In a quiet yard in Thoppumpady, Kochi, a forgotten relic of history is coming back to life. What was once sold as scrap turned out to be Sir Robert Bristow’s personal boat — ML Vasco, the vessel that carried the man who built modern Kochi, its port, bridges, and Willingdon Island. Discovered by scrap dealer Sajar Sithara at the Cochin Port Trust auction in 2010, the teakwood boat is now being lovingly restored — not for profit, but for posterity. From its brass fittings to its century-old engine