The Start of Indian Post Card

Post card in India meant affordable communication between the masses.  The introduction of Indian post card is equivalent to the mobile phones of today, and due to affordability, the use of Indian post card boomed.

On July 1, 1879, first Indian post card was released with an imprinted stamp, featuring a side view of Queen Victoria.  The Indian post card was printed by M/s. De La Rue & Co, London.  On August 9, 1902, a new Indian post card was released with an imprint stamp of EDWARD VII in profile.  

In 1912, there were major changes in the Indian post card format. The front portion of the Indian post card had a dividing line.  The right side was for writing the address, and the left side & back, provided the writing space.  The imprinted stamp was of KG King George V and a quarter anna was numerically printed for the first time along with the text.  Also, for the first time, the stamp was marked ‘India Postage’ in English.  The size of the post card was also larger than before.  

On February 13, 1926, India Security press, Nasik, started printing Indian post card. Rates were changed from a quarter Anna to a half Anna.  On February 15, 1932, post card rates were again changed from half Anna to nine Pies.

On November 1, 1935, the text ‘Post India card’ was changed to ‘Post Card’ printed above the address only.  Also the British crown emblem was no longer shown.  In a way, the post cards got its Indian identity without the British crown emblem.

In August, 1936, an improvised postcard was released, which had address lines for writing the sender’s address.  On April 15, 1939, a new stamp design was released with an arched shape and the side view of George VI.

For the first time, a new postcard were released in 1940 with a stamp imprinted with numbers only.  The denomination in English text was removed. 

In 1946, the postcard rate was reduced from nine Pies to a half Anna, or six Pies.  New post cards  with revised rates could not be printed in short notice, so three different varieties of post card were issued for the change. 

On May 17, 1946, a new post card was released with a stamp with a George VI portrait. This half Anna post card continued until September 7, 1949, when India's post independence post card was released with the Trimurti imprint stamp of nine Pies.

This ends the British era of post cards in India.