1947: After decades of struggle India won its independence from Britain and Partition created two nations in one land … A ship left Bombay shortly afterwards: the SS Asturias. It was one of the first passenger ships to leave for Britain after independence. A Passage to Britain II: The Asturias
On its fifteen day journey the Asturias left Bombay and after stopping off at Aden and Port Said it docked at Southampton on 23 October 1947 … There’s over a 1,000 names. ibid.
Partition was a time of horrific violence across India and Pakistan, and refugees fled in one of the largest forced migrations in history. ibid.
More than 10,000 Poles were housed in camps in India set up by the British in support of their wartime allies. Ibid.
Here in Southampton that the great passenger liner The Batory docked on 4th March 1954. The 553 passengers on board had travelled over 7,000 miles from Bombay. A Passage to Britain III: The Batory
20% of the Indians and Pakistanis on board were heading to the Midlands. ibid.
India is a state where calls for genocide against Muslims are on the rise. There is a very direct call to violence to make India a Hindu nation. The prime minister of this country should have spoken against it. India: The Modi Question, BBC 2023
He is the leader of the world’s biggest democracy. He came to power promising a new age of prosperity. But his rule has been marred by religious turmoil. ibid.
‘The international stage makes him something of a pariah.’ ibid.
He was cleared of criminal conspiracy. A finding upheld by India’s highest court. But concerns will not go away. India: The Modi Question II
‘The victory for Mr Modi was interpreted as a mandate for the muscular nationalism that Mr Modi and his government has been projecting.’ ibid.
It’s just before dawn and I’m in one of the most sacred location for one of the world’s oldest faiths. Bettany Hughes, Exploring India’s Treasures I, Channel 4 2023
The splendid resonance of the treasure of India. ibid.
Home to 1.4 billion … with well over 3,000 archaeological sites. ibid.
Varanasi stretches along the Ganges … an important destination place for pilgrims. ibid.
Sufi shrines in Delhi … The celebration of positivity and tolerance is everywhere. ibid.
The Lakeside palaces of Udaipur … A sort of harmony here between the palaces and the lakes and the islands. ibid.
The Taj Mahal complex with its stunning secret gardens is in Agra. ibid.
Amritsar: A dip in the sacred water is believed to wash away bad karma … At its heart is the magnificent golden temple. ibid.
Southern India with its extraordinary cultural and geographical diversity. Here landscapes have made history. Bettany Hughes, Exploring India’s Treasures II
The Lost City of Hampi: One of the world’s greatest abandoned cities. ibid.
Who exactly were the people of Vijayanagara? Seven hundred years ago the Hindu rulers of Hampi extended their kingdom over most of southern India. ibid.
The Great Shiva Temple … Nilgiri mountains … Kerala … ibid.
August 1947: A nation is about to be born. Its founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, lands at the new capital Karachi … Even more than Gandhi, Jinnah shaped the turbulent events that unfolded fifty years ago. Secret History: Bloody Partition, Channel 4 1997
We present compelling evidence that until the end he didn’t want partition and that he never foresaw the full price of Pakistan. ibid.
‘One million people died. One million Hindus and Muslims across the border. And ten million people were uprooted. The biggest price that any country ever paid for such kind of operation.’ ibid. Rafiq Zakaria
India: 1.4 billion people and counting. It’s growth seems unstoppable. It’s beating heart – Mumbai. The boom town that was once Bombay. A city electric with opportunity. Where your billionaire neighbour might live with his skyscraper. Mumbai: Streets of Gold I, BBC 2024
To a world where too much is never enough. ibid.
With more millionaires and billionaires than anywhere else in the country, the privileged few enjoy a life of unparalleled luxury. ibid.
‘It’s a competition: space, money, time.’ ibid. famous dude
In the fast-paced world of Dubai everyone is dreaming big. Mumbai: Streets of Gold II
‘It’s a financial city. It’s very cosmopolitan.’ ibid. big cheese
Mumbai attracts about a thousand new residents every day. ibid.
‘It’s a competition: space, money, time.’ ibid. famous dude
As India looks to the coming century the baton is passed to the next generation. Mumbai: Streets of Gold III