Indian Post: A New Role?

The history of the Post Office is deeply intertwined with human civilization.

- By Saptarshi Roy Bardhan

References to organized messenger systems appear as early as the Atharvaveda, while the oldest known letter, inscribed on clay tablets, dates back to 2095 BCE. Egypt had a postal system as early as 2000 BCE.

In India, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of Delhi (1206–1210), established a messenger network, later expanded into a 'horse and foot runner' service by Alauddin Khilji in 1296. Sher Shah Suri revolutionized the system in 1541 by introducing the horse-dak service and building the 4,800 km Grand Trunk Road from Bengal to Peshawar with 1,700 relay posts for mail delivery. Emperor Akbar further developed this infrastructure by employing postal runners and setting up relay stations in 1556.