Why did Sumatran kings once build a Buddhist monastery in Tamil Nadu?

Now famous for its temples, Nagapattinam was once a major Buddhist pilgrimage centre, home to the Chudamani Vihara.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Aug 03, 2022 · 11:30 am

When Arab traders made a fortune in pearl trade in Bombay

In the early 20th century, when Bombay was a major hub for the pearl industry, many families from the Persian Gulf made the city their home.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jul 30, 2022 · 11:30 am

Why India signed a peace treaty with Thailand in 1946 – and how it set the tone for their relations

Thailand and India found themselves on opposite sides during World War II. The treaty they signed after that has ensured a long-lasting friendship between them.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jul 19, 2022 · 11:30 am

The travelogue of an Indian maharaja who disliked China and loved Japan

Jagatjit Singh, the ruler of Kapurthala, visited a few East Asian countries in 1903-’04, but it was the Land of the Rising Sun that he took a special liking to.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jun 29, 2022 · 11:30 am

How India helped build Brazil’s enormous beef industry

Bovines exported from Nellore and Gujarat rescued the South American giant’s cattle industry in the 19th and 20th century.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Jun 16, 2022 · 11:30 am

When India was a ‘land of diamonds’, Russian tsars eagerly tried to build ties with Aurangzeb

Two Russian missions were sent to India in the 17th century to initiate relations with the Mughal Empire. The second delegation found favour with Aurangzeb.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· May 26, 2022 · 11:30 am

An Indian community’s journey to becoming a major financial player in Singapore and Malaysia

When the time was right, the enterprising Nattukottai Chettiars set up moneylending operations in Southeast Asia, becoming a financial mainstay in the region.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· May 14, 2022 · 11:30 am

Remembering the Swiss photographer who popularised Indian temple sculptures in the US

Raymond Burnier’s photos, which were displayed at New York’s MoMA in 1949, helped turn places like Khajuraho into major international destinations.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· May 07, 2022 · 11:30 am

When a meeting with Ramana Maharshi inspired Somerset Maugham to explore Indian philosophy

A brief encounter with the Hindu sage in Tiruvanamalai in 1938 inspired the English playwright and novelist to fashion a character on him in a novel.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Apr 27, 2022 · 11:30 am

How a Punjabi-origin war hero became an important political figure in the Philippines

Ramon Bagatsing is remembered as an effective administrator and anti-corruption crusader, but his closeness to Ferdinand Marcos blotted his legacy.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Apr 19, 2022 · 11:30 am

An Indian army medical unit’s ‘selfless sacrifice’ saved countless lives in the Korean War

Affectionately called ‘angels in maroon berets’, the 60th Parachute Field Ambulance unit treated more than 200,000 people between 1950 and 1954.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Apr 12, 2022 · 11:30 am

How a steamer service from Calcutta transformed Rangoon from an overgrown village to a boomtown

A company started by two Scots in mid-19th century opened the floodgates for Indian immigration to Burma and changed parts of the country.

Ajay Kamalakaran

· Mar 30, 2022 · 11:30 am