Explore the history of the Armenian Church in Old Dhaka and the Armenian merchants of Armanitola, and their lasting impact on the city’s trade and education. Armenian church When I was working in Bangladesh, I travelled widely across the country. I was based at Dhaka, the capital, a city where history hides in fading façades, old courtyards, and even street names. One morning, while wandering through the narrow lanes of Old Dhaka, replete with rickshaws and a web of electric

Gandhara bent bar coins A coin is a small piece of metal stamped with a value and represents the authority and trust of a ruler or state. Ancient coins are valuable historical evidence; they reflect the wealth of their time. The places from where they are unearthed help us trace ancient trade routes and political boundaries. Coins also hold the names of rulers, religious symbols, artistic styles, languages, and the culture of their period. Recently, I spent a week with Dr. Te

Discover how Bhutan transformed postage stamps into global collectibles—from 3D stamps and talking ones to steel, CD, and NFT issues. A small country with limited presence on the world stage often escapes global attention. Bhutan made itself visible to the world through its postage stamps. In the 1960s, when most nations treated stamps as simple proofs of payment, Bhutan redefined them as objects of art, innovation, and diplomacy. In this blog, I look at what sparked this cre