Postman who covers 32 km daily in Lahaul gets Meghdoot Award

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 28

Prem Lal, a postman from Himachal Pradesh, who covers 32 km daily to give mail to people in the far reaches of Lahaul, today bagged the prestigious Meghdoot Award of the Department of Posts.

Instituted in 1984, the award is the highest recognition of the Department of Posts at the national level for overall performance and excellence of its employees. This award is conferred in eight separate categories and carries a medallion, certificate and a cash award of Rs 21,000.

Elated at the recognition presented by Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Prem Lal pledged to keep working for the people of his area.

Posted as a mail runner in Mandi division, Prem Lal covers the Udaipur Shalgran Mail Line of Lahaul, which spans a distance of 32 km. His work involves moving across difficult terrains at an altitude of over 9,000 feet.

“It is snowbound for most part of the year and is known to have avalanches during winter. While moving on this line, fraught with risk and danger, Prem Lal uninterruptedly completes his daily to and fro journey,” the postman’s citation reads.

Prem Lal was among the eight awardees, which also saw the government launch ‘Dak Karmayogi’, an e-learning portal of the Department of Posts to impart digital training to four lakh rural ‘gramin sewaks’ of the government.

Moves across difficult terrains

• Prem Lal covers the Udaipur Shalgran Mail Line of Lahaul, which spans a distance of 32 km.
• His work involves moving across difficult terrains at an altitude of over 9,000 feet above the sea level.

Journey to snowbound Lahaul

Lahaul is snowbound for most part of the year and is known to have avalanches during winter, while moving along his line fraught with danger, Prem Lal uninterruptedly completes his daily to and fro journey. — The Meghdoot Awardee's citation reads

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