The postal service in India was started by Warren Hastings, the Governor General of British India, in March 1774. It was initially established under the name “Company Mail” and was primarily used for the commercial interests of the East India Company.
However, in 1854, Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor-General of India, introduced a series of postal reforms, including uniform postage rates and a universal service obligation, as well as opening the postal service to the public. He also passed the India Post Office Act 1854, which significantly improved upon the 1837 Post Office Act and created the position of Director General of Post for the whole country.
The first adhesive postage stamps in Asia were issued in the Indian district of Scinde in July 1852 by Bartle Frere, chief commissioner of the region. These stamps, known as “Scinde Dawks”, were in use until June 1866. The first all-India stamps were issued on 1 October 1854.
After independence in 1947, the postal service was nationalized and became a department of the Government of India. Today, India Post is the world’s largest postal network, with over 155,000 post offices and 550,000 postal employees. It provides a wide range of services, including mail delivery, financial services, and e-commerce solutions. It is also an important part of the Indian government’s digital literacy initiative, providing access to internet and digital services to people in rural and remote areas.
So, while Warren Hastings started the postal service in India, it was Lord Dalhousie who reformed it and made it more accessible to the general public.
Ujumbe wa kwanza wa posta nchini India ulianza mnamo Machi 1774 na Gavana Mkuu wa Uingereza, Warren Hastings. Ilikuwa awali ilianzishwa chini ya jina <unk>Company Mail<unk> na ilikuwa hasa kutumika kwa ajili ya maslahi ya kibiashara ya Kampuni ya India Mashariki. Hata hivyo, mwaka wa 1854, Lord Dalhousie, aliyekuwa Gavana Mkuu wa India wakati huo, alianzisha mfululizo wa marekebisho ya posta, ikiwa ni pamoja na viwango vya posta sawa na wajibu wa huduma ya ulimwengu, pamoja na kufungua huduma ya posta kwa umma. Sheria ya Ofisi ya Posta ya India ya 1854 ilibadilisha sheria ya Ofisi ya Posta ya 1837 na kuunda nafasi ya Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Posta kwa nchi nzima. Stampu za kwanza za posta za Asia zilitolewa katika wilaya ya Scindia mnamo Julai 1852 na Bartle Frere, kamishna mkuu wa mkoa huo. Stempu hizi, zinazojulikana kama <unk>Scinde Dawks<unk>, zilitumiwa hadi Juni 1866. Stampu za kwanza za India zilitolewa mnamo Oktoba 1, 1854. Baada ya uhuru wa India mwaka 1947, huduma ya posta ilipewa taifa na ikawa idara ya Serikali ya India. India Post ni mtandao mkubwa zaidi wa posta duniani, na ofisi zaidi ya 155,000 za posta na wafanyikazi 550,000 wa posta. Inatoa huduma mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na utoaji wa barua, huduma za kifedha, na ufumbuzi wa biashara ya mtandaoni. Pia ni sehemu muhimu ya mpango wa serikali ya India wa ujuzi wa dijiti, kutoa upatikanaji wa mtandao na huduma za dijiti kwa watu katika maeneo ya vijijini na ya mbali. Baada ya Warren Hastings kuanzisha huduma ya posta nchini India, Lord Dalhousie alibadilisha huduma hiyo na kuifanya iwe rahisi kwa watu wote.