How camels from Punjab ended up joining a police force in southern Africa

In the early 20th century, an infectious disease killed thousands of cattle in Southern Rhodesia, creating an unlikely demand.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Yesterday · 11:30 am

Bombay is better than Calcutta: Impressions of a US novelist in early 20th-century India

The witty EW Howe seemed particularly fascinated with Rajasthani landscapes and Bombay’s affluence.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Sep 16, 2023 · 11:30 am

After suppressing an Egyptian revolution, the British wanted to exile its leader to India

Ahmed Urabi and others were first sent to Ceylon. Years later, when they complained, the British seriously considered transferring them to Bangalore.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Aug 29, 2023 · 11:30 am

How Sumatra became a popular destination for Sikh immigrants in the 19th century

The story of how the large island in the Indonesian archipelago became home to Sikh policemen, security guards, traders and farmers.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Aug 19, 2023 · 11:30 am

‘Our talks will be of lasting value to me’: When Kwame Nkrumah visited Nehru’s India

Ghana’s first prime minister spent a fortnight in India in 1958-’59, packing in a series of official engagements and a vacation in Bangalore.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Aug 16, 2023 · 11:30 am

Principle over prestige: When India forfeited a Davis Cup final to Apartheid South Africa

India’s decision to not play South Africa in the final of the prestigious competition was widely criticised by international tennis governing bodies.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jul 29, 2023 · 11:30 am

Remembering the Parsi businessman who saved Gandhi’s life and backed his satyagraha in South Africa

Parsee Rustomjee played an influential role in getting the Parsi community involved in the Indian struggle in South Africa.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jul 22, 2023 · 11:30 am

How Jawaharlal Nehru helped build a new crop of leaders in Africa

Nehru’s India was a beacon for many Africans, who made use of a scholarship programme he started to study in India.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jul 17, 2023 · 11:30 am

How Gujarati merchants helped Zambia attain independence

Apart from financing Zambian freedom fighters, Indian businessmen introduced them to the concept of Gandhian non-violence.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jul 04, 2023 · 11:30 am

Spy vs Seditionist: What British agents thought of Indian revolutionaries in Japan

A network of spies helped the British embassy track Indian freedom fighters in Japan, such as Rash Behari Bose.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jun 19, 2023 · 11:30 am

How a stint in Bombay helped Georg Bühler become one of the most prominent Indologists in Europe

Bühler’s contributions to Indology still serve as an important cultural link between India and the German-speaking world.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jun 10, 2023 · 11:30 am

Remembering the first major Carnatic music concert in the United States

A group of five young classical musicians from Madras spent two months in the US in the autumn of 1962, performing in New York and Washington DC.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· May 24, 2023 · 11:30 am