How did the British deal with the unrelenting heat of Indian summers in the 1800s? This is a fascinating story from the history of an enterprising young American and his successful venture that brought much joy and relief to the British in India. This short video takes you to an unusual building at the Marina beach in Chennai – the Vivekanandar Illam, also called the Ice House of Madras. Read this article for the story of Frederic Tudor, and his unique business that got him the moniker of Ice-king.

What connects Yale University in Connecticut with St. Mary’s Church in Chennai, India?  Here’s an interesting story from history… Yale University is named after Elihu Yale, a Governor of Madras, India. But his professional and private lives were scandalous and he was eventually removed from the Governorship for his illegal trading. So why was Yale university named after him? You can read more about the Yale controversy in this blog.