Before Madras became Chennai in 1996, Madrasapattinam had to become Madras. How did this historic city begin? The story of Madras began in 1644 with Fort St. George. The British East India Company had been around since the 1600s and was aggressively expanding its business in the East Indies which included present day Eastern India and South East Asia. Securing land for ports at strategic

Between the 16th and 18th centuries many Europeans arrived in India to do business and set up colonies. But most never learnt any Indian languages. How did they get along?

Even a schoolboy knows that Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington. But how many of us know that Wellington spent his youth at Fort St. George, Madras (modern Chennai)?

This abandoned building partially hidden away by trees, sits quietly forgotten in a corner in the Fort area of Mumbai. Right opposite The Cathedral & John Connon School, the building with a fading sign-board tells you that this is the Parsi Lying-in hospital. What is its story?