History Stories

  ChatGPT said: Calcutta (now Kolkata) was a major strategic military base in World War II because of its location, infrastructure, and proximity to the Burma–China front . Here are the key reasons: 1. Gateway to the Eastern Front (Burma & China) Calcutta was the closest major port city to the Burma theatre of war. When Japan advanced into Burma (1942), Calcutta became the forward supply hub for Allied operations. Supplies for the China–Burma–India (CBI) theatre — including weapons, rations, aircraft parts — moved through Calcutta. 2. Major Port for the Allied Forces The Port of Calcutta was one of the busiest in Asia at the time. It handled massive volumes of American and British military cargo. The US Army’s “ India-Burma Theater ” used Calcutta as its primary logistics base for Lend-Lease supplies to China. 3. Base for the “Hump” Air Operations The dangerous air route over the Himalayas — called The Hump — started from airfields near Calcutta (B...

10 Key Ideas from The Happiness Hypothesis 1. The Mind Is Like a Rider and an Elephant Haidt’s central metaphor: Elephant = emotions, instincts, automatic reactions Rider = conscious reasoning Happiness requires training the elephant, not just giving the rider more logic. --- 2. Happiness Comes from Both Internal and External Conditions Neither “happiness is within” nor “happiness comes from outside” is fully true. You need both mental habits and supportive surroundings (relationships, community, meaningful work). --- 3. “Reciprocity” Drives Human Morality Humans deeply value fairness. We repay kindness and punish those who cheat. This reciprocity — “help those who help you” — is a foundation of social harmony. --- 4. The Negativity Bias Controls Us The mind reacts more strongly to threats than to positive events. This makes: criticism hurt more than praise bad news more powerful than good Happiness requires intentional effort to override this bias. --- 5. Changing Your Thinking Can Ch...

  1. Planter Associations and Racial Exclusivity The Dooars Planters Association , which included leading British firms like Duncan Brothers, excluded Indian planters from decision‑making and social club-like activities. Indian planters joining your typical road were expected to dismount and defer to British planters they encountered on public roads Taylor & Francis Online +2 Scribd +2 Scribd +2 . This formal exclusion reflects how social mixing—especially equality—was institutionally discouraged. 2. Colonial Ethnography and Racial Ideology Colonial intellectual traditions categorized Indians as inherently inferior or “uncivilised.” British planters relied on such frameworks—like Herbert Hope Risley’s caste and race schema—not only to manage labor but to justify social distance between rulers and subjects. These ideas strongly influenced corporate culture, endorsing strict segregation between British and Indian staff Wikipedia SAGE Journals . 3. Recruitment & Labor ...

  1. Colonial Racial Hierarchy and Segregation British companies like Duncans operated under a clear racially stratified worldview : British = rulers, administrators, and civilizers Indians = subjects or laborers 🔹 Socializing would challenge that hierarchy, which was central to maintaining colonial authority and exclusivity. 🍸 2. “Club Culture” and Exclusivity Duncans and other “Clubby” agency houses fostered a British-only corporate and social culture : British officers and executives belonged to elite clubs (like the Bengal Club) which excluded Indians —even elite, westernized Indians. Relationships were limited to “sahib-servant” dynamics, not equal colleagues. 🛡️ 3. Fear of Cultural Contamination or Political Influence There was a belief—especially post-1857 Revolt—that: Mixing with Indians might expose British employees to nationalist sentiments , or undermine their loyalty to Empire. Even friendly relationships were seen as potential threat...