamps can also be collected by opening a Philatelic Deposit Account in any of these Bureaux.
  
• Text : Rashi Sharma.

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Issued by India

Issued on Feb 12, 2011

Issued for : India Post celebrates 100 years of Airmail Service by issuing this set of four commemorative postage stamps.

Issued for : Now through the set of four stamps, First Day Cover and Minisheet on 100 Years of Airmail Service, the Department attempts to recreate the history of the first flight over the river Yamuna sharing the flight path along with the plane and the pilot. In the background is Allahabad Fort. On the First Day Cover, a collage of some stamps issued in the past has been shown.

Credits :
Stamp, FDC : Sankha Samanta(Based on material provided by Shri Pradip Jain)
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paisa each

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million each

Miniature Sheets : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nasik

About : 

• India Post had brought series of postage stamps to mark INDIPEX 2011 World Philatelic Exhibition to be held from 12^th February to 18^th February, 2011 at New Delhi. In this series the first set of six stamps was on Postal Heritage Buildings. The second set of four stamps was on the stamps issued by princely States and the third and final set is commemorating completion of 100 years of Airmail Service.
• History was created on February 18, 1911 when Henri Piquet took off in a Humber Biplane from the right bank of the Yamuna at Allahabad crossing over to the left bank and dropped a mail bag containing 6500 letters and Post Cards at the Naini Railway Station. India thus became the first country in the world to fly air mails.
• After this pioneer effort, India was also the first country to introduce air mail Post Card in 1931.
• The first Regular airmail service which was started in 1920, operated between Mumbai (Bombay) & Karachi.
• After independence, on January 30, 1949, Shri Rafi Ahmed Kidwai then Minister of Communications, introduced the “All-up Mail Scheme” under which all the First Class domestic mail was airlifted without any surcharge.
• India Post has been commemorating these historic events by issuing sets of postage stamps from time to time. Some of the important stamps issued in past are:
  1. First Airmail Post Golden Jubilee (set of 3 stamps) – 1961
  2. Air Mail (set of 4 stamps) – 1979
  3. 75^th Anniversary of 1^st Aerial Post (set of 2 stamps) – 1986
  4. 150 years of India Post – 2004
  5. India Post Freighter – 2009.
• Text : Based on the material available in the Archives.

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