2016-10-01 Sat

On 1st October 1954, India completed 100 Years of the issue of its First Postage Stamp. On this occasion India post issued a set of 4 stamps featuring different modes of transportation of mails.

India has the unique honour of being the first country in Asia to issue postage stamps. The first stamps valid for postage throughout India were placed on sale in October 1854. India takes pride in having the strongest and the largest postal network in the world.

Even before the actual establishment of post offices, India had one of the most powerful and efficient postal systems in the world. Right from the “Pigeon Post” to “Airmail”, Indian Postal system has travelled a long way.

This journey has been depicted on these stamps issued the historic occasion of the Centenary of India Postage Stamps on 1st October 1954. The Department issued four commemorative stamps, in denominations of 1 anna, 2 annas, 4 annas and 14 annas depicting the different modes of carrying mails during these 100 Years.

The 1 anna stamp depicts the primitive modes of mail transport i.e. “a dawk runner” as well as the mail transport by camel and bullock cart. On the other hand, the 4 anna stamp shows the “modern” ways of transportation which include a postman on cycle and mail delievary by railway, ships and aircrafts.

The two anna and four anna stamps issued featuring the same theme but they come in different colours. With a pigeon and an airplane depicted, the stamps show 100s of years of journey of Indian postal service.

These stamps are reproductions using original colours of all postage stamps issued during the last 100 Years.