India Post, on India’s 73rd Republic Day, showcased its service to the nation, with a focus on women empowerment, through its uniquely designed thematic tableau.
It is after 17 years that the organisation was able to participate in the parade and the tableau had a strong Mumbai element.
It had participated in 2005 on completing 150 years of Department of Posts.
The theme of women empowerment was picked up because nearly 50% of the account holders of India Post Payments Bank and Post Office Savings Bank are women. The tableau was conceptualised and designed under the guidance of the Secretary of Posts Vineet Pandey, by Postmaster General, Mumbai Region, Swati Pandey. “Ms. Pandey had worked on the creative nitty-gritty of the tableau and had been associated with it since day one,” a postal department official said. The image of the model postwoman standing in the front of the tableau is that of Namrata Khote who works in Mumbai GPO. “She symbolises the power of youth and women empowerment by breaking the stereotypes,” the official added.
Besides this, the anthem of India Post ‘Aaya aapka daakiya’ has been sung by Mumbai-based rock singer Tirthankar Poddar aka ToBlue and composed by Orchida Mukherjee, an India Post, Mumbai Region official, adding to the strong Mumbai element to the display.
In the front of the two parts tableau is a young post woman with a digital device in one hand and a postman’s bag in the other, thus conveying the message of blending of technology with tradition.
By her side is the red-letter box which reflects people’s faith in India Post, over the 167 years.
The image of the post woman is juxtaposed with that of the ‘harkara’ — the Dak messenger or runner of yesteryears — on high relief projecting the transition of India Post over the decades. Also displayed are India Post Services like speed post, e-commerce and ATM cards which are used by millions of customers.
The Floating Post Office of Srinagar in the Dal Lake was also featured with emphasis on the ‘Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana’.
The iconic Kolkata GPO, the witness to the journey of India Post was also part of the display and also are the foot soldiers, the real-life postmen/post women from different parts of India. They stand symbolic to the transition of India Post from the ‘harkaras’ to the postmen on bicycles and now on e-bikes, according to a government press release.
