Mapping
Source: IE
Context: India Post recently inaugurated a post office at its Bharati station in Antarctica, coinciding with the 24th Foundation Day of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa. This adds to the existing post offices at Dakshin Gangotri Station established in 1984 and Maitri Station set up in 1990.
Significance:
- Now, with a new post office at the Bharati research station, letters will have a new PIN code, MH-1718. These post offices, part of the Goa postal division, serve a unique purpose, allowing letters to be sent and ‘cancelled’ from Antarctica.
- It serves to assert India’s presence on the continent.
Bharati (opened in 2012) is India’s third Antarctic research station, alongside Maitri, commissioned by India. Located near Larsemann Hills, it focuses on oceanographic studies and the geological history of the Indian subcontinent.
