#JaiBhim
Babasaheb Ambedkar is one of the greatest thinkers ever!

The architect of the Indian Constitution was undeniably a GENIUS!

A thread 🧵celebrating this icon who said "Cultivation of the mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence" As a member in the viceroy’s council from 1942 to 1946, Dr Ambedkar was instrumental in bringing about several labour reforms.

He changed working hours from 12 to 8 in 1942.

He also introduced DA, medical leaves & periodic revision of pay.

📸@roundtableind

Anil Kumble is one of India's greatest match winners. Today we talk about a a little known story of how a very much vegetarian Kumble ate 2 bears 🐻🐻

Setting the stage - 1995, hot and dry summer in the county championships in England. Kumble is playing for Northamptonshire. A Thread🧵 They were second in the table going to take on the first placed team Warwickshire. Warwickshire, though without Brian Lara, were defending champions and were leading the table at that time.

Few years later, Kumble would dismiss Lara looking like this.

Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) was incorporated in 1953 by the Government of India as a machine tool manufacturing company.

A watch division came up in Bengaluru in 1961. A guest thread 🧵about HMT by @nandyellidli If you suffer from #CollectibleLust, the first HMT hand-wound mechanical watch is likely the most coveted treasure among mechanical watch collectors.

Believe me, India boasts a thriving community of enthusiasts!

Krishna Kumar was a huge fan of Sunil Gavaskar. When his son was born in 1985, this Dinesh Suitings ad was doing the rounds.

He decided to name his son Dinesh as a way to honour Sunil Gavaskar. Dinesh Karthik represented India over 170 times.

A thread about cricketers named after other cricketers. 👇 Sunil Gavaskar is adored all over Trinidad. When Shadeed had his first daughter, he wanted to name her Sunili. But his wife Christina put her foot down against it - they eventually named her Arima.

But when they had a son - there was no option. He was named Sunil. Sunil Narine has won 2 IPL's for KKR and a T20 world cup for West Indies.

Temple rituals have fascinating origins!

Here is the story of how the 1982 Asian Games started a temple ritual that continues to this day.

A thread 🧵 Here's some context: Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, hosts the vibrant Thrissur Pooram festival annually at the Vadakkunathan Temple.

It takes place when the moon aligns with the Pooram star in the Malayalam month of Medam, typically around May.

India is a chess SUPERPOWER today! 🇮🇳

But did you know, our journey probably began with a carpenter from Bhopal who taught himself the game by observing others play at a tea stall?

A thread 🧵 about the forgotten genius, Rafiq Khan -- silver medalist @ the 1980 Chess Olympiad! In 1927, the inaugural Chess Olympiad took place in London, with Hungary emerging victorious.

While the Olympiad aims to recognize the top chess-playing nation, individuals are highlighted with a set of gold, silver and bronze medals!

He answered over 40,000 questions in his career! With this, he left behind a legacy of shattering taboos and offered practical education that our schools have long forgotten

A thread (🧵) on Dr. Mahinder Watsa, the genius behind the newspaper column "Ask the Sexpert". Dr. Mahinder Watsa the man behind the newspaper column "Ask the Sexpert" was known as Minny among his friends.

Dr. Watsa ran a sexology clinic and was a "Sexpert", his friends fondly called him "Sexy Watsa"!

The Miss World pageant was held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai recently.

In 1996, it was Bangalore that hosted Miss World!

The protests leading up to the event were so intense that the swimwear segment of the competition was relocated to Seychelles.

A thread 🧵 Amitabh Bachchan, then donning the corporate hat as chairman of ABCL, secured the rights to host the Miss World pageant in Bangalore.

The event was marred by demonstrations & threats of self-immolation. Protesters contended that the contest threatened India’s cultural heritage

Are you tired of all the over-the-top action movies? Well, back in early 1994, the Indian audience felt the same way. But then, things changed, and HOW!

"Hum Aapke Hain Koun" turns 30 this year!

This remake, yes, a remake, changed Indian cinema forever! A thread🧵 When @rajshri adapted Keshab Prasad Mishra's Hindi novel "Kohbar ki Shart" into a film, they made a small change: they altered the novel's ending.

This adaptation became "Nadiya Ke Paar," which was released on Jan 1, 1982.

Happy Women's Day!

We asked ChatGPT to create Women's Day posters inspired by leading Indian and global artists.

The results are fascinating! A thread🧵

#WomensDay poster in the style of Belur & Halebidu (Hoysala Empire style) We asked ChatGPT to create Women's Day posters inspired by leading Indian and global artists.

The results are fascinating!

#WomensDay poster in the style of Amrita Sher-Gil

Are you surrounded by constant negativity or irrational exuberance?

Do you crave some lighthearted comedy that could potentially bring some light and positivity back into our lives? We've got your covered!

A thread (🧵) on one of India's finest comedies, Gol Maal! Actor Bindiya Goswami felt perfectly at ease during the filming of the movie. Not only did she share the screen with a stellar cast, but the movie was also shot at director Hrishikesh Mukherjee's home, fittingly named "Bindiya!"

Until the 1997 Cricket World Cup hosted by India, countries like England, Australia, & New Zealand used to play in culottes or skirts!!

A Thread 🧵on the 1997 Hero Honda Cricket World Cup!





To take the story back a little, women’s world cups prior to 2005 were organized by International Women’s Cricket Council.

They merged with ICC in 2005. The world cup in 1997 was awarded to India and to be organized by Women’s Cricket Association of India.

The "Art" of Pro-Wrestling! A thread 🧵

Self-Portrait as a Lute Player

G̶i̶r̶l̶ Mami With A Pearl Earring

"It took him 24 years & 18000 feet to find himself" - This was the tagline of the film "Lakshya" that released in 2004.

The film narrates the story of an aimless rich youngster who joins the Indian Army and discovers his true goal!

A thread 🧵 Lakshya was written by @Javedakhtarjadu: He was told by senior army officers about the declining enrollments to the Indian army each year, prompting him to promise to write a film addressing the issue!

The script marked Akthar's comeback as a scriptwriter after ages!!

When Gulshan Kumar was murdered, @RGVzoomin thought:

If Gulshan Kumar woke up at 7, what time did the killer wake up? Did he ask his mom to wake him up for committing the murder? Did he have breakfast before or after the crime?

Thus, Satya was born!

A thread on this classic🧵 Crime drama has been a staple in Bollywood, but Satya
changed the way people viewed characters with “bearded sweaty faces” on screen.

Saurabh Shukla and @anuragkashyap72 wrote the film, and, @RGVzoomin CANCELLED the cliched narratives of loyalty, honor etc!

After two failed attempts at films, @AshGowariker's confidence was low.

He then conceived a story where a key battle is resolved by a cricket match. He pitched this to Aamir in 4 lines, who told him not to waste time on this.

A thread on Lagaan, a very, very special film! 🧵 Lagaan was @AshGowariker’s third foray into direction after his earlier two movies – Pehla Nasha and Baazi.

Baazi is famous for the “Item number” by Aamir Khan.

Pehla Nasha had Aamir and SRK in the same movie with some cringe worthy puns

It is said that this movie saved Goa tourism, which was suffering in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks.

What is definitely certain is that since the release of the film, taking a pic at the Chapora fort is now mandatory!

A thread on Dil Chahta Hai, a film that defined cool. Our thread starts with the idea of DCH - the story that @FarOutAkhtar wrote.

His childhood friend narrated a story to him - which became the outline for Akash.

Farhan frequented Goa a lot & also had a memorable trip to New York in 1996 all of which were combined in the script.

Listen to this masterpiece.

The instrument here is the Dilruba, played the legendary artist Dilruba Saroja.

In today's thread 🧵 we celebrate the achievements of some lesser known path breaking Indian women musicians. The percussion instrument of choice in Carnatic classical music is the Mridanga and Sumathi Ramamohana Rao is credited as one of the first women to play the Mridanga professionally.

"He who controls the media controls the minds of the public" - Noam Chomsky

The desire to control media is an age-old phenomenon. Today, we delve into freedom fighter Usha Mehta's life & the secret Congress radio station she popularized across India!

A Thread🧵 Dr. Mehta was born on 25th March 1920 near Surat. She was precocious AF, having been influenced by Gandhiji at a tender age.

She's reputed to have picketed liquor shops and participated in demonstrations against the Simon commission before she reached the age of 10!

What is a raga?

Did Kumara Gandharva really want Raghuram Rajan to come back?

Why did Teacher Joshi write “son of teacher Joshi” on his son's clothes?

Hindustani ragas in film music?

A thread 🧵about Hindustani Classical Music by the inimitable @shenoyn





Indian Classical Music was written down circa 200 BC to 400 AD, but it is probably much older.

Bharata wrote “Natya Shastra” which covered dance and music, but the detailed text for Indian classical music is the Dattilam, written by Bharata’s disciple, Dattila.

This is an important landmark in Chennai - it is called Vivekandar Illam as Swami Vivekananda stayed here when he visited Chennai.

But old timers call it ice house and it is one of the reasons why India has ice creams.

An interesting tale. 👇 Despite being a hot tropical country, ice wasn't really a requirement for most Indians.

Ice lollies were introduced in China, traveled to Central Asia via the Silk Route and was introduced to India by the Mughals.