The first post office in India was established in 1727 in Kolkata (then Calcutta) by the British East India Company. This early postal system was primarily designed to serve the needs of the British colonial administration and merchants.
In 1774, the General Post Office (GPO) was established in Kolkata, marking a significant development in the Indian postal system. The GPO was designed by Walter B. Grenville and completed in 1868. It features a high domed roof and tall Ionic-Corinthian pillars, making it one of the city’s landmarks.
The GPO building is located in the B.B.D. Bagh area of Kolkata, near the site of the original Fort William. An alley beside the post office was the site of the guardhouse that housed the infamous 1756 Black Hole of Calcutta.
Today, the Kolkata GPO continues to handle a significant portion of the city’s mail and parcels, serving as a central hub in the Indian postal network.
