Nobel laureate and doyen of Bengali literature Rabindranath Tagore wrote 'Amar Sonar bangla, aami tomay bhalobashi' (Oh! my golden Bengal, I love you)

Perhaps, it has been consigned to oblivion that Indian merchants roamed the world, and were, inarguably, the best for many centuries.

Prior to the advent of the East India Company, India had the best ships in the world. But, as history reveals much of the entrepreneurial activities were first stolen, and later destroyed by the British. After Independence there was tardy progress, thanks to the government policies to empower this key sector.