2024-04-08 17:18:05
New Delhi: India Post, as part of its historic effort, has opened its third post office in Antarctica, the icy continent near the South Pole. India runs research missions in this snowy, desolate area where 50-100 scientists work on month-long missions. The name of India’s research station in Antarctica is ‘Bharti Station’. It was started through a web link by Chief Postmaster General of Maharashtra Circle K. Of. Sharma did it. Of. Of. Sharma said that India had opened its first post office in South Gangotri station in Antarctica. And the second post office was opened in Friendship Station in 1990 and now on April 5, the third post office has been opened in Antarctica. It is also interesting why April 5 has been chosen to open the third post office in Antarctica. Actually, April 5 was the 24th foundation day of the National Center for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR). The new post office opened in Antarctica has been experimentally given pincode MH- 1718, which is as per the rules for opening new branches.
When there is social media then why letters?
Group Director of Antarctica Operations Shailendra Saini said that this is symbolic but still this effort is a milestone. Our scientists have social media but they remain connected to their families through this slow speed medium. This is a time when people have stopped writing letters, in such a time people are getting letters with stamps of Antarctica. We will collect all the letters once a year and then send them to our headquarters in Goa. From here the letters will be sent to the families of the scientists.
After all, whose is Antarctica?
Former NCPOR scientist M. Sudhakar told why post office is important in Antarctica? He said Antarctica is governed by the ‘Atlantic Treaty’, which excludes territorial claims by any country and bans military activity or nuclear testing. This underlines that the continent can be used only for scientific research. Generally an Indian Post Office can be located only within the jurisdiction of Indian soil. Antarctica offers a unique opportunity to open an Indian Post Office on a land that is foreign and not ours. It therefore serves a strategic purpose in terms of asserting presence on the continent.