From the Hills to the Plains

The book explores the emergence of Bengali entrepreneurship in tea industry of colonial Bengal. Despite the ‘Divide and Rule Policy’ of the British Government, it shows how the rising tide of nationalism united them and ushered in Indianisation of the trade. It also resulted in the formation of various tea associations established by the Bengali entrepreneurs like Indian Tea Planters’ Association (ITPA), Terai Indian Planters’ Association (TIPA). The book highlights their role in the freedom struggle as well as their lifestyle, culture, and leisure. The work also offers an account of how the ownership in tea gardens changed hands from Bengalis to other Indians, mainly Marwaris and delves into reasons behind this shift.

The volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of South Asian studies, economic history of India, the tea industry, Indian freedom movement and cultural studies.