TROPOSCATTER COMMUNICATION LINK INDIA-USSR 2.11.1982

TROPOSCATTER COMMUNICATION LINK INDIA-USSR. A unique telecommunication link between India and the USSR was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India on 2nd November, 1981. This link works on the principle of propagation of Radio Waves in the tropospheric medium over long distances.

The station of Overseas Communications Service on the Indian side of this link is located at Charar-e-Sherief near Srinagar and the station on the USSR side, near Dushanbe in the Tadzik Republic.  

The stamp, designed by India Security Press, Nasik shows the Troposcatter Communication Link between India and the USSR. The first day cover shows the antenna of the Troposcatter link at Charar-e-Sherief near Srinagar.

100 years of Telephone Services 28.1.1982

Indian P & T Department issued a special postage stamp to commemorate the 100 years of telephone services in the country.

Within six years of the invention of the Telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone bells started jingling in India. The Oriental Telephone and Electric Company Ltd., a London based firm, was granted license by the then Governor General to set up telephone exchanges at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras in November 1881. the telephone exchanges formally started functioning at these places on 28 January 1882. It was a truly humble beginning for the telephones with barely two dozen subscribers at Madras and a somewhat higher number 90 and 102 at Bombay and Calcutta respectively. In 1923, the Oriental Telephone & Electric Company set up three different companies, The Madras Telephone Company, The Bombay Telephone Company and The Bengal Telephone Corporation to cater to a larger clientele. By that time, as per the available reports, Madras had 1224 telephone connections, whereas Bombay and Calcutta had nearly 6,000 and 9,000 subscribers. At present, Madras has 19 Telephone Exchanges with 1.21 lakh telephones, Bombay has 43 Exchanges with 4,58 lakh telephones and Calcutta has 45 excahnges with 2.59 lakh telephones.

Since Independence, India has made special efforts to indigenously manufacture telephone instruments, their accessories and other materials for telecommunication services. The Indian Telephone Industries was established at Bangalore as a public undertaking in 1948. Since then great strides have been taken in the expansion of telecommunication facilities in the country. Special attention is being paid to the establishment of long distance communications. Several multi-channel coaxial and microwave systems have been commissioned, making available large blocks of high grade trunk circuits and telephone facilities all over the country. The major cities in the country have been connected through subscriber Trunk Dialing system. Over 272 cities are now on the national STD network. International subscriber dialing service has also been introduced on a limited scale to start with. Full advantage is being taken of the communication satellite and of our own satellite Earth Stations. At the time of Independence we had only about 1.1 lakh telephones in the country; now this number has exceeded 29 lakhs. Starting with the metropolitan cities, telecommunication services have spread far and wide and they are now serving the people in all the nooks and corners of the country.

IOCOM Submarine Telephone Cable 24.12.1981

The stamp shows a map with Madras and Penang linked by IOCOM Cable. The first day cover illustration shows a special cable-laying ship.

From time immemorial men have sailed the lonely seas. As new lands were discovered and colonised, the frontiers of commerce expanded. But the sea proved an effective barrier to transmission of messages with expedition till telegraph was invented in 1837. with innovations in telecommunications technology, the first submarine telegraph cable (with only one circuit) was laid across the English Channel between England and France in 1891. The first submarine cable with more also laid between the Netherlands and Denmark in 1950.

The seven Commonwealth Countries of India, Shri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada joined hands to lay the cable system across the Indian Ocean between Madras and Penang (Malaysia). The 1350 nautical mile long, Indian Ocean Commonwealth Cable (IOCOM) has a capacity of 480 high grade telephone circuits with provisions for further expansion. IOCOM links India, for the first time, with the international submarine telephone cable network. The cable was laid by a special cable laying ship from Marina Beach at Madras to Kuala Muda near Penang in Malaysia. A gateway complex at Madras houses the cable terminal equipments, telephone and telex gateway exchanges and other international telecommunication facilities.

Arvi earth station - 1st Anniversary

The growth of rocketry and space technology during the course of the past few decades has given mankind a new and powerful medium for global communication in the form of satellites, which can relay messages to and from the earth, with the help of the built-in receivers and transmitters. These satellites keep revolving round the earth once in 24 hours at a height of about 36000 kms over the equator, in step with the earth's rate of rotation on its axis. They thus appear, relatively, to be stationary from any point on the earth. One such satellite can cover nearly a third of the globe, while three of them suitably distributed can cover the entire globe. Unlike conventional high frequency radio communication which works point to point, satellites link all stations in their area of coverage. This is possible on account of the wide-band capability of satellite radio relay systems. Satellites permit voice, telegraphs radio-photo and data to be relayed with ease between stations in their area of coverage. They are also the only existing means of live transoceanic television.  

Satellite communications has verily opened up a new era of international cooperation which commenced with the setting up of Intelsat, the International Satellite Consortium, in 1964. This Consortium today has 77 member nations. India's participation in this international venture dates back to February, 1965 when its representative signed the agreements of the International Consortium. While the launching of the satellite and associated tracking and telemetering will be the responsibility of the Intelsat, each member country will be required to establish its earth station to work to the satellite. Accordingly a plan for the establishment of an Indian earth station and associated switching complex was drawn up as a part of the IVth Five Year Plan of Govt. of India for Oversease Communications Service, to provide the public with up-to-date facilities for international telecommunications, including international TV relay. The earth station is located at Arvi about 80 kms north of Poona on the route to Nasik.  The main feature of the earth station is its large 29.6 meter diameter antenna.

  

The Indian Posts and Telegraphs department brought out a postage stamp to commemorate the first anniversary of the earth station Arvi, which was being dedicated to the nation by the President of India who also released the commemorative stamp. The stamp depicts the "Globe Satellite" and the location of the earth station. This station is being named the Vikram Earth Station in memory of the late Dr. Vikram Sarabhai who was primarily responsible for the execution of this sophisticated project by Indian Engineers. The First Day Cover bears a picture of the antenna at the earth station at Arvi. The stamp is depicts "Global Satellite", the course of "Intesat III" in circular lines and 'Arvi Earth Station.'

Centenary of Indo-European Telegraph Line 1967

The year 1867 constitutes an important landmark in the history of International Telegraphs services between Europe and India.  Prior to 1867, there was no direct telegraphs communication between India and Europe.

There were several Independent Telegraphs lines in different countries :  Messages had to repeated many times with the result that they often took weeks in transmission and reached their destination in an altogether unintelligible mutilated state.  The great lead for a quick and reliable telegraphic communication between England and India could only be satisfied by a line through Prussia, Russia and Persia planned as a connected whole, and under an undivided management. 

To commemorate the centenary of the Indo-European Telegraph which was celebrated in 1967,  the Posts and Telegraphs Department brought out a special postage stamp on the 9^th of November, 1967.

With the rise of industrialization in the 19th century, people needed not only rapid modes of transport for themselves and their products but also modern means of transmitting all kinds of news. Reliable communication could be decisive for accessing colonies as well as linking markets and trade partners. Turning such communication into reality necessitated major investment in new technologies and infrastructure projects, many of which were offered and implemented by only a handful of specialized companies. The establishment of telegraph networks had been proceeding apace throughout Europe since 1845, with numerous companies active in this new area. However, in order to achieve lasting success, a combination of competitive technology, sound financing and, above all, the necessary authorizations from the governments involved were required. In Prussia, the budding enterprise Siemens & Halske was one of the leading telegraph companies.

The line from London to Calcutta was to be 6,900 miles in length. Of the 3,725 mile circuit between Emden and Teheran the Company were required to build 2,900 miles as new, consisting of two 6mm gauge iron wires suspended from Siemens’ patent iron-capped earthenware insulators on 70,000 posts, having wood shafts in Poland and Russia and Siemens’ patent cast-iron shafts in the Caucasus and in Persia. A 100 mile submarine cable was laid in the Black Sea between Djulfa and Suchum, with a further 15 mile cable for the Straits of Kertch. The bulk of the materials were provided from Britain by Siemens Brothers, including the armour for the Black Sea cable; Hooper’s Telegraph Works Company provided the india-rubber insulation.

The Indo-European telegraph line was in operation for more than 60 years, until 1931. It was not technical deficiencies that ultimately caused its decline, but the rise of wireless radio connections after World War I.

Indian Telegraph Centenary 1.9.1957

The first telegraph line was opened in October 1851 in India between Calcutta and Diamond Harbour, a distance of 30 miles (48 kms.). But official inauguration of this line took place on 1st November 1851. By 1854, Calcutta was linked with Agra, Bombay and Madras by telegraph network.

Tall iron rods supported by bamboo posts, linked by copper wires, dotted the country side. That telegraph line was eyed with suspicion, as an emblem of Imperial rule.

Till 1912, telegraph was administered by independent department. From 1st April 1914, the telegraph was amalgamated with postal department. From 1st January 1985, the telegraph was separated from postal department. Then in 2000, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) took over the telegraph service.

By 1985, the use of telegram was at its peak, but from 1990, the decline started due to the introduction of internet and mobile phones. Today BSNL is posting loss of 9 million rupees per year. Therefore, BSNL decided to discontinue the telegraph service from 15th July 2013. Thus 162 years old telegram is going to rest in peace for ever. Long Live Telegrams in the hearts of Indian.

1851-1951,  

Miniature Sheet of Indian Telegraph Centenary 1951. Issued by Idian Posts & Telegraphs Departmet, turned out to be the first minisheet of sorts issued by the postal department in India. I was lucky to get it at the exhibition grounds itself. The FDCs were given to me by a friend in Lucknow.