Apart from the English, India had a strong business relationship with the people of Scotland during the pre-independence period. In fact, many British commercial companies and banks in Calcutta were either founded by or run by the Scotsmen. Examples in support of the matter can be cited without a second

During the British rule, the Insurance sector in India was monopolized by the British Insurance Companies and the said British Companies operating India offered policies only to the Europeans. Among all such companies the Oriental Government Security Life Assurance Company was the pioneer to break the system. They started their

During the British rule, the Insurance sector in India was naturally dominated by the British Insurance Companies. However, initially even the British insurance companies were  reluctant to allow their policyholders to travel, let alone to live in the colonies, due to the very high mortality rate resulting from unhygienic  living

Located at the corner of BBD Bag (South) and Red Cross Place (formally Wellesley Place) and situated at 32 and 32A BBD Bag, the Standard Life Assurance Building – better known as Standard Building, was designed under the supervision of Frederick William Stevens. Frederick William was the consulting architect of

There was a time, when Strand Road was under the water of Hooghly River and sailors used to frequent the neighbouring area, where the Calcutta Police Headquarters stands now. Today the locality is better known as Lalbazar. During those early days the area next to the Tank Square or the

Prince Dwarkanath Tagore was a corporate minded entrepreneur. He had a vision with innovative ideas. He was a rich businessman in the 40s of the 19th. Century, owned diversified business, along with quite a number of collieries in Raniganj and Rajmahal area. With the aim of transporting coal from his

The telegraph and the telephone services were introduced in India in 1882, and today, the Central Telegraph Office in Calcutta occupies two magnificent heritage buildings in the southern side of Dalhousie Square. One of the buildings is older and the other is considerably new. Before 1757, the site of the

Located at the corner of Dalhousie Square East and Dalhousie Square South, the Old Telegraph Office is popularly known as the Dead Letter Office. This remarkably beautiful building was designed in 1868, and completed in 1876, during the tenure of Lord Lytton, the then Governor General of the British India. The telegraph,

The imposing building of the General Post Office of Calcutta, situated on the western side of the Tank Square (Dalhousie Square), is considered by many as one of the conspicuous landmarks of the city. The postal system was introduced in Calcutta by Warren Hastings in 1774 and the first Post Office

Located on Clive Street (NS Road), and sandwiched between GPO and the Reserve Bank of India, the three storyed red-brick building of Calcutta Collectorate is a graceful and well-maintained heritage building of Colonial Calcutta. It was constructed in 1892, on the site of the old Customs Building and the furthest