2016-02-18 Thu

Did you know that the world’s first official airmail flight flew in India?

On 18 February 1911, the first official Airmail flight in the world arrived in Naini (a satellite city of Allahabad) from Allahabad.

Henri Piquet, a 23-year-old Frenchman pilot, carried 6,500 letters a distance of 13 km from Allahabad to Naini during the Kumbh. All the letters were marked "First Aerial Post, U.P. Exhibition Allahabad 1911." One letter amongst the many was written by Motilal Nehru to his son Jawaharlal and some were addressed to England's King George V.

This was also the first commercial civil aviation flight in India.

Indian Post in 2011 released a special souvenir miniature sheet to commemorate 100 years of Airmail services in India. France too had issued a 2 Franc stamp in 2011 recognising the feat of Henry Piquet.

Mumbai mint has issued Commemorative Proof and Uncirculated two-coin sets to commemorate the centenary of Civil Aviation in India. Reverse of the two coin set showing an aircraft landing/taking off on/from an Air-Strip with the numeral “100” with the words “Years” in the centre, flanked by the words “Bhartiya Naagar Vimanan Shatabdi Varsh” and “Civil Aviation India”. The centenary years “1911-2011” is engraved at the bottom.

The Reserve Bank of India in December 2011 has also issued a five rupee coin for general circulation to celebrate 100 years of Civil Aviation in India (Centenary Year).