The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Postal Department's contributions hailed

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Wednesday, Apr 27, 2011
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Postal Department's contributions hailed

Special Correspondent

Book on history of State's postal system launched

INFORMATIVE:K. Ramachandirann (left), PMG (Mail & Marketing) and historian S. Muthiah

CHENNAI: A host of speakers on Monday lauded the Postal Department for having remained the backbone of the country's communication and played a central role in its socio-economic development.

The speakers narrated how postal staff had been important to people as they disseminated messages, which had provided both moments of happiness and sadness.

They were addressing a function here to mark the launch of Indian Postal History: Focus on Tamil Nadu, a publication authored by Post Master General (Mail and Marketing) K. Ramachandirann.

“Concise and detailed”

Receiving the first copy of the book, Shanthi Nair, Chief Postmaster General of the Tamil Nadu Circle, lauded the author and said no one had ventured into the history of the postal system of a State in such a concise and detailed manner as Dr. Ramachandirann had done.

S. Muthiah, veteran historian, said the book was noteworthy as it had published pictures of heritage buildings that were housing post offices. Though the General Post Office building had been restored to some extent, he wanted it to be restored in the same way as done in the case of Senate House. He suggested that the second edition of the book be published with more detailing of the postal system. Releasing the book, N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu group of publications, described the publication as an unusual book which he said had brought home the transformation that was occurring in society. As the foundations of the postal system in the country had been well laid, the department's centrality continued even though that position was no longer existent in some developed countries and even in developing countries.

He wanted the Postal Department to develop a range of services and products close to the lives of people, particularly in the areas of finance and insurance. In view of the its huge infrastructure, the department could do a lot to financial inclusiveness.

K.P. Aravanan, former Vice-Chancellor of the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, wanted the author to publish a Tamil version of the book. Dr. Ramachandirann said the absence of books on the history of postal system in Tamil Nadu had motivated him to write the book.

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