India’s two research bases on Antarctica, Maitri and Bharati, are part of the Goa postal division.
Pin Code Mh-1718: India set up its first post office in Antarctica’s Dakshi Gangotri in the year 1984. Within a year more than 10,000 letters and mail had been posted and ‘cancelled’ at the post office. however, in 1988-89, Dakshin Gangotri submerged in ice and was subsequently decommissioned. Another branch was set up at Maitri research station in Antarctica on January 26, 1990. Since then philatelists, collectors and hobbyists send letters and postcards in blank envelopes to the Maitri post office for ‘cancellation’ and this practice continued for over 35 years. Notably, stamp impression, “Maitri North Goa,” from the Antarctic research base, has become a renowned “collector’s item.”
Nearly 40 years later, the Department of Posts is opening the second branch of the post office and giving the letters a new pin code MH-1718. Officials noted that the code currently allocated is “experimental,” as is customary when a new branch commences operations.
Now India has two bases in Antarctica, Maitri and Bharati, and fall under the jurisdiction of the Goa postal division.
“In practice, the letters meant for the post office in Antarctica are sent to the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), the nodal agency for India’s polar expeditions, in Goa. When a scientific expedition to the continent leaves from the NCPOR, a researcher is usually tasked with carrying the consignment of letters. At the research base, the letters are ‘cancelled’, brought back, and returned via post,” said an official from the Department of Posts.
The authorities have clarified that the term ‘cancellation’ pertains to the mark placed on a stamp or postal stationery to render it useless for reuse. Usually, letters marked as ‘cancelled’ denote the location and date of the originating post office. These markings hold high value for enthusiasts, giving critical insights about the worth of the stamps.
M Sudhakar, an ex-scientist at NCPOR, further shed light on the unique role that the post office plays, especially recognising Antarctic’s governance under the Antarctic Treaty. This treaty neutralizes any territorial claims by nations, bans military operations and nuclear tests, and strongly advocates for the continent’s use exclusively for scientific discovery.
“Typically, an Indian post office can only be in the jurisdiction of Indian land. Antarctica gives a unique opportunity to have an Indian post office in a land which is foreign and does not belong to us. So, it serves a strategic purpose in terms of asserting presence on the continent,” he said.
On the occasion, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra circle, K K Sharma requested scientists in Antarctica to continue to post letters to their loved ones.
“There is always a lot of excitement about these post offices (in remote locations). Nowadays with WhatsApp and Twitter, all this (technology) has taken over. But, nothing can beat the written word. Particularly, when you are sitting so far from your family. I would request that you please make use of this fantastic opportunity, and write letters to your loved ones… You can create memories and they will stay with you in physical form. All these e-formats get erased fast, but you can look at a letter years later and it will take you back to those memories,” said Sharma.
In India, it’s typically philately enthusiasts and stamp collectors who mostly send mail to Antarctic post office branches.
R P Patil, Director, Postal Services, Goa region, said, “Collectors of postage stamps see it as a rare opportunity to collect the ‘impression’ of a stamp from a remote post-office location. There is always a high demand from philatelists for cancellation of letters.”