Ball Tower & Time Gun at Fort William, Kolkata, India

Time Gun of Seventeenth Century (Personal album)

Imagine yourself as a captain of a merchant ship in the eighteenth or nineteenth century, having traversed vast oceans and diverse time zones. After a long voyage from Zanzibar, you have brought an exquisite cargo: exotic gems, piles of ivory, and countless treasures, to trade at the bustling port of Kolkata, then known as Calcutta. Your ship's clocks are still set to the time of Zanzibar, the port where your journey began.

Meanwhile, along the winding Thames River in London, another ship laden with tons of fine cloth from Great Britain's mills is heading toward the same distant destination. Numerous other vessels of varying sizes and origins also converge near the Kolkata port, carrying goods from across the globe. Each ship's clocks reflect the local time of their last port of call, making it impossible to know the precise local time at the Kolkata harbour while they await passage at the sand heads of the Hooghly River.

This pressing problem of synchronizing time for mariners and city dwellers alike found a remarkable solution through British ingenuity in colonial Calcutta. In 1881, the Calcutta Port Commissioner commissioned the construction of a towering, 100-foot structure within Fort William: the Ball Tower. Designed as a vital navigational aid, the Ball Tower served sailors and locals by offering an unmistakable visual signal of the exact time every day.

Ball Tower (Source: Internet)

At precisely 12:55 pm, the white ball atop the mast would rise halfway up the tower. Three minutes later, it ascended fully to the peak, held momentarily in suspension. Then, as clockwork dictated, at exactly 1:00 pm, the ball began a deliberate, slow descent down the mast. The captain and crew aboard the ships waiting nearby would watch this elegant, silent signalling, adjusting their marine chronometers and clocks accordingly, thus ensuring perfect synchronization with local time.

The Ball Tower was more than a mere timekeeper. It was a part of a vast network of semaphore towers spanning nearly 700 kilometres from Kolkata to Chunar (presently located in the Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, North India). The tower played a pivotal role in optical telegraphy before electric telegraphs were introduced. The semaphore system used pivoting mechanical arms to convey messages visually across distances with remarkable speed; messages that could traverse the vast expanse between Calcutta and Chunar in just under an hour on clear days.

Front view of the Time Gun (Personal album)

Coupled with this sophisticated visual system was an equally vital auditory time signal, the famed Time Gun. Cast in 1756, this all-brass cannon was strategically placed on the ramparts of Fort William. Every day, as the clock struck 1:00 pm, the cannon boomed sharply across the Hooghly River, its resounding report carrying far and wide. Ship captains and city residents alike would pause, listening intently, resetting their clocks as the powerful echo faded into the air.

Firing the noon gun was a tradition upheld across many British ports worldwide, a sonic beacon of time for maritime commerce and urban life. Today, the Time Gun remains preserved as an archaeological artifact within Fort William's grounds, a reverberation of colonial technological innovation and global maritime practices. With advancement of communication technologies viz. wireless signals, followed by electric telegraph etc., the service of once famous Time Gun was discontinued in the year 1938. Later, the nearly 270-year-old Time Gun was shifted in the building called Kitchener House, named after the British military commander Lord Kitchener. 

Lord Kitchener, renowned for his military prowess and imperial leadership during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, met an untimely fate in 1916 when the ship he was aboard hit a naval mine near the Orkney Islands during World War I. Reflecting the spirit of honoring Indian leaders, Kitchener House was renamed Manekshaw House in December 2024 after Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the revered Chief of Army Staff who led India to victory in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war.

Fort William itself, whose original incarnation dates back to 1696 and was named after King William III of England, holds centuries of layered history. The fort seen today was constructed between 1758 and 1781 after British forces reclaimed control following decisive battles. It stands sentinel over Kolkata as a living monument to colonial heritage.

In a compassionate move towards decolonization and to honor India’s rich indigenous military history, the Indian Army renamed Fort William as Vijay Durg in December 2024, inspired by the legendary maritime fort along Maharashtra's Sindhudurg coast. 

Today, the Bell Tower is visible from outside of Fort William aka Vijay Durg, as far as from Vidyasagar Bridge (Second Hooghly Bridge) and from the Hooghly River. The polished and shining canon - the Time Gun is welcoming visitors at the portico of magnificent Manekshaw House.

Recently, I had the privilege of joining a heritage tour inside Vijay Durg, the vibrant headquarters of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command. The experience offered a profound glimpse into Kolkata’s colonial past intertwined with its evolving present, witnessing firsthand how history, heritage, and preservation continue to shape this iconic fort and the stories it guards.

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Disclaimer:

The noble objective of this blog, is to share knowledge through images/pictures and related narration. A few of the scans, featured in this blogpost are mine while others (sourced from internet) are properties of their respective owners. No intention to infringe any type of copyright. 

The information provided in the article is for general informational purposes only. All information is provided in good faith. This is only for sharing of knowledge. No commercial, religious or political angle, whatsoever, is involved. This is not a historical document. Apologies in advance, should there be any inadvertent error. Under no circumstances, I shall have any liability for reliance on any information provided in the story.

India’s Forgotten Twin Refineries

 

Source: Internet

Abdul Karim Abdul Shakur Jamal was born in 1862 in the vibrant State of Jamnagar, Gujarat. His upbringing was rooted in the enterprising spirit, so characteristic of Gujaratis. His family, driven by ambition and opportunity, migrated to Burma, where young Karim grew up and pursued studies at Rangoon College. Though his father was a modest shopkeeper, Karim’s sharp mind and adventurous spirit propelled him onto a path of remarkable entrepreneurship. From these humble beginnings, he built a commercial empire that spanned Burma and India, both under British rule, trading in essential commodities like tea, rice, sugar, cotton, rubber, and timber. Seeing big opportunities in petroleum business, Abdul Karim Abdul Shakur Jamal (popularly known as Jamal Bhai of Jamnagar) established Jamal’s Oil Company Limited. 

The defining moment came on February 4, 1909, when an agreement was signed between A.S. Jamal Brothers & Company and Steel Brothers & Company of Great Britain. Just a few days later, on February 8, 1909, the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company was officially registered under the Indian Companies Act of 1882 in Yangoon. This bold venture grew out of Jamal’s Oil Company, which by then already operated two oil wells in the fabled region of Yenangyaung, named after the water-smelly creeks that gave it a unique identity.

Source: Internet

Recognizing the demand and potential, Jamal established a refinery at Seikkyi, perched on the banks of the Rangoon River, with a capacity of 2,000 barrels per day. The refinery produced kerosene oil and paraffin wax, lighting the homes and fueling the industries across the region. As the second oil well began producing more crude, the company expanded further, erecting another refinery to meet growing demand.

In 1910, Jamal's vision extended when the company procured 48,000 square yards of land at Budge Budge, in Kolkata. By 1912, a storage terminal was operational there, and the company embarked on an ambitious expansion of its marketing infrastructure, establishing new terminals in Bombay (now Mumbai) and Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). Kerosene was packaged in tins and loaded aboard ships, linking Seikkyi, Budge Budge, Bombay, and Chittagong in a seamless distribution network.

The acquisition of the ship S.S. Shwedagon in 1912 further cemented the company's logistical capabilities, providing vital riverine transport. By 1919, Indo-Burma Petroleum Company stood as a fully vertically integrated enterprise, owning oil wells, refineries, ship, storage terminals, and an extensive distribution network. This impressive feat was a testament to Jamal’s entrepreneurial foresight and unyielding spirit.

Source: Internet

However, the years ahead were not without challenge. The company faced stiff competition from multinational giants such as Burmah Shell, Standard Oil, and Caltex, navigating the complex dynamics of a rapidly changing global oil market.

Then came the dark clouds of war. On December 7, 1941, the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor marked the dawn of a new, brutal chapter in World War II. Barely a week later, Japan invaded Burma, sweeping through the region with relentless force, capturing territories one after another.

Amidst this turmoil, Field Marshal Sir William Slim of British Army faced a painful decision on April 15, 1942. To prevent the powerful Japanese military from capturing vital petroleum assets, he ordered the complete destruction of the oilfields and refinery at Seikkyi. His words capture the magnitude of that moment:

"After visiting Yenangyaung at 1300 hours on the 15th April (1942) I gave orders for the demolition of oilfield and refinery. It was essential that they should not fall intact into Japanese hands... A million gallons of crude oil burned with flames rising five hundred feet; the flash and crash of explosions came as machinery, communications and buildings disintegrated; overhead hung a vast, sinister canopy of dense black smoke. It was a fantastic and horrible sight."

W. Braund, tasked with documenting this devastating scene, wrote with haunting clarity:

"Sickly fascinated, I watched the inverted mountains of solid black smoke writhing and billowing upward and outward from each pyre until, with an imagined gesture of familiarity, they linked arms with each other and swung and surged hither and yon to wherever unsullied, open sky still afforded accommodation. Sometimes, at the base, could still see the eruption and glow of fresh sacrifices to this awful god of total destruction, but gradually the darkness of the pit took over."

When World War II ended and Burma was liberated from Japanese occupation, the employees of the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company returned to Seikkyi. What greeted them was a landscape scarred beyond recognition: twisted steel, crumbled buildings, burnt remnants of equipment and a silence so profound that even the birds had ceased their songs. The once-thriving heart of the company was now a charred ghost, with only the soft murmur of the Rangoon River waltzing past, bearing witness to both destruction and the fading echoes of a dream.

Following the end of World War II (September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945), and with changing political and economic realities in the region, the company shifted its headquarters from Yangon to Kolkata (then Calcutta), West Bengal, India. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in company’s chequered history.  In 1963, the Government of Myanmar undertook a sweeping nationalization of industries, permanently ending IBP’s association with Burma.  

A decade later, in 1970, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOC) acquired a majority stake in company from its British owners. By 1972, the Government of India assumed complete control from IOC, transforming it into a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.  

In March 1983, the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company Limited officially adopted the new name IBP Co. Ltd. In 2002, IOC acquired full ownership of IBP, and by 2007, the company was formally merged into its parent organization, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.  

Over the course of nearly a century, IBP had played a pioneering role in shaping India’s petroleum business. However, with its merger, the once-iconic brand quietly faded from the industrial landscape. A company that had once stood at the forefront of South Asia’s oil trade became part of history. It is a reminder that not all stories, even in the high-octane petroleum world, end on a triumphant note.

Acknowledgement: 'A Phoenix Revived: The IBP Story (1909-1992)’ by Chamapaka Basu

Disclaimer:

The noble objective of this blog, is to promote the hobby of philately through images of stamps, a few pictures and related narration. The scans, featured in this blogpost are mine while others (sourced from internet) are properties of their respective owners. No intention to infringe any type of copyright. 

The information provided in the article is for general informational purposes only. All information is provided in good faith. This is only for sharing of knowledge of philately with philatelist fraternity of the world. No commercial or political angle, whatsoever, is involved. This is not a historical document. Apologies in advance, should there be any inadvertent error. Under no circumstances, I shall have any liability for reliance on any information provided in the story.

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The story has been published by Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural gas, Government of India in PPAC Journal (4th edition), August 2025 issue, on the theme 'Advanced Refining and Future Fuels: India 2047'.

Energy Philately at India Energy Week

 

Energy Philately Exhibit

In the global energy domain, the biggest event that happened in recent times, after the COP 29, which was held on November 2024 at Baku, Azerbaijan was India Energy Week (IEW). It was held at state-of-the-art venue Yashobhoomi, Delhi, India during February 11-14, 2025. The first and second editions of IEW were held in 2023 (Mumbai) and 2024 (Goa). Today, IEW is a crucial annual event in global energy calendar. The mega event of energy sector was held under the patronage of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. IEW 3.0 was inaugurated by Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

Inauguration of IEW by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India

Area wise, the India International Convention & Expo Centre (IICC), called Yashobhoomi, is India’s and Asia's largest convention and exhibition centre. It has one the biggest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) facilities of the world. A total indoor exhibition & convention area of 300,000 m2 is available for domestic and international conferences. The total area of the entire convention centre is 890,000 m2. It has in-built parking facilities capable of accommodating 34,808 vehicles (indoor 28,608, outdoor 6,200).  Yashobhoomi was inaugurated by Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, on his birthday, September 17, 2023.

The venue: Yashobhoomi

As today, India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it has a critical role in the global energy market. India is the most populous country in the world. It is the third biggest importer as well as third largest consumer of petroleum form of energy. Unfortunately, India is heavily dependent on import for its energy security. In the year 2024, India imported crude petroleum oil and Natural gas over 85% and 47% respectively. The demand for energy for India is growing by leaps and bounds. Some of the reasons which are fuelling the Indian energy demand are economic growth, expansion of industrialization, rapid growth of urbanization, etc.   To keep the both wheels of modern life of India and Indian industry rolling, India’s electricity demand is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5% over the next decade, as per Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of India.

An environment friendly drive to the venue

Government of India has undertaken multi-pronged action plan to reduce the import dependency and moving towards self-reliance. A few of them are:

1. Import of crude petroleum oil from world’s different large suppliers – Saudi Arabia, the United States, Russia etc.  
2. Diversification of sources of oil and gas import. Sourcing from countries like Argentina, Angola, Guyana etc., looking beyond age-old suppliers of gulf, US, Russia etc.
3. Increasing the contribution of natural gas in Indian energy mix basket from existing 6.2% to 15% by 2030
4. Creation of 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030
5. Production of green hydrogen of 5 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030, institutionalized   National Hydrogen Mission
6. Introduction of Production Linked Incentives (PLI) for renewable energy manufacturing
7. Expansion of gas grid across the country

And many others.

Innovation and Sustainability for future world

At IEW, various aspects of domestic advancement and collaboration with global energy businesses were displayed and demonstrated in nine distinct thematic zones:

1. Hydrogen zone

2. Biofuels zone

3. Renewable energy zone

4. LNG ecosystem zone

5. Make in India zone

6. City Gas Distribution zone

7. Petrochem zone

8. Digitalization & AI zone

9. India Net Zero zone

An overwhelming response witnessed more than 700 exhibitors, from different parts of the world to converge at IEW.

Energy Philately at IEW: 

Anurag Sinha, Executive Director (yellow jacket) and other senior executives from Engineers India Ltd.

Visitors to Hall Number 2, Make in India zone (out of 9 thematic zones) of Engineers India Ltd. (EIL), of the India Energy Week encountered an unexpected yet captivating display - Energy Philately.

A Process Engineer from Technip Energy with others

Chris from Oklahoma, US

Philately, the study and collection of postage stamps, has fascinated enthusiasts since the first postage stamp was issued in Great Britain in 1840. 

Dr. Pankaj Sharma, PPAC, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, India

Energy Philately is a specialized segment that focuses on stamps showcasing various aspects of the energy sector, including oil and gas, renewable energy, energy conservation, and environmental themes.  

Fabian from Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority, Tanzania

This meticulously curated exhibit presented a visual narrative of the energy industry, beginning with geological surveys—depicted through land, underwater, and aerial exploration stamps. It then explored key aspects of oil and gas exploration, showcasing stamps featuring drill bits, jack pumps, and refinery operations, as well as tributes to scientific pioneers like Dmitri Mendeleev, whose Periodic Table remains fundamental to petrochemical advancements.  

Another Dmitry, from Russia, in real life!

The exhibit included historically significant energy-themed stamps from across the world, such as:  

1. Centenary of the U.S. oil industry (1859-1959)

2. Centenary of the Indian petroleum industry (1889-1989)  

3. The world’s oldest operational refinery at Digboi, Assam, India (120+ years)  

4. India’s first refinery post-independence at Guwahati, Assam, India (1962)  

5. The world’s largest single-location refinery at Jamnagar  

Energy experts from Italy

The natural gas sector was also well represented, featuring stamps highlighting milestones such as RasGas of Qatar, LNG16/GNL16 (16th Conference) in Algeria, and India's LNG terminal at Hazira, Gujarat.  

Kazunori from Japan

The global energy industry’s vast reach was reflected through stamps issued on major international oil and gas corporations, including Petrobras (Brazil), Petroleos Mexicanos (Mexico), Petroleo en Chile (Chile), Nederlandse Antillen (Netherlands Antilles), and PDVSA (Venezuela). 

Sujoy Choudhury (in red tie), former Director Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. 

Energy Management students from NTPC School of Business, India

India’s leading petroleum enterprises - ONGC, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., and Reliance Industries Ltd., were also prominently featured.  

Executives from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.

The power sector found representation through a commemorative stamp on Tata Power Ltd.

Kirti Vardhan Rathore, the designer of HPCL Special Cover on Energy

Nuclear energy was symbolized by the iconic ‘Atoms for Peace’ stamp, echoing the historic speech delivered by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the United Nations General Assembly on December 8, 1953.  

Bhashit Dholakia, CEO & others from IndianOil-Adani Gas Pvt. Ltd.

The exhibit concluded with a strong focus on renewable energy sources, displaying stamps dedicated to solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal power, with an overarching message of energy conservation and sustainability. 

 

A K Verma, former Managing Director ONGC Petro Additions Ltd. (OPAL)

IEW attracted over 70,000 energy professional from around the world. From such a huge gatherings, there was significant turnout throughout all four days of IEW, at the display of Energy Philately. 

Energy experts from Abu Dhabi

Energy professionals from both international and domestic sectors including delegates, policymakers, and students, visited and enjoyed the beauty and charm of unique Energy Philately. 

Pankaj Srivastava, senior executive from HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL), India

Sagar Sen, a senior executive from Coal India Ltd.

The footfalls at Energy Philately were by who’s who of global energy canvas.

 

Energy experts from Bechtel and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Ali Sajid Husain)

There were experts from USA, Russia, Tanzania, Italy, Abu Dhabi etc. They represented various energy companies and energy service sectors viz. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Engineers India Ltd., Mahanagar Gas Ltd., IndianOil-Adani Gas Pvt. Ltd.,  Technip Energies, Bechtel, etc. 

Dr. Manas Das (right), senior executive from Mahanagar Gas Ltd., India

A visitor who spent lot of time

He must have found something interesting!

Anmol, a Creative Director from a media house found it interesting

Another attentive visitor

Rank wise they ranged from students of energy management from premium management institutes to head honchos of the corporate world – Managing Directors, Executive Directors, Presidents, Vice Presidents etc.  

The Exhibitor

This remarkable exhibition was just a glimpse into the extensive collection of Kumar Biswas, a dedicated Energy Philatelist and a member of the Petroleum Philatelic Society International, U.K. (https://ppsi.org.uk/). His collection serves as a unique testament to the intersection of energy, history, and philately, offering an insightful perspective on the evolution of the global energy landscape. 

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