Army Postal Services Corps
Technical Data
| Date of Issue | March 1, 1973 |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 20 nP |
| Quantity | 3,000,000 |
| Perforation | Comb 13 |
| Printer | Security Printing Press, Nashik |
| Watermark | No Watermark |
| Colors | Blue | Red |
| Catalog Codes |
Michel IN 556 Stamp Number IN 572 Yvert et Tellier IN 360 Stanley Gibbons IN 676 |
| Themes | Animals (Fauna) | Anniversaries and Jubilees | Birds | Postal Services | Seals(Emblems) |
The Army Postal Services Corps is celebrating today the first anniversary of its formation into a separate Corps of the Regular Army. The first Indian Field Post Office was sent to Persia in 1856, and since then, FPOs have accompanied the Forces wherever they have operated in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Since Independence, APS has enhanced its reputation for selfless service during Jammu and Kashmir operations and the subsequent wars that we had to fight in 1962, 1965, and 1971. APS also distinguished itself by providing excellent postal facilities to our peace missions to Korea, Indo-China, Gaza, and the Congo.
Up to the end of the 1st World War, the FPOs were organized and operated by the Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department. During the 2nd World War, they were constituted into regular Army Units. Since then, APS has been functioning as a military organization under the control of the Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters. The Army Postal Services extend the facilities of the Indian Post Office to field formations of the Army, Air Force, and paramilitary forces wherever they may be serving, in India or overseas. Although FPOs are designed as model units, functioning in trucks or tents, they provide almost all postal facilities available to the public at civil post offices. The Army Postal Service also implements postal concessions granted to the soldiers. Although an integral part of the Army, Postal Service functions as a part of the P&T system for technical and financial purposes and is, for all practical purposes, a member of the P&T family.
56 APO and 99 APO are the names of the two Base Post Offices which are responsible for receiving, sorting, and dispatching mail addressed to the troops or sent by them. APS was constituted into a permanent Corps of the Army on 1 March 1972. It has chosen ‘Raj Hans’ (Swan), a mythical carrier of messages of love, as its symbol and ‘Mel Milap’ (Amity and Concord) as its motto. These are depicted in the APS emblem approved by the President, which is the motif of the commemorative stamp.