Come tomorrow, the Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) of West Bengal, Neeraj Kumar, will unveil the logo for the commemoration of the historic 250 years of the iconic General Post Office (GPO) in Yogayog Bhawan in Kolkata. GPO Kolkata is completing 250 years in March 2024, and the iconic General Post Office is poised to celebrate a remarkable milestone in its glorious legacy of 250 years.

The GPO Kolkata is one of the oldest and most iconic heritage buildings of the Department of Posts, as well as in the city of joy and in Asia. The unveiling of the logo signifies the commencement of a weeklong celebration, which will run from 14-19 March 2024, through a number of events like philatelic and postal exhibitions on the GPO campus and also in moving trains, carriage covers from Howrah to Dakshineswar and Fairlie Place across the river Ganga, the release of special covers and picture postcards, painting, photography, and sculpture design contests, heritage walks and cultural programmes, etc.

Advertisement

These significant events will showcase the rich heritage and invaluable contributions that Kolkata GPO has rendered to the community over two and a half centuries and the far-reaching changes witnessed by this grand monument, says Tushar Chowdhury, Additional Director of Postal Service (ADPS) of Philately and Building of West Bengal Postal Circle. The ceremony will be a memorable occasion and will be graced by esteemed dignitaries, the postal department’s top officials, philatelists, and members of the public. On 31 March 1774, the GPO at Calcutta was established by the then Governor General of Bengal, Lord Warren Hastings, at Fort William.

The old GPO Building was relocated numerous times to various locations during the years 1774–1868 until the construction of the present GPO Building, which was opened to the public on 2 October 1868. At a programme in Yogayog Bhawan in Kolkata tomorrow, the logo of 250 years of the GPO will be unveiled by the CPMG of West Bengal, Neeraj Kumar, in the presence of the CPMG of Kolkata, Sanjeev Ranjan, Postmaster General Sashi Shalini Kujur, and PMG, Supriyo Ghosh.

In his book, A Jingle of Bells: A Short History of the General Post Office Kolkata, writer Basudeb Chattopadhyay says, “The large illuminated clock on the eastern façade of the building was purchased in 1896 at Rs 7,000 from the manufacturer of the famous Big Ben of London. The completion of its construction marks a watershed in the postal history of Bengal. Instantly recognised as an architectural landmark.

In 2000–2002, the authority undertook restorative repairs to the heritage building. The Postal Museum and Philatelic Library set up by the GPO offers a glimpse into the past that has mingled almost imperceptibly with the present.”