National Postal Week Special: Post for People
National Postal Week Special:
-Bruhaspati Samal-
On the crisp morning of 9th October when the world observes World Post Day, humanity pauses to honour the invisible thread that binds us across distances — the post. From the hum of sorting machines to the rhythmic footsteps of postmen on village lanes, the post has always been more than a service — it is an emotion, a trust, and a shared legacy. India Post marks this moment through its National Postal Week, celebrated this year from 6th to 10th October, with each day dedicated to a vital dimension of postal life: Technology, Financial Inclusion, Philately, World Post, and Customer Service. Under the resonant global theme #”PostForPeople: Local Service. Global Reach”, India Post reaffirms its timeless mission — to connect every corner of the nation with care, reliability, and human warmth.
The transformation of India Post today is deeply anchored in technology. On Technology Day (6th October), the Department of Posts celebrates its leap into the digital era with the IT 2.0 – Advanced Postal Technology (APT) project, a Rs.5,800 crore initiative that has modernized postal operations across 1.7 lakh post offices. Hosted on the Government’s MeghRaj 2.0 cloud, APT brings real-time data integration, micro-service architecture, QR-code payments, and OTP-based delivery confirmations, ensuring faster and more transparent services. A revolutionary step, the new DIGIPIN (Digital Postal Index Number) is redefining postal accuracy through a 10-character alphanumeric geo-coded address developed with IIT Hyderabad and ISRO’s NRSC. This innovation assigns each address a digital identity, promising error-free delivery even in the remotest corners. With over 4.6 lakh employees trained and more than 1.9 lakh postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks armed with mobile and biometric devices, India Post has seamlessly blended human service with digital power. On a single test day, APT handled over 32 lakh bookings and 37 lakh deliveries, a testament to the Post’s readiness for a global, high-volume ecosystem.
If technology forms the backbone, financial inclusion remains the heart of the postal service. On Financial Inclusion Day (7th October), India Post celebrates a quiet revolution reaching the unbanked and underserved through the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB). With more than 12 crore customers, of whom 59 percent are women, IPPB embodies inclusive growth in action. Its network has delivered over one billion doorstep banking services and facilitated transactions worth Rs.13 lakh crore, ensuring that no village remains untouched by digital finance. The Post’s deposit base has approached Rs.20,000 crore, with revenues of over Rs.2,200 crore and profits exceeding Rs.130 crore, marking its financial viability alongside its social mission. In countless rural areas, the post office remains the only accessible banking touch-point, where the trusted postmaster doubles as banker, insurance agent, and pension distributor. As APT and UPI integration expand, rural India is now part of a larger digital economy — proof that the post has not merely survived the fintech wave but has steered it towards inclusivity.
Philately Day (8th October) celebrates the aesthetic and cultural soul of India Post. Stamps are tiny ambassadors of history and heritage, carrying India’s stories across borders. Through “My Stamp”, citizens can now personalize stamps with their own photographs, blending personal memory with national pride. India Post continues to release thematic stamps on events, heritage sites, and eminent personalities, while philatelic exhibitions inspire schoolchildren and collectors alike. What may seem like a fading hobby is in fact a living bridge — connecting generations, nurturing patriotism, and subtly promoting India’s image worldwide. Philately keeps alive the spirit of storytelling, reminding us that every letter is both local and universal — a message from one human being to another.
As the week reaches its heart on World Post Day (9th October), India Post stands tall among global networks as a symbol of trust and inclusiveness. With its #PostForPeople spirit, it not only connects homes but sustains livelihoods. The introduction of OTP-based delivery, revised tariffs, and real-time parcel tracking has given new energy to traditional services. The post office is now an essential logistics partner in India’s booming e-commerce market, empowering artisans, start-ups, and small traders to reach customers worldwide. Behind this modern machinery stand the silent warriors — the postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks — who travel miles each day through rain, heat, or flood, ensuring that every delivery, however small, reaches its destination. Their service is not driven by profit, but by pride and duty.
The final day, Customer Day (10th October), reflects the most human aspect of the postal system — the enduring relationship between citizens and their Post. Affordable services, accessible branches, and a growing digital interface have kept customer satisfaction high, especially in rural India. The online grievance redressal system, CRM complaint portal, and 24×7 toll-free number demonstrate how India Post listens and adapts to the needs of its users. Beyond technology, however, lies something more profound — trust. In a village, the postmaster may know every family by name; in a city, the postman may deliver medicines to the elderly or exam forms to anxious students. Such personal connection cannot be coded into any app or replaced by any algorithm. It is what keeps the post alive in an age of instant communication.
Each day of the National Postal Week thus tells a chapter of a larger story — of modernization without losing the human touch. Technology strengthens the roots; financial inclusion expands the branches; philately blossoms as cultural heritage; and customer care forms the fragrance of trust. Together, they prove that the postal system remains the truest embodiment of “local service, global reach.”
In the digital storm of automation and speed, India Post stands as a quiet, steady force that connects hearts, families, and generations. It is both the messenger of yesterday and the network of tomorrow. As the theme beautifully reminds us — #PostForPeople: Local Service. Global Reach. — the true measure of progress lies not just in technological efficiency but in the warmth of human connection. Let every World Post Day renew our gratitude and pride in those who make this possible — the men and women of India Post, the custodians of trust, who remind us that no distance is too far when hearts are linked by service.
(The writer is a Service Union Representative, former All India Organising General Secretary, National Federation of Postal Employees, P-III, CHQ, New Delhi and a Columnist. Mobile: 9437022669)
*****
0 Comments