Thane was under Portuguese rule from the early 16th century to the early 18th century. In 1739, the Marathas drove the Portuguese out and began ruling the region. In 1774, the British captured the city from the Marathas and ruled over it for almost 175 years till 1947. How was British rule different from Portuguese rule? How did it shape the city and its culture? At our Online Talk #Tannah, Thane resident and chronicler Makarand Joshi takes us on an exploration of colonial Thane and tells us more about its history.

About the speaker

Makarand Joshi is a writer and editor with an interest in environment and tourism. He has been researching the history of Thane city for the last ten years and used to write a column in Maharashtra Times titled ‘Vismaranatale Thanekar’ on eminent persons from the city a hundred years ago. He has started a series on YouTube called Salaam Thane on the city’s historical spots and also conducts heritage walks in the city. For his research on Thane, he has been conferred the Thane Gaurav award by the Thane Municipal Corporation.