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<p>In my humble opinion, I think the choice TZ made for India, by
selecting Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) as the reference<br>
location, was not a good choice.</p>
<p>Kolkata seems to have its own peculiar time zone history as the
capital of West Bengal, staying on LMT or Bengal time until 1941
according to several sources.</p>
<p>TZ has chosen to use 'Railway time' between 1906 and 1941. This
is not really the 'time used on the ground' by the population for
all civil purposes, in Kolkata.</p>
<p>In addition, Kolkata is and was neither the seat of government
nor the largest population center in India.<br>
</p>
<p>Delhi or Bombay / Mumbai would be better choices to represent
India.</p>
<p>Both seem to have a cleaner time history and a much larger
population than Kolkata: three times larger now, both 12 million
compared to 4 million (the city, not the region).<br>
In 1971, Bombay had 6 Million, Delhi 4 million, Calcutta 3
million.</p>
<p>Changing to Delhi, the seat of goverment, and second largest
city, would allow for a more correct TZ zone representing all of
India.</p>
<p>Regarding the detailed history of time in Kolkata, I have trouble
finding newspaper archives.<br>
I invite Indian readers of this mailing list to assist. <br>
</p>
<p>Of particular interest are the transitions in January 1906,
October 1941 and October 1945.</p>
<p>References in the papers regarding clock time settings should be
found.</p>
<p>The best reference for Indian time history I found in the book
Horoscope Construction and Organisation by R.S.Chillar, who has an
overview table.</p>
<p>Attention, the 4th column is shifted vertically, and two lines in
the 4th column for West bengal appear swapped.</p>
<p><img src="cid:part1.F408A66A.F9CA3C37@astro.ch" alt=""></p>
<p>Sadly, his data make the history for Kolkata not clearer.
Newspaper archives are really need to get the 'time used on the
ground'.<br>
</p>
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