Select Documents of the British Period of Indian History
By Dhirendra Chandra Ganguly
Summary
This short article presents extracts of documents from the British colonial period that illuminate key administrative and social developments. The author includes selections from official correspondence, proclamations, reports and private letters. These documents illustrate themes such as land revenue settlements, judicial reforms, trade policies and responses to famines. For instance, the article reproduces portions of Governor-General Warren Hastings’s minutes on the Permanent Settlement, letters discussing the introduction of English education, and proclamations issued during the 1857 uprising. By offering these primary sources, the article encourages readers to engage directly with the texts rather than relying solely on secondary interpretations. The author provides brief annotations explaining the context of each document.
Conclusion
By compiling representative documents, the article allows readers to glimpse the voices of administrators and Indian actors during the British period. The selections underscore how colonial policies were debated and implemented, offering a useful supplement to narrative histories.