Friends, finally, after some delay, my podcast with @kunalvijayakar on the History of the Bor Ghat railway line on @IVMPodcasts is live! It has come out well though the editing could have been a little better. I regret if there are any errors in the podcast. I would request you to watch it on YouTube in leisure (as it is 47 minutes long 🙂) and let me know how it came out! Thanks! 🙏 #podcast #IndianRailways #History piped.video/wVF2NIsF-DM?si=lgNH…

A group of people in Israel placed a microphone in a public space and invited ordinary Israelis to record their personal messages for braveheart Captain Smit Machchhar. And this is what they had to say… voices of gratitude, admiration and affection for an Indian pilot whose extraordinary courage touched more than an entire nation. 🇮🇳🇮🇱 #SmitMachchhar #pilot #bravery

Ajit Pal Singh, the World Cup-winning captain who was the centre-half in the team, served as an administrator, organizer, and Chef de Mission for India at major multi-sport events, while Ashok Kumar, the son of the legendary Major Dhyan Chand, who scored the winning goal in the final, later worked as an airline manager and hockey coach. Aslam Sher Khan, the full-back in the team who converted the vital penalty in the semi-final, later transitioned into politics and served as a Member of Parliament (MP) of @INCIndia from Betul. B. P. Govinda, the star forward, later served as a national team selector, while Harcharan Singh, who scored the extra-time winner in the semi-final against Malaysia, retired as a Brigadier from the Indian Army and was even awarded the VSM. #Hockey #WorldCup

An old hazy photo of a train led by WP 7352 at Howrah Jn from 1957! This loco belonged to a batch of 80 locomotives sourced from the Canadian Locomotive Company, Ontario, Canada, in 1949. These iconic WP engines—widely referred to as "Canadian" engines in India—became the backbone of prestigious routes, hauling legendary trains like the Taj Express and Grand Trunk Express through the 1960s and 1970s. Howrah served as a premier mainline passenger hub for the iconic WP-class 4-6-2 steam locomotives during the 1950s, anchoring the primary arterial routes out of Calcutta. managed premier long-distance "crack" passenger rakes—such as the Howrah–Madras Mail—powered by these versatile, high-speed locomotives before diesel and AC electrification took over the network in the late 1950s and 1960s. The standard-design WP class (many built by North American and Canadian builders or Baldwin/Philadelphia) provided the heavy passenger hauling capacity required across the Eastern Railway corridors. As the primary terminus for eastern India, the locomotive servicing facilities at Howrah coordinated continuous watering, coaling, and maintenance turns for high-priority inter-state passenger rosters. #IndianRailways #Howrah #History

Lunchtime humour - During exam.... Madam: Why are you so confused? Jassi: *silent* Madam: Did you forget your pen? Jassi: *silent* Madam: Forgot roll no? Jassi: *silent* Madam: Forgot calculator? Jassi: Oye chup kar ja maata! Etthey main parchi galat subject di lai aya, tennu pen, pencil di agg laggi ae! 😃😛😂

A design that hasn't been changed for 177 years - any such product with such a timeless and simple design? #safetypin

This is the story of the brand in the ad. And their velcro dhotis are the best and most convenient. They even come with a pocket for your mobile. I wear these dhotis whenever I go to temples or for religious or traditional functions. This brand has made wearing the dhoti simple, convenient and yes, fashionable. @Ramrajofficial #dhoti Video courtesy, @chiefsanjay!

Bengaluru in the 1990s - been there? Remember those days? #Bengaluru #memories @DrDeepakKrishn1 @bhatnaturally

Under Indian Railways rules, a platform ticket is valid strictly for 2 hours from the time of issue. Once this 2-hour window expires, the holder is treated as a person travelling without a ticket. Consequently, the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) is legally mandated to levy a minimum penalty of ₹500 (plus the cost of a platform ticket, making it roughly ₹510–₹520) for ticketless presence in the station area. The Indian Railways Commercial Manual does not provide any provision for the automatic extension of a platform ticket's validity, even if the train is significantly delayed by the railways itself. Legally, TTEs and station staff do not have the regulatory authority to waive fines or grant exemptions based on operational delays. The system operates on a rigid interpretation: if you are on the platform after 2 hours without a valid train travel ticket, you are in technical violation. This rule helps manage station crowds, improve security, and prevent unauthorized long-term loitering. A platform ticket allows you to enter the station to see off or receive family, but it does not grant permission to travel or stay indefinitely. Yes, the imposition of a fine in such a condition of delayed arrival of a train may seem unfair but one can compare with the rules for non-passengers at airports where they aren't even allowed entry inside the airport. If one has to drop a friend or a relative, and the stay has exceeded 2 hours, one should take the assistance of station authorities in case their relatives or friends require boarding assistance. Unpopular opinion, but that can be the best solution as of now. #IndianRailways #rules

#Sunday #humour - गांधी जयंती के दो दिन बाद... . . . आज गांधी जी के रास्ते पर चलने का मन किया... . . . . . . तो मैं... M G Road पर घूम कर आ गया!! 😃😛😂

Yesterday's Sudoku puzzle successfully completed today as we had guests at home yesterday. #Sudoku #puzzle

"The Postman" is the famous nickname for the former New Zealand cricketer Gavin Larsen. He was given this moniker because of his unerring accuracy, discipline, and relentless consistency as a right-arm medium bowler. Simply put, his teammates and fans joked that he "always delivered" tight, economical spells. Larsen finished his ODI career with a remarkably low economy rate of 3.76. #ThePostman #Cricket

In October 1928, Jagatjit Singh, the Maharaja of Kapurthala, together with his son, Tikka Raja Paramjit Singh, at the invitation of Alfonso XIII, the King of Spain, paid a visit to Madrid, the capital of Spain, and there they were accommodated at the Royal Palace. Though the Maharaja had a deeply personal history with Spain—having famously courted and married the Spanish flamenco dancer Anita Delgado there two decades prior—this 1928 visit was a high-profile diplomatic affair. A magnificent banquet was given by the King and Queen in the Maharaja Sahib's honour, at which, besides the members of the Royal Family, the whole Spanish Court was present. A shooting party was arranged for the Maharaja Sahib, at which the King himself accommodated him. In addition, the King also invested the Maharaja Sahib with the Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, one of the pre-eminent orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain. #Kapurthala #royalty #history

Entrance to the Golden Lily Tank, Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, circa 1890s.The Golden Lily Tank (also known as Potramarai Kulam or the Golden Lotus Tank) sits at the very heart of the Meenakshi Amman Temple complex in Madurai. The architecture immediately surrounding and overlooking this sacred tank represents the zenith of Dravidian temple architecture, largely constructed and refined during the Pandya and Nayak dynasties between the 12th and 17th centuries. The columns lining the steps down to the water feature highly intricate carvings of Yalis (mythical leonine beasts), which act as structural supports and symbolic guardians of the sacred waters. The tank is enveloped by grand, raised pillared corridors (Prakarams). The ceilings of these northern and eastern corridors are famous for their ancient, vibrant murals depicting scenes from the Thiruvilayadal Puranam (the divine sports of Lord Shiva) and the 64 miracles of Madurai. #Madurai #temple #history

Early 20th Century, Hornby Road, Bombay (Mumbai)! Hornby Road in Mumbai (now officially named Dadabhai Naoroji Road or DN Road) is a historic north-south commercial artery in South Mumbai's Fort district. • The road was named after William Hornby, who served as the British East India Company's Governor of Bombay from 1771 to 1784. It started as a narrow lane and minor street running along the perimeter of the old Bombay Fort. After the fort walls were torn down in the 1860s, the lane was transformed and broadened into a grand avenue during a major urban development boom from 1885 to 1919. It links Crawford Market (Mahatma Phule Market) to Flora Fountain (Hutatma Chowk), passing right past Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), functioning as a core nerve center for city trade and finance. The street is famous for its 19th- and early 20th-century Neo-Classical, Gothic Revival, and Indo-Saracenic buildings, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters and the Sir J. J. School of Art. #Mumbai #street #heritage #history @mumbaiheritage @dhavalkulkarni

Waves are inspiring. Not because they rise and fall but because they never fail to rise again. Good morning, friends, and have a great #Sunday! #SundayMotivation

Lunchtime humour - The boy and his parents returned home, after meeting a girl for a marriage proposal. Immediately, they received a call from the girl's side informing them that the girl is not interested in the proposal. The father of boy asked his son."What happened? During the function, both of you said you liked each other and afterwards you had a private conversation with her. What happened there?" The boy said. "Nothing paapa. There was an old man's photo framed and hanging on the wall. I asked whether it is her grandfather. She left the room without answering." Meanwhile, in the girl's house her father asked her. "Why have you said no after agreeing initially?" The girl said: The idiot could not recognise even Mahatma Gandhi's picture. 😃😛😂

A beautiful capture from 1974 of YAU-1 4-car EMUs leaving Madras Fort station! When 25 kV traction was introduced in this section in 1967, the rolling stock was changed to EMUs with motors and electricals from Toshiba or Hitachi, and were produced in ICF. @somnath1978 @sambitnk

Success will never lower its standards to accommodate us; we have to raise our standards to achieve it. Good morning, friends, and have a great weekend! 🙏 #WeekendWisdom

#DidYouKnow The growth of traffic on East Indian Railway during its early years far exceeded the expectations. By 1866, the railway was carrying 4 million passengers and 800,000 tonnes of freight every year. The single line was proving inadequate to take on this pressure. The company therefore adopted the policy of gradually doubling the line from time to time, considering the huge expenditure involved. In pursuance of this policy, it decided to double the line from Luckeesarai to Allahabad, which began slowly but was completed in 1871. #IndianRailways #History