Mumbai, 4 June 2026

 

Maharashtra Postal Circle organized the award function for the National Level ‘Dhai Akhar’ Letter Writing Competition 2025–26 and the Philately Scholarship Scheme ‘Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana’ 2025–26 at Mumbai GPO on 3^rd June,2026. Shri Amitabh Singh, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, felicitated the winners in the presence of Shri Saurabh Vijayvergia, Founder & CEO, CoverSure; Ms. Jayati Samaddar, General Manager (Finance), Maharashtra Circle; and Smt. Rekha Rizvi, Director, Mumbai GPO. The programme also featured an introduction to the Inland Letter Card (ILC) Campaign, titled “Chitthi Aayi Hai”, by Shri Saurabh Vijayvergia, Founder & CEO, CoverSure.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Amitabh Singh said it was a privilege to witness people from different generations coming together under one roof at Mumbai GPO. He appreciated the creativity, imagination and talent displayed by the winners of both competitions.

Highlighting the unique role of the Department of Posts in connecting generations through letter writing, he observed that while traditional correspondence may have declined in the digital era, the Post Office continues to remain an integral part of citizens’ lives through its parcel services and its strong association with households and e-commerce enterprises.

Shri Singh also welcomed the “Chitthi Aayi Hai” initiative and appreciated its social significance. He noted that the initiative utilizes Inland Letter Cards to deliver insurance-related information directly to citizens through Mumbai GPO, thereby reviving the relevance of traditional postal communication in a meaningful manner.

Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Competition 2025–26

The Dhai Akhar competition is a national-level initiative of the Department of Posts aimed at encouraging creativity, originality and self-expression while reintroducing younger generations to postal services and philately.

The competition was conducted from September 8, 2025 to January 31, 2026 on the theme “Letter to My Role Model.” Participants were invited to write letters in English, Hindi or any vernacular language under four categories covering both Inland Letter Card and Envelope formats for participants below and above 18 years of age.

A remarkable 1,83,049 participants from Maharashtra took part in the competition. Twelve Circle-level winners, comprising the top three entries from each category, were forwarded for evaluation at the national level.

The prize structure included cash awards of ₹25,000, ₹10,000 and ₹5,000 for first, second and third positions respectively at the Circle level, while National-level winners receive ₹50,000, ₹25,000 and ₹10,000 respectively.

Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana 2025–26

The Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana is a nationwide scholarship programme launched by the Department of Posts in 2017–18 to promote philately among school children and encourage learning through stamp collection.

For the year 2025–26, the scheme was open to students studying in Classes VI to IX in recognised schools. Selected students are awarded a scholarship of ₹6,000 per annum.

A total of 3,570 students participated in the Philately Quiz conducted under the scheme. Following evaluation, 215 students were shortlisted for project submission. Subsequently, 40 students—10 each from Classes VI, VII, VIII and IX—were selected as scholarship recipients for the year 2025–26.

The final results were published on the India Post website on December 1, 2025. The event celebrated the enduring relevance of letter writing and philately while encouraging creativity, learning and meaningful engagement among the younger generation.

 

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PIB Mumbai | Edgar Coelho/Darshana Rane

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