Look at an Indian banknote and there is one face you will recognize immediately. Mahatma Gandhi. His portrait has been part of India’s banknotes for decades, and for many people it is difficult to imagine Indian currency without it. But Gandhi’s face was not always on Indian banknotes. In fact, the story is more complicated…
Author: Neha Singh
Neha Singh writes about Indian history, city origins, business histories and cultural stories. Her work focuses on researching historical records, archives, newspaper reports and institutional sources to explain how places, brands and traditions developed - Linkedin Profile
How Did Daytona Get Its Name? The Story Behind Daytona Beach
When people hear the word Daytona, many immediately think of fast cars, NASCAR, and the famous Daytona 500. But the city’s name actually comes from a man who arrived in Florida long before racing became part of its identity. The story of how Daytona got its name begins in the 1870s with Matthias Day Jr.,…
Why Do So Many Indian Places End With “Pur,” “Abad” and “Ganj”?
Have you ever noticed something unusual about Indian place names? Travel across India and you will repeatedly encounter names ending in Pur, Abad, Ganj, Nagar, Pura and other familiar words. Jaipur. Udaipur. Jodhpur. Ahmedabad. Hyderabad. Moradabad. Daryaganj. Hazratganj. At first, these names can seem unrelated. But many of these endings carry clues about the languages,…
Dr. Wu Lien-Teh: The Doctor Who Fought the Manchurian Plague
In the winter of 1910, a deadly epidemic began spreading through Manchuria, a region in northeastern China, killing people at an alarming rate and creating fear across towns, railway stations and crowded settlements. Doctors struggled to understand the disease, and many of the treatments available at the time offered little protection against an infection that…
How Did Corpus Christi Get Its Name? The Story Behind the Texas City
If you have ever wondered how Corpus Christi got its name, the answer goes back more than 500 years. The Texas coastal city takes its name from Corpus Christi Bay, which was named by Spanish explorer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda in 1519. The name comes from the Latin words Corpus Christi, meaning “Body of Christ,”…
How Did Vikhroli Get Its Name? The History Behind the Mumbai Suburb
If you travel on Mumbai’s Central Railway line, chances are you’ve passed through Vikhroli. Today, it is surrounded by apartment towers, offices, factories, busy roads and one of Mumbai’s important railway connections. But Vikhroli was not always an urban suburb. Long before it became associated with Godrej, railway commuters and Mumbai’s growing eastern suburbs, the…
The Hope Diamond: From India to the French Crown and the Smithsonian
Few gemstones have a history as complicated as the Hope Diamond. The deep blue diamond has passed through royal collections, survived the upheaval of the French Revolution, disappeared for years, resurfaced in London and eventually became one of the most famous objects at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Along the…
Nataraj and Apsara Pencils Share a Common Owner: The Story of Hindustan Pencils
If you grew up in India, there is a good chance you have used a Nataraj or Apsara pencil. Maybe it was the familiar red-and-black Nataraj in your school pencil box. Or perhaps you remember Apsara pencils from drawing classes, examinations or art projects. For years, many Indian students treated them as competing brands. But…
How Darjeeling Became the British Summer Retreat
Darjeeling recently faced heavy rain and landslides, leaving hundreds of tourists and local residents stranded. If you are from Bengal, you probably know that Darjeeling is a favourite holiday spot, especially during the Durga Puja season. This tradition actually goes back to the colonial days. The quiet town that once had only a few local…
The Hidden Story of India’s ₹10,000 Rupee Note Before 1947
You usually see banknotes of ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, and ₹500 in daily use. Before demonetization, you also used ₹1,000 notes. Some of you may have even seen old and rare notes like ₹1, ₹2, and ₹5. After demonetization, the government introduced a new ₹500 note and a new ₹2,000 note. You might think that…