National Post Day: Meet R Padmanabhan, who has been sending postcards to kith and kin for over twenty years

Every postcard tells a narrative, says a submit on the Instagram feed of India Post. Who higher to vouch for this than R Padmanabhan, a local of Manacaud in Thiruvananthapuram, who has been sending handwritten postcards to his contacts for over twenty years now.

The variety of playing cards he has despatched until date may need crossed 1.2 lakhs, says Padmanabhan, who has a database of over 13,000 addresses. “I ship them day-after-day. Today I despatched 33, of which 4 carried marriage ceremony anniversary greetings, three had demise anniversary messages and the remainder had birthday needs,” says Padmanabhan, who will flip 60 subsequent month.

A postgraduate in commerce, he took to sending postcards as a interest whereas taking tuitions. “I despatched birthday needs to a scholar, and his dad and mom had been moved by it. That was the start. I collected beginning dates of my college students and began sending them playing cards. At the time the quantity was barely 60 or 70 playing cards a 12 months. Eventually I expanded the record by including beginning dates of buddies, family members and others,” he says.

The quantity elevated as soon as he turned office-bearer of Kerala Vellala Maha Sabha. “I had entry to the addresses of the members and thus over 8,000 names had been added to my database. I checked out it as a chance to construct a rapport with the members of the group,” says Padmanabhan, who used to work as a coordinator with the Centre for Adult Education and Extension below the University of Kerala.

Since the postcards have turn out to be a factor of the previous, they don’t seem to be bought in any respect submit workplaces. In Thiruvananthapuram, they’re now out there solely on the General Post Office. He purchases 4,000 playing cards at a time — that’s 4 bundles with 125 sheets every [eight cards in one sheet].

He is systematic in relation to sending the playing cards. “For occasion, for the month of October, I preserve the playing cards prepared by September 25. I stick printed addresses on the playing cards and organize them by dates. I do some art work on the playing cards earlier than writing the messages. If the particular person is in Wayanad or Kasaragod I ship it 5 days forward of the date they’re imagined to obtain it. I didn’t cease in the course of the pandemic. Only that I couldn’t submit them day-after-day,” he provides.

Padmanabhan is happy about the truth that many individuals have preserved his playing cards and even ship him pictures. He has been sending playing cards to political leaders as effectively and a few of them have replied. “These embody Sonia Gandhi, AK Antony and Oommen Chandy. I additionally ship New Year greetings to all of the members of Legislative Assembly,” he provides.

He says that generally the playing cards are returned as a result of the handle may need modified. “Sometimes the recipient is not alive and relations reply.”

It has turn out to be a ardour challenge for Padmanabhan who believes that there’s a magnificence in simplicity. “For a typical man like me, it’s tough to afford an costly card. The postcard has been the straightforward and budget-friendly possibility for me. I’ve seen an period after we communicated solely by letters and playing cards,” he says.

When Padmanabhan began the apply, a postcard value 25 paisa and now it’s 50 paisa. “When the charges of different postal providers went up, I used to be nervous if they’d hike it to ₹1. That would have upset my funds, and I may need even stopped the apply,” he says.