Stories written by

John O’Brien

Why a letter from an orphan to Queen Victoria upset the British India Office

Aine wrote to the queen with no demands, but a wish for the welfare of the royal family.

John O’Brien
· Mar 12, 2023 · 07:30 pm
Cries for help: Letters to the British India Office in the 19th century

The department would frequently field pleas for help from members of the public.

John O’Brien
· Dec 05, 2022 · 09:30 pm
Getting an Indian passport has always involved red tape, as files from the archives show

Leafing through the British Library’s Kashmir Residency Records.

John O’Brien
· Oct 02, 2022 · 07:30 pm

When the British asked the French to jail Madame Cama, the ‘mother of Indian revolution’

For decades, the British government surveilled the Parsi freedom fighter.

John O’Brien
· Apr 09, 2022 · 09:30 pm
In images: The anger in India against the Raj-appointed Simon Commission

The exclusion of Indian members from the panel prompted outrage in the country, with both Congress and the Muslim League boycotting it.

John O’Brien
· Jan 15, 2022 · 07:30 pm
Bhicoo Batlivala: The forgotten freedom fighter whose US tour made the British government anxious

She was an active member of the India League and at one point Jawaharlal Nehru’s secretary.

John O’Brien
· Sep 25, 2021 · 09:30 pm

Video

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Eco India: A shrinking habitat and overpopulation drive Gir lions into human settlements

9 hours ago
Eco India, Episode 277: When wildlife habitats collide with urbanization, how do we build bridges?

Yesterday · 04:35 pm
Eco India: Why Kolkata faces a severe air quality crisis each winter?

Dec 15, 2024 · 08:55 am
Eco India, Episode 276: How science and society are turning the tide on environmental crises

Dec 14, 2024 · 03:33 pm
Video: Rajdeep Sardesai explains how hate has captured Indian newsrooms

Dec 12, 2024 · 04:33 pm

The British were met with fire and fury when they tried to conduct a census in 1870s Bengal

The resistance by Santals spread fear and panic among the British and other local groups.

John O’Brien
· Nov 26, 2019 · 01:30 pm
When a desperate British government called on Indian Army officers to take up civilian jobs

In 1926, when thousands of bus drivers, dock workers and workers in electricity and building industries went on strike, the government came up with an idea.

John O’Brien
· Nov 03, 2019 · 01:30 pm

John O’Brien

Why a letter from an orphan to Queen Victoria upset the British India Office

Aine wrote to the queen with no demands, but a wish for the welfare of the royal family.

John O’Brien · Mar 12, 2023 · 07:30 pm

Cries for help: Letters to the British India Office in the 19th century

The department would frequently field pleas for help from members of the public.

John O’Brien · Dec 05, 2022 · 09:30 pm

Getting an Indian passport has always involved red tape, as files from the archives show

Leafing through the British Library’s Kashmir Residency Records.

John O’Brien · Oct 02, 2022 · 07:30 pm

Trending

Centre changes election conduct rules days after HC tells EC to provide poll documents to petitioner

Yesterday · 10:24 am

Shirish Patel: The urban planner who looked beyond the vanity of Mumbai’s privileged

Yesterday · 05:30 pm

2024 Jawad Memorial Prize for Urdu-English Translation: Read the winning poems

Dec 20, 2024 · 05:30 pm

7 Indians among those injured in Germany car attack, MEA calls it ‘horrific, senseless’

2 hours ago

Backstory 2024: When I trekked two hours in Himachal for an interview

12 hours ago

When the British asked the French to jail Madame Cama, the ‘mother of Indian revolution’

For decades, the British government surveilled the Parsi freedom fighter.

John O’Brien · Apr 09, 2022 · 09:30 pm

In images: The anger in India against the Raj-appointed Simon Commission

The exclusion of Indian members from the panel prompted outrage in the country, with both Congress and the Muslim League boycotting it.

John O’Brien · Jan 15, 2022 · 07:30 pm

Bhicoo Batlivala: The forgotten freedom fighter whose US tour made the British government anxious

She was an active member of the India League and at one point Jawaharlal Nehru’s secretary.

John O’Brien · Sep 25, 2021 · 09:30 pm

Video

Eco India: A shrinking habitat and overpopulation drive Gir lions into human settlements

9 hours ago

Eco India, Episode 277: When wildlife habitats collide with urbanization, how do we build bridges?

Yesterday · 04:35 pm

Eco India: Why Kolkata faces a severe air quality crisis each winter?

Dec 15, 2024 · 08:55 am

Eco India, Episode 276: How science and society are turning the tide on environmental crises

Dec 14, 2024 · 03:33 pm

Video: Rajdeep Sardesai explains how hate has captured Indian newsrooms

Dec 12, 2024 · 04:33 pm

The British were met with fire and fury when they tried to conduct a census in 1870s Bengal

The resistance by Santals spread fear and panic among the British and other local groups.

John O’Brien · Nov 26, 2019 · 01:30 pm

When a desperate British government called on Indian Army officers to take up civilian jobs

In 1926, when thousands of bus drivers, dock workers and workers in electricity and building industries went on strike, the government came up with an idea.

John O’Brien · Nov 03, 2019 · 01:30 pm

Take Scroll With You

John O’Brien
· Mar 12, 2023 · 07:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Dec 05, 2022 · 09:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Oct 02, 2022 · 07:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Apr 09, 2022 · 09:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Jan 15, 2022 · 07:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Sep 25, 2021 · 09:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Nov 26, 2019 · 01:30 pm

John O’Brien
· Nov 03, 2019 · 01:30 pm