Indian postal service also known as Indian post office is a most widely distributed postal system in the world (second is china). Indian postal service is run by Indian government. It is a part of Ministry of communication.
o The first post office in India was established by British East India company in Bombay in 1764.
o Postage stamps were first used in India in 1852 at district of scinde (also known as scinde dawk). On 1st October 1854, the first all India stamp was issued. Post independence, India's first postal stamp was issued on 21 November 1947. Independent India's first postal stamp depicted the picture of national flag of India. Mahatma Gandhi was the first person whose picture was depicted on free India's stamp (1948).
o India is divided into 23 postal circles. Each circle is divided into regions. Regions are also further divided into divisions and subdivisions. Beside 23 circles, there is also a base circle. Which provides postal services to Indian armed forces. Each circle is headed by chief postmaster general and region is headed by postmaster general.
o Pincode system was introduced in India on 15 August 1972 by Shriram Bhikaji Velankar. In 1880 money order service was first started.
o Indian pincode is six digits long. The first digit represents the region, second digit represents the subregion, the third digit identifies the district of the region and last three digits are assigned to the post offices.
o On 18 February 1911, world's first official airmail flight was started. World's highest post office is located in Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh, India ( height is 4,700 m).
o Due to the increase of digital services, Indian Post had terminated two important services - Telegram (in 2013) and Money order (in 2015).
o In 2008, Project Arrow was launched to reform the Indian Postal Services to make it more people friendly and digital.
o Beside postal services, Indian post offices also offers different financial services too.
QUICK INFORMATION ABOUT POSTAL SERVICES
| First Post Office of India | Bombay in 1774 |
| Founder of Postal in India | Governor General Lord Dalhousie |
| First postage stamp of India | Sinde Dawk in 1852 |
| First airmail | From Allahabad to Naini in 1911 |
| First Post office outside India | Dakshin Gangotri, Antarctica in 1983 |
| Postal staff collage | Ghaziabad |
| Postal Day | 10th October |
IMPORTANT YEARS OF INDIAN POSTAL SERVICES
| Year | Event |
| 1774 | First post office of India was established in Bombay |
| 1852 | First postal stamp was introduced |
| 1863 | First Railway mail service was started |
| 1879 | First Post Card was introduced |
| 1880 | Money Order service was started |
| 1911 | Airmail service was started |
| 1972 | Pin code was adapted |
| 1986 | Speed Post service was started |
| 2004 | E post service was started |
| 2008 | Electronic Money order and Instant Money Order services were started |
