- Krishna Kumar Yadav unveils designer Rakhi Covers and Gift Boxes across North Gujarat to make the festival of sibling love safer, smarter and more colourful
- Water-resistant Rakhi Covers priced at just ₹10 designed to protect precious Rakhis from rain during transit
- Gift Boxes in 250g, 500g and 1kg sizes enable sisters and families to send Rakhis, sweets and gifts across India and abroad
- Special booking, faster sorting and priority handling arrangements aim to ensure Rakhis reach loved ones before Raksha Bandhan
- 24-hour booking available at select centres while extended booking hours at key post offices make sending Rakhis more convenient
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JULY 31
A Rakhi may be small, but the emotion travelling inside that envelope can span continents. With thousands of sisters preparing to send the sacred thread of affection to brothers living far from home, India Post has turned the annual Rakshabandhan rush into a festival-connectivity mission, unveiling specially designed, water-resistant Rakhi Covers and Gift Boxes to help ensure that the symbol of sibling love reaches its destination safely and on time.
Krishna Kumar Yadav, Postmaster General, North Gujarat Region, Ahmedabad, released the special Rakhi Covers and Gift Boxes on Friday, with the products now available across Post Offices and Railway Mail Service counters in the North Gujarat Region.
The initiative covers Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mahesana, Aravalli, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Patan districts, extending even to Branch Post Offices in remote villages.
A Rakhi cover that doesn’t fear the rains
One of the biggest practical challenges during the monsoon Rakshabandhan season is protecting festival mail from rain and moisture.
India Post’s specially designed Rakhi Covers address that concern with water-resistant material, making them less vulnerable to damage when exposed to rain during transit.
Available in three attractive designs, the covers measure 11 cm x 22 cm and are priced at just ₹10, excluding postage.
The designs feature the India Post logo and traditional Raksha Bandhan motifs, including Rakhis, flowers, puja thalis and artistic depictions of the affectionate bond between brothers and sisters.
Their distinctive appearance also serves a practical purpose: the colourful designer covers can be readily identified and segregated from regular mail, helping streamline processing and facilitate priority handling.
From rakhi to rakhi + sweets + gifts
For those wanting to send more than just a Rakhi, India Post has introduced Rakhi Gift Boxes in three sizes:
- 250 grams — ₹35
- 500 grams — ₹40
- 1 kilogram — ₹50
The boxes enable customers to send Rakhis along with sweets and gifts to loved ones across India through India Post Parcel.
The initiative also extends beyond the country’s borders. Rakhis can be sent abroad through the International Tracked Packet Service, providing an affordable option for families separated by international distances.
From Ahmedabad to the world—and even remote villages
The special Rakhi Covers and Gift Boxes are being sold through Head Post Offices, Sub Post Offices and Branch Post Offices across the North Gujarat Region, including outlets serving remote villages.
They are also available at Railway Mail Service counters, widening access for customers who may find railway-linked postal facilities more convenient.
The arrangements are designed to ensure that sending a Rakhi is not restricted to urban centres but remains accessible to families across the region.
24-hour booking to beat the festival rush
To ensure sisters and families can send their Rakhis without last-minute inconvenience, India Post has made 24-hour booking facilities available at select locations.
These include:
- National Sorting Hub, Speed Post Bhavan, Shahibaug
- Maninagar Railway Station
- Navrangpura Head Post Office
- Himmatnagar Head Post Office
- Mahesana Head Post Office
- RMS counters in Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara
Booking facilities will also be available up to 8 pm at several other locations, including Ahmedabad GPO, Business Development Cell, Manekbag Post Office, Railwaypura Post Office, Deesa Mukhya Dakghar, Palanpur Head Post Office, Gandhinagar Head Post Office, Kalol Head Post Office and Patan Head Post Office.
A race against time to reach before Rakhi Day
Beyond attractive packaging, India Post has put special logistics arrangements in place for the festival.
Rakhi mail will receive special booking and quick sorting at National Sorting Hubs and Parcel Hubs, with the objective of facilitating timely delivery before Raksha Bandhan.
The initiative is particularly relevant to families living apart—a sister in Ahmedabad sending a Rakhi to a brother in another State, parents sending festival gifts to children working abroad, or families in villages reaching loved ones in distant cities.
In a digital age dominated by instant messages, video calls and online gifts, the physical Rakhi still carries a special emotional value.
India Post’s festival initiative seeks to ensure that the thread of that relationship can travel securely—from one doorstep to another, one city to another and even one country to another.
