Once the fastest means of communication for millions of people, the humble telegram will be buried without any requiem on July 14, 2013 but for the promise of preserving the last telegram as a museum piece

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Once the fastest means of communication for millions of people, the humble telegram was buried without any requiem but for the promise of preserving the last telegram as a museum piece. (BCCL)

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02 / 12

Nudged out by technology --- SMS, emails, mobile phones -- the iconic service gradually faded into oblivion with less and less people taking recourse to it. (BCCL)

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Started in 1850 on an experimental basis between Koklata and Diamond Harbour, it was opened for use by the British East India Company the following year. In 1854, the service was made available to the public. (PTI)

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It was such an important mode of communication in those days that revolutionaries fighting for the country's independence used to cut the telegram lines to stop the British from communicating. (PTI)

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05 / 12

Despite losses, BSNL had in the recent past made two last-ditch attempts to ensure that the 163-year-old legacy lived on. The state-run utility had raised telegraph charges in 2011 after a gap of 60 years when telegraphing 50 words within the country was priced at Rs 50 instead of Rs 4 earlier. (BCCL)

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But with few takers,this price hike could not make the service viable for the lossmaking PSU.Two months ago,it had discontinued international telegrams. (BCCL)

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07 / 12

For Jawans and armed forces seeking leave or waiting for transfer or joining reports, it was a quick and handy mode of communication. (BCCL/Jipson Sikhera)

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08 / 12

Lawyers vouched for the telegrams as they were registered under the Indian Evidence Act and known for their credibility when presented in court. (BCCL)

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09 / 12

Bollywood was not to be left behind and immortalised the service with many sudden turns in films being announced by the advent of the 'taar'. (BCCL)

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10 / 12

A senior BSNL official said: "The telegram had lost its relevance.The basic idea of a taar was to send a message fast.Now SMS,fax and emails do that job.With smart phones,people send and receive emails on the move.So when we sought government support to keep the telegram alive,we were asked to decide its fate on a commercial basis and hence will now be discontinuing the service." (BCCL)

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