In the early years of independent India, resource mobilisation was crucial for the planned development of the country. Improving the rate of savings was a major objective of our five-year plans. But this required persuasion through public outreach as our planners worked within a democratic setting. Given the limited reach of mass media, the postal system emerged as one of the preferred channels for government propaganda during this period. The postal system, through strategic messaging and accessible financial services, played a significant role in mobilising small savings from millions of citizens, contributing to the country’s socioeconomic development. 

However, standard accounts of planning in independent India often overlook the role of supporting institutions such as the Posts & Telegraphs.  This exhibition tells the story of how the humble post office played a crucial role in India’s economic transformation. This exhibition puts together archival material on the promotion of savings in Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu covering the period from late 1940s to early 2000s.

Read more about the idea behind exhibition in this article: https://​front​line​.the​hin​du​.com/​e​c​o​n​o​m​y​/​t​h​e​-​u​n​s​u​n​g​-​h​e​r​o​-​o​f​-​i​n​d​i​a​s​-​e​c​o​n​o​m​i​c​-​r​i​s​e​-​m​i​g​h​t​-​s​u​r​p​r​i​s​e​-​y​o​u​-​p​o​s​t​-​o​f​f​i​c​e​/​a​r​t​i​c​l​e​6​7​8​7​7​8​6​8​.ece/