July 22, 2026
‘Cycle of retaliation’: US lawmakers write to Yunus, express concern over banning Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League

‘Cycle of retaliation’: US lawmakers write to Yunus, express concern over banning Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Five US lawmakers expressed concern amid the crisis in Bangladesh and wrote to Mohammed Yunus to reconsider the decision to fully suspend the activity of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. “It is vital that the interim government work with parties across the political spectrum to create the conditions for free and fair elections that allow the…

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NEW DELHI: When the Tamil Nadu assembly meets at Fort St George on Wednesday for the trust vote of chief minister-designate Vijay, the immediate question will be whether the actor-turned-politician has the numbers to survive his first major constitutional test. But the bigger political story may lie on the other side of the aisle.The trust vote, at least now, looks less like a test of Vijay’s government and more like a defining trial for the AIADMK — the party founded by MG Ramachandran that once embodied the anti-DMK pole in state politics and now appears to be staring at yet another internal rupture since the deaths of MGR and J Jayalalithaa.The dramatic twist before the voteJust a day before the floor test, the crisis moved from whispers to open rebellion. Vijay personally visited the residence of senior AIADMK rebel leader C Ve Shanmugam in Chennai, a striking image that instantly intensified speculation that a section of the opposition party was preparing to break ranks.About 30 MLAs are believed to be in the rebel camp that has questioned Palaniswami’s leadership following the party’s debacle in the April 23 assembly polls. The party won only 47 out of the 164 seats it contested. Along with senior leader SP Velumani, Shanmugam has accused party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami of trying to explore an understanding with the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to keep Vijay away from power.”In the recently concluded election, we faced defeat. Not only in the recently concluded election, but also in the previous election, we suffered defeat. We asked our General Secretary to convene a General Council meeting to discuss the reasons behind these electoral defeats and to take further action in the interest and development of the party. Some people proposed that we, as the AIADMK legislative party, should form a government with the support of the DMK. This proposal goes against the founding principles of our party because the AIADMK was founded to uproot the DMK, which we consider an evil force in Tamil Nadu,” he said.The allegation is politically explosive not merely because of the numbers involved, but because AIADMK was founded in opposition to the DMK. Any suggestion of the two Dravidian rivals joining hands, even tactically, cuts against the party’s foundational identity.The numbers matter, but not in the obvious wayThe 234-member assembly requires 118 for a majority. TVK won 108 seats, and after Vijay vacated his seat following his elevation as chief minister, its effective strength stands at 107 until a bypoll. Congress, VCK and Left allies have pushed his coalition over the majority line, but only narrowly.That makes every abstention or rebellion significant.Yet Vijay’s own position is no longer the central suspense. Even before the floor test, he has already achieved the political feat that matters most: he has broken the 59-year-old duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK and emerged as the single largest force in Tamil Nadu.If he wins, he forms the first coalition government led by a new Dravidian-era entrant. If he loses, he still walks away as the leader who upended the state’s political order in his very first election.AIADMK does not have that luxury.This is AIADMK’s referendumFor AIADMK, the floor test could become a public measure of whether the party remains a coherent political institution or is entering terminal decline.The party won 47 seats in the April 23 election, a poor showing by its historic standards but still enough to remain relevant. However, if nearly 30 MLAs defy the leadership line, it would signal that the real collapse has begun not in the electorate but inside the legislature.Edappadi Palaniswami has reportedly issued a strict whip to keep all MLAs together. But in such moments, the symbolism of defiance matters as much as legal consequences. Even if anti-defection proceedings follow, a visible split during a trust vote would mark the first major transfer of political loyalty from AIADMK to TVK.That is what makes this floor test so consequential. It is not about whether Vijay can gather five extra votes. It is about whether AIADMK can stop losing its own people to the new centre of gravity.Why the rebels matter beyond numbersThe rebel leaders are not fringe dissidents. Shanmugam and Velumani are among the party’s established regional power centres. Their revolt indicates dissatisfaction not just with a tactical decision but with the direction of the party under Palaniswami.Their public argument is revealing: supporting Vijay is being pitched as a return to AIADMK’s original anti-DMK mission.That suggests the rebels see TVK, not AIADMK, as the legitimate inheritor of anti-DMK politics. In effect, they are arguing that Vijay has become what AIADMK used to be, the principal opposition to DMK.The shadow of old splitsTamil Nadu has seen AIADMK splits before. After MGR’s death in 1987, the party fractured between the factions led by VN Janaki and Jayalalithaa. After Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, the OPS-EPS split nearly tore it apart again.But those were succession battles. Both sides still fought to claim the same legacy.The current rebellion looks a little different. The rebel camp’s language — “new life to AIADMK”, “Amma rule should return”, while supporting TVK, is significant. This rebellion raises the possibility that parts of the party may decide the AIADMK legacy itself has run its course and can be transferred to a new political formation.”The people’s mandate is not for TVK, it is for chief minister Vijay,” said Shanmugam. The language implies they see Vijay not as an outsider, but as a possible continuation of the emotional mass politics once monopolised by AIADMK.DMK’s unusual comfortThe DMK’s response has also underlined how unusual the moment is. It has flatly denied any post-poll talks with AIADMK and insists it will sit in opposition.That means DMK may be content to let its two rivals weaken each other.If Vijay survives with rebel AIADMK support, DMK gets an opposition role while watching AIADMK implode. If Vijay fails, he remains politically wounded in governance terms, but AIADMK still faces accusations that its infighting prevented a stable government.In either scenario, AIADMK risks emerging as the biggest loser.The real battle is for ‘two leaves’For decades, AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ symbol represented a complete political ecosystem — MGR charisma, Jayalalithaa welfare populism and a deeply embedded anti-DMK identity. Vijay’s rise has disrupted that.Like MGR, he is a film star entering politics with an enormous fan network. Like Jayalalithaa, he has quickly turned emotional appeal into electoral momentum. To many voters, he looks less like a new experiment and more like a revival of an older Tamil political formula.That is why the floor test is not merely a constitutional exercise. It is a battle over inheritance.If AIADMK’s MLAs cross over, abstain, or even publicly waver, the symbolism will be unmistakable: the party founded by MGR may be ceding its own political DNA to another actor-led movement.By Wednesday evening, Vijay may or may not prove his majority on the assembly floor.But the more enduring question may be whether AIADMK can prove it still has one of its own.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosOpposition Slams Centre Over NEET Leak; Claims Of Mafia, Collusion And System FailureNEET-UG Cancelled, Anand Kumar Demands China-Like Crackdown On Coaching System ReformsNEET UG 2026 Cancelled After Probe Finds Major Question Matches In Leak PDFUdhayanidhi Stalin’s Fresh ‘Eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ Remark Triggers Massive BJP Backlash In TNNTA Scraps NEET UG 2026 Over ‘Guess Paper’ Leak, Re-Exam Dates To Be Announced | WatchFIR Filed Against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi Over Alleged Remarks Against PM ModiCBI Takes Over Probe Into Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath, Forms 7-Member SITAIADMK Faces Biggest Split Since Jayalalithaa Era As Rebel Faction Extends Support To Vijay’s TVKTamil Nadu CM Vijay Orders Shutdown Of 717 TASMAC Shops Near Temples, Schools And Bus StandsCongress Expands Kerala CM Consultations As Satheesan-Venugopal Battle Intensifies123Photostories10 proven ways to sharpen your concentration and focus at workDoctors are warning about cancer’s ‘pre-diagnosis phase’ where symptoms exist but clear answers often don’tMissed Mother’s Day? 10 thoughtful ways to make your mother feel special this week5 ‘dirtiest’ spots in your kitchen you’re probably forgetting to clean, NYC doc revealsWooden vs Marble Chakla Belan: Which one is better and tips to improve their shelf lifeWhy humans once ate dirt and some still do todayHair oil or hair conditioner: Which is better to stop hair fall in summersCricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy’s ₹3 crore Visakhapatnam home is a perfect picture of success, family bond and coastal calmSuccess quote of the day by Confucius: “Success depends upon…”Your expensive skincare may not work until you fix your gut: Doctors explain the surprising skin-digestion connection123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultRaj SinghBandi Sanjay KumarPune child rape-murder caseLPG stockNEET exam cancelledModi on Gold and WFHTop TrendingTamil Nadu CMBhagwant Mann CousinIPL Points TableFifa World Cup 2026 ScheduleVijay AstrologerHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026AIADMK splitHighway Toll DuesBhuvneshwar Kumar

NEW DELHI: When the Tamil Nadu assembly meets at Fort St George on Wednesday for the trust vote of chief minister-designate Vijay, the immediate question will be whether the actor-turned-politician has the numbers to survive his first major constitutional test. But the bigger political story may lie on the other side of the aisle.The trust vote, at least now, looks less like a test of Vijay’s government and more like a defining trial for the AIADMK — the party founded by MG Ramachandran that once embodied the anti-DMK pole in state politics and now appears to be staring at yet another internal rupture since the deaths of MGR and J Jayalalithaa.The dramatic twist before the voteJust a day before the floor test, the crisis moved from whispers to open rebellion. Vijay personally visited the residence of senior AIADMK rebel leader C Ve Shanmugam in Chennai, a striking image that instantly intensified speculation that a section of the opposition party was preparing to break ranks.About 30 MLAs are believed to be in the rebel camp that has questioned Palaniswami’s leadership following the party’s debacle in the April 23 assembly polls. The party won only 47 out of the 164 seats it contested. Along with senior leader SP Velumani, Shanmugam has accused party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami of trying to explore an understanding with the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to keep Vijay away from power.”In the recently concluded election, we faced defeat. Not only in the recently concluded election, but also in the previous election, we suffered defeat. We asked our General Secretary to convene a General Council meeting to discuss the reasons behind these electoral defeats and to take further action in the interest and development of the party. Some people proposed that we, as the AIADMK legislative party, should form a government with the support of the DMK. This proposal goes against the founding principles of our party because the AIADMK was founded to uproot the DMK, which we consider an evil force in Tamil Nadu,” he said.The allegation is politically explosive not merely because of the numbers involved, but because AIADMK was founded in opposition to the DMK. Any suggestion of the two Dravidian rivals joining hands, even tactically, cuts against the party’s foundational identity.The numbers matter, but not in the obvious wayThe 234-member assembly requires 118 for a majority. TVK won 108 seats, and after Vijay vacated his seat following his elevation as chief minister, its effective strength stands at 107 until a bypoll. Congress, VCK and Left allies have pushed his coalition over the majority line, but only narrowly.That makes every abstention or rebellion significant.Yet Vijay’s own position is no longer the central suspense. Even before the floor test, he has already achieved the political feat that matters most: he has broken the 59-year-old duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK and emerged as the single largest force in Tamil Nadu.If he wins, he forms the first coalition government led by a new Dravidian-era entrant. If he loses, he still walks away as the leader who upended the state’s political order in his very first election.AIADMK does not have that luxury.This is AIADMK’s referendumFor AIADMK, the floor test could become a public measure of whether the party remains a coherent political institution or is entering terminal decline.The party won 47 seats in the April 23 election, a poor showing by its historic standards but still enough to remain relevant. However, if nearly 30 MLAs defy the leadership line, it would signal that the real collapse has begun not in the electorate but inside the legislature.Edappadi Palaniswami has reportedly issued a strict whip to keep all MLAs together. But in such moments, the symbolism of defiance matters as much as legal consequences. Even if anti-defection proceedings follow, a visible split during a trust vote would mark the first major transfer of political loyalty from AIADMK to TVK.That is what makes this floor test so consequential. It is not about whether Vijay can gather five extra votes. It is about whether AIADMK can stop losing its own people to the new centre of gravity.Why the rebels matter beyond numbersThe rebel leaders are not fringe dissidents. Shanmugam and Velumani are among the party’s established regional power centres. Their revolt indicates dissatisfaction not just with a tactical decision but with the direction of the party under Palaniswami.Their public argument is revealing: supporting Vijay is being pitched as a return to AIADMK’s original anti-DMK mission.That suggests the rebels see TVK, not AIADMK, as the legitimate inheritor of anti-DMK politics. In effect, they are arguing that Vijay has become what AIADMK used to be, the principal opposition to DMK.The shadow of old splitsTamil Nadu has seen AIADMK splits before. After MGR’s death in 1987, the party fractured between the factions led by VN Janaki and Jayalalithaa. After Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, the OPS-EPS split nearly tore it apart again.But those were succession battles. Both sides still fought to claim the same legacy.The current rebellion looks a little different. The rebel camp’s language — “new life to AIADMK”, “Amma rule should return”, while supporting TVK, is significant. This rebellion raises the possibility that parts of the party may decide the AIADMK legacy itself has run its course and can be transferred to a new political formation.”The people’s mandate is not for TVK, it is for chief minister Vijay,” said Shanmugam. The language implies they see Vijay not as an outsider, but as a possible continuation of the emotional mass politics once monopolised by AIADMK.DMK’s unusual comfortThe DMK’s response has also underlined how unusual the moment is. It has flatly denied any post-poll talks with AIADMK and insists it will sit in opposition.That means DMK may be content to let its two rivals weaken each other.If Vijay survives with rebel AIADMK support, DMK gets an opposition role while watching AIADMK implode. If Vijay fails, he remains politically wounded in governance terms, but AIADMK still faces accusations that its infighting prevented a stable government.In either scenario, AIADMK risks emerging as the biggest loser.The real battle is for ‘two leaves’For decades, AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ symbol represented a complete political ecosystem — MGR charisma, Jayalalithaa welfare populism and a deeply embedded anti-DMK identity. Vijay’s rise has disrupted that.Like MGR, he is a film star entering politics with an enormous fan network. Like Jayalalithaa, he has quickly turned emotional appeal into electoral momentum. To many voters, he looks less like a new experiment and more like a revival of an older Tamil political formula.That is why the floor test is not merely a constitutional exercise. It is a battle over inheritance.If AIADMK’s MLAs cross over, abstain, or even publicly waver, the symbolism will be unmistakable: the party founded by MGR may be ceding its own political DNA to another actor-led movement.By Wednesday evening, Vijay may or may not prove his majority on the assembly floor.But the more enduring question may be whether AIADMK can prove it still has one of its own.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosOpposition Slams Centre Over NEET Leak; Claims Of Mafia, Collusion And System FailureNEET-UG Cancelled, Anand Kumar Demands China-Like Crackdown On Coaching System ReformsNEET UG 2026 Cancelled After Probe Finds Major Question Matches In Leak PDFUdhayanidhi Stalin’s Fresh ‘Eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ Remark Triggers Massive BJP Backlash In TNNTA Scraps NEET UG 2026 Over ‘Guess Paper’ Leak, Re-Exam Dates To Be Announced | WatchFIR Filed Against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi Over Alleged Remarks Against PM ModiCBI Takes Over Probe Into Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath, Forms 7-Member SITAIADMK Faces Biggest Split Since Jayalalithaa Era As Rebel Faction Extends Support To Vijay’s TVKTamil Nadu CM Vijay Orders Shutdown Of 717 TASMAC Shops Near Temples, Schools And Bus StandsCongress Expands Kerala CM Consultations As Satheesan-Venugopal Battle Intensifies123Photostories10 proven ways to sharpen your concentration and focus at workDoctors are warning about cancer’s ‘pre-diagnosis phase’ where symptoms exist but clear answers often don’tMissed Mother’s Day? 10 thoughtful ways to make your mother feel special this week5 ‘dirtiest’ spots in your kitchen you’re probably forgetting to clean, NYC doc revealsWooden vs Marble Chakla Belan: Which one is better and tips to improve their shelf lifeWhy humans once ate dirt and some still do todayHair oil or hair conditioner: Which is better to stop hair fall in summersCricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy’s ₹3 crore Visakhapatnam home is a perfect picture of success, family bond and coastal calmSuccess quote of the day by Confucius: “Success depends upon…”Your expensive skincare may not work until you fix your gut: Doctors explain the surprising skin-digestion connection123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultRaj SinghBandi Sanjay KumarPune child rape-murder caseLPG stockNEET exam cancelledModi on Gold and WFHTop TrendingTamil Nadu CMBhagwant Mann CousinIPL Points TableFifa World Cup 2026 ScheduleVijay AstrologerHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026AIADMK splitHighway Toll DuesBhuvneshwar Kumar

Vamsikrishna06 mins mins

NEW DELHI: When the Tamil Nadu assembly meets at Fort St George on Wednesday for the trust vote of chief minister-designate Vijay, the immediate question will be whether the actor-turned-politician has the numbers to survive his first major constitutional test. But the bigger political story may lie on the other side of the aisle.The trust…

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Centre asks states to double daily supply of 5-kg LPG cylinders for migrant workers, says no shortage reported

Centre asks states to double daily supply of 5-kg LPG cylinders for migrant workers, says no shortage reported

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

The ministry of petroleum and natural gas on Tuesday directed states and Union territories to double the daily supply of 5-kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders meant for migrant labourers, even as the Centre said the overall LPG supply situation in the country remains stable and under control.In a letter to all chief secretaries, petroleum…

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How New York City schools are using AI-powered teaching assistants to raise reading achievement

How New York City schools are using AI-powered teaching assistants to raise reading achievement

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

With Reading Scores Lagging, NYC Schools Pilot AI Teaching Assistants The New York City public schools are looking for innovative methods to facilitate learning in students by incorporating artificial intelligence into the classroom. According to a report by The 74, the superintendents in the Bronx and Brooklyn have tested the use of AI teaching assistants…

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Sri Lanka 2/0 in 0.1 Overs

Sri Lanka 2/0 in 0.1 Overs

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

West Indies vs Sri Lanka, first Test Day 1 Live Score: West Indies won the toss and opted to field first in the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Vivian Richards Stadium, anticipating early assistance for their pace attack on a grass-covered surface. The hosts named a four-pronged fast-bowling unit comprising Alzarri Joseph, Shamar…

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Some of the sounds of Ajmer are age-old. Like the cry of the azaan at the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Or the bells of Mayo College, ringing through corridors trod by the sons of the well-known and well-heeled. A third, perhaps less perceptible now, is provided by the sirens at Ajmer Railway Workshop, which quietly chugs into its 150th year in Aug, mostly without remark but still bearing a precious part of the city’s identity.If the dargah brings seekers of the 13th century Sufi mystic’s grace from near and far — as it drew Mughal Emperor Akbar over four centuries back — and the school imparts an aristocratic gloss to the city, it is the railway workshop that gave Ajmer a remarkably cosmopolitan character, still very much evident even if not as palpable as it once was.Melting PotSet up in 1876 — a year after the opening of Mayo Colege — under the Rajputana-Malwa Railway, what began as a modest repair facility grew into a key pillar of Indian Railways. It was also the third-oldest railway workshop in undivided India.But its story runs beyond machines and tracks. British and Jewish engineers, Parsi technicians, and workers from present-day UP, Gujarat, Kerala and Maharashtra didn’t just work here — they settled, built homes, and formed communities. Over time, their presence gave Ajmer a distinctly cosmopolitan character, still visible in colonial bungalows, old railway institutes, churches, the Jewish cemetery near Ana Sagar, Parsi fire temples, and markets shaped by trading families like the Agarwals.Some railway colonies still carry fading Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (BB&CI) markings on their walls. In older neighbourhoods near the workshop, rusted iron gates, century-old rainwater pipes and sloping tiled roofs survive amid newer construction. In many ways, the workshop became the centre around which modern Ajmer grew.The workshop’s arc also mirrors national history: from building India’s first indigenously made steam locomotive in 1895 to becoming a munitions hub during WW-I. During the war years, it produced artillery like 12-pounder guns and thousands of howitzer shells, and built fully equipped armoured trains fitted with machine guns and communication systems for deployment in war zones such as Mesopotamia.But the workshop’s most enduring impact may be social. As the railway network drew people from across India and abroad, Ajmer became one of Rajasthan’s earliest cosmopolitan cities.Enduring SignsBritish and Anglo-Indian communities established clubs, churches and residential colonies that shaped Ajmer’s colonial character. The Railway Institute became a major social centre with ballrooms, and sports and cultural events.The workshop also reshaped Ajmer’s urban landscape: planned colonies, churches, officers’ bungalows and institutional campuses grew around the railway zone, leaving a colonial imprint that still survives in parts of the city.Ajmer railway workshopBengalis arrived largely as teachers, clerks and railway officials. Institutions like Mayo College attracted Bengali educators who contributed to literature, theatre and music in the city. Gujarati traders expanded businesses in textiles, grain trade and transport, while Agarwal businessmen became deeply linked with Ajmer’s commercial economy.Prashant Patel, a fourth-generation Gujarati tobacco businessman, recalled stories of his great-grandfather, who moved from Gujarat to Ajmer for business after the railways arrived. “Ajmer embraced us like its own. Not only have we preserved our cultural practices, but Gujarati continues to be widely spoken in Ajmer’s trading communities,” said Patel.Sister Pearl, principal of Sophia College, said the railways also helped seed institutions such as Mayo College, Sophia College, St. Anselm’s School and several convent schools, laying the foundation for the city’s educational culture. “Even the railways opened a school for British children and others. The attendance sheets are still preserved, and many people who spent their childhood here continue to visit the place,” she said.Parsis played an important role in the workshop’s technical development, arriving as engineers, technicians and supervisors. Their mechanical expertise made them indispensable in the early decades of railway expansion. Hosi Dorabshah, 78, living in Mount Abu, represents the fourth generation of his family to serve in railways. “My great-grandfather came to Ajmer from Gujarat and served in the railways. I also retired as a guard,” he said.Calling himself part of the “last generation” of Parsis in railway service, Dorabshah said there are now around 28 Parsis living in Mount Abu and about 15 in Ajmer — among the last remaining members of the community in the state. “My children have discontinued the tradition of joining the railways, and I expect that the younger generation will eventually move to Mumbai or Gujarat,” said Dorabshah.Many old Parsi and AngloIndian homes now stand locked or have been sold as younger generations migrate to Mumbai, Pune and abroad. Some railway quarters that once housed large Parsi families are now occupied by elderly couples or caretakers.Ajmer’s small Jewish community also arrived in the railway era. Nearly 300-400 Jews once lived in the city, many linked to railways. Today, the Jewish cemetery near Ana Sagar remains among the few visible traces of Rajasthan’s Jewish heritage.The workshop has continued evolving with railway technology. From nearly 15,000 at its early-20th-century peak, the workforce now stands at around 4,500 due to modernisation, and restructuring. Today, it maintains modern coaches and locomotive stock, freight wagons and premium trains, including Palace on Wheels and Vande Bharat.Get the latest India news and live updates. 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Some of the sounds of Ajmer are age-old. Like the cry of the azaan at the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Or the bells of Mayo College, ringing through corridors trod by the sons of the well-known and well-heeled. A third, perhaps less perceptible now, is provided by the sirens at Ajmer Railway Workshop, which quietly chugs into its 150th year in Aug, mostly without remark but still bearing a precious part of the city’s identity.If the dargah brings seekers of the 13th century Sufi mystic’s grace from near and far — as it drew Mughal Emperor Akbar over four centuries back — and the school imparts an aristocratic gloss to the city, it is the railway workshop that gave Ajmer a remarkably cosmopolitan character, still very much evident even if not as palpable as it once was.Melting PotSet up in 1876 — a year after the opening of Mayo Colege — under the Rajputana-Malwa Railway, what began as a modest repair facility grew into a key pillar of Indian Railways. It was also the third-oldest railway workshop in undivided India.But its story runs beyond machines and tracks. British and Jewish engineers, Parsi technicians, and workers from present-day UP, Gujarat, Kerala and Maharashtra didn’t just work here — they settled, built homes, and formed communities. Over time, their presence gave Ajmer a distinctly cosmopolitan character, still visible in colonial bungalows, old railway institutes, churches, the Jewish cemetery near Ana Sagar, Parsi fire temples, and markets shaped by trading families like the Agarwals.Some railway colonies still carry fading Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (BB&CI) markings on their walls. In older neighbourhoods near the workshop, rusted iron gates, century-old rainwater pipes and sloping tiled roofs survive amid newer construction. In many ways, the workshop became the centre around which modern Ajmer grew.The workshop’s arc also mirrors national history: from building India’s first indigenously made steam locomotive in 1895 to becoming a munitions hub during WW-I. During the war years, it produced artillery like 12-pounder guns and thousands of howitzer shells, and built fully equipped armoured trains fitted with machine guns and communication systems for deployment in war zones such as Mesopotamia.But the workshop’s most enduring impact may be social. As the railway network drew people from across India and abroad, Ajmer became one of Rajasthan’s earliest cosmopolitan cities.Enduring SignsBritish and Anglo-Indian communities established clubs, churches and residential colonies that shaped Ajmer’s colonial character. The Railway Institute became a major social centre with ballrooms, and sports and cultural events.The workshop also reshaped Ajmer’s urban landscape: planned colonies, churches, officers’ bungalows and institutional campuses grew around the railway zone, leaving a colonial imprint that still survives in parts of the city.Ajmer railway workshopBengalis arrived largely as teachers, clerks and railway officials. Institutions like Mayo College attracted Bengali educators who contributed to literature, theatre and music in the city. Gujarati traders expanded businesses in textiles, grain trade and transport, while Agarwal businessmen became deeply linked with Ajmer’s commercial economy.Prashant Patel, a fourth-generation Gujarati tobacco businessman, recalled stories of his great-grandfather, who moved from Gujarat to Ajmer for business after the railways arrived. “Ajmer embraced us like its own. Not only have we preserved our cultural practices, but Gujarati continues to be widely spoken in Ajmer’s trading communities,” said Patel.Sister Pearl, principal of Sophia College, said the railways also helped seed institutions such as Mayo College, Sophia College, St. Anselm’s School and several convent schools, laying the foundation for the city’s educational culture. “Even the railways opened a school for British children and others. The attendance sheets are still preserved, and many people who spent their childhood here continue to visit the place,” she said.Parsis played an important role in the workshop’s technical development, arriving as engineers, technicians and supervisors. Their mechanical expertise made them indispensable in the early decades of railway expansion. Hosi Dorabshah, 78, living in Mount Abu, represents the fourth generation of his family to serve in railways. “My great-grandfather came to Ajmer from Gujarat and served in the railways. I also retired as a guard,” he said.Calling himself part of the “last generation” of Parsis in railway service, Dorabshah said there are now around 28 Parsis living in Mount Abu and about 15 in Ajmer — among the last remaining members of the community in the state. “My children have discontinued the tradition of joining the railways, and I expect that the younger generation will eventually move to Mumbai or Gujarat,” said Dorabshah.Many old Parsi and AngloIndian homes now stand locked or have been sold as younger generations migrate to Mumbai, Pune and abroad. Some railway quarters that once housed large Parsi families are now occupied by elderly couples or caretakers.Ajmer’s small Jewish community also arrived in the railway era. Nearly 300-400 Jews once lived in the city, many linked to railways. Today, the Jewish cemetery near Ana Sagar remains among the few visible traces of Rajasthan’s Jewish heritage.The workshop has continued evolving with railway technology. From nearly 15,000 at its early-20th-century peak, the workforce now stands at around 4,500 due to modernisation, and restructuring. Today, it maintains modern coaches and locomotive stock, freight wagons and premium trains, including Palace on Wheels and Vande Bharat.Get the latest India news and live updates. 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Some of the sounds of Ajmer are age-old. Like the cry of the azaan at the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Or the bells of Mayo College, ringing through corridors trod by the sons of the well-known and well-heeled. A third, perhaps less perceptible now, is provided by the sirens at Ajmer Railway Workshop, which…

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