Illustration by Saptarshi Chowdhury
After a glorious run of 53 years, the iconic Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) Limited will cease to be the Timekeepers of our Nation. The Indian love affair with time began soon after that historic stroke of midnight and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, inaugurated the now-vintage hand-wound wrist watches.
Today, as India's original desh ki dhadhkan loses its race against time, these, and several other HMT watches, have turned into collector's items.
This old print ad, where HMT proudly proclaims its status as the Timekeepers of the Nation, is reminiscent of a newly-independent India striving to make its own way in the world economy with the help of its people.
Source
With names like Janta, Priya, Sona, Rajat, Apoorva, HMT was proud of its Indian-ness and had no qualms about it. Time was once HMT time and the entire nation acknowledged and loved it.
Let's take a short peak at its history through this lovely, but short documentary:
HMT watches invoke a flurry of emotions; they have meant different things to different people. For some it was the reward for good marks in exams, for others it was an absolute necessity fulfilled by this bit of faithful machinery and for many, many more it was the favourite 'first wedding gift', exchanged shyly and preserved lovingly.
What's your HMT story? Did you own a Pilot or a Sona? Tell us in the comment box below!
Today, as India's original desh ki dhadhkan loses its race against time, these, and several other HMT watches, have turned into collector's items.
This old print ad, where HMT proudly proclaims its status as the Timekeepers of the Nation, is reminiscent of a newly-independent India striving to make its own way in the world economy with the help of its people.
Source
With names like Janta, Priya, Sona, Rajat, Apoorva, HMT was proud of its Indian-ness and had no qualms about it. Time was once HMT time and the entire nation acknowledged and loved it.
Let's take a short peak at its history through this lovely, but short documentary:
HMT watches invoke a flurry of emotions; they have meant different things to different people. For some it was the reward for good marks in exams, for others it was an absolute necessity fulfilled by this bit of faithful machinery and for many, many more it was the favourite 'first wedding gift', exchanged shyly and preserved lovingly.
What's your HMT story? Did you own a Pilot or a Sona? Tell us in the comment box below!
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