om

l.c
ai
gm
33
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at

MODERN
bh
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ha

HISTORY
ub
sh

REVISION NOTES
PART-2
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 MODERN HISTORY
(Revision Notes)

Index

CHAPTER-5 : POPULAR UPRISINGS UP TO 1857.................................................... 2

CHAPTER-6: REVOLT OF 1857 ................................................................................. 11
CHAPTER-7: DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN PRESS ................................................ 14

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 MODERN HISTORY
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Chapter-5
POPULAR UPRISINGS UP TO 1857
Introduction:
The establishment of British rule had a far more devastating impact on the lives of various sections
of people, forcing them to rise in revolt against colonial rule. As per Bipan Chandra, people’s
resistance took place in form of Civil rebellions, tribal uprisings and peasant movements.

Causes of Pre-1857 uprisings

 Exploitative policies: Colonial land revenue settlements, heavy burden of new taxes, eviction of
peasants from their lands, encroachments on tribal lands and exploitation in rural society.
 Growth of Intermediary revenue collectors, tenants and money-lenders.
 De-Industrialization: Promotion of British manufactured goods, heavy duties on Indian
industries, especially export duties leading to devastation of Indian handloom.
 Impact on rulers and zamindars: Several Rajas and Nawabs lost their principalities owing
to the Company’s policy of expansion. Their rights are taken over by colonial state and they
were forced to sell their rights due to inability to pay higher revenues.
 Impact on tribals: Colonial administration ended the relative isolation of tribals and brought
them within ambit of colonial economy and exploitation.
 Character of British: The foreign character of the British rulers, who always remained alien
to this land and their contemptuous treatment of native people hurt their pride.

Major Civil Uprisings and Peasant Movements

Name of Time Place of the Context and Significance Important
the Revolt Period Revolt of the Revolt Leaders
 Plunder by EIC and 1770 famine.
 1770 famine→ sanyasis started
the revolt, joined by small Manju Shah,
zamindars, rural poor, Musa Shah,
disbanded soldiers. Bhawani
Sanyasi-Fakir
1763-1800 Bengal  Significance: Equal participation Pathak,
rebellion
by Hindus and Muslims. Debi
 Bankim Chandra Chhaterjee’s Chaudhurani
Anandmath is based on this
revolt.
 Subdued by Warren Hastings
 EIC got Midnapore in1760.
This led to the introduction of
new revenue system in
1772→zamindars dispossessed
in 1800s.
Rebellionin
 By the 1800s, the zamindars of Damodar Singh,
Midnapore and 1766-67 Bengal
Dhalbhum, Manbhum, Raipur, Jagannath Dhal
Dhalbhum
Panchet, Jhatibuni, Karnagarh,
and Bagri, who lived in Jungle
Mahals of the west and north-
west Midnapore, had lost their
zamindaries.

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 MODERN HISTORY
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 In cases of dispute between the

ryots and the English revenue
collecting authorities, the
zamindars of Midnapore sided
with the ryots.
 Moamarias are low-caste
peasant who follow the
teachings of Aniruddhadeva.
 Their revolts weakened
Ahoms- Ruler shad to seek
British help from external
aggressions.

om
Revolt of Assam and parts of  Moamarias made Bhatipur
1769-99 Krishnanarayan
Moamarias Bangladesh their HQs.
 Rangpur and Jorhat were the

l.c
most affected region.
 Despite of Ahom kingdom

ai
survived the uprising, it was
devastated by a Burmese
m
invasion and eventually fell
under British authority.
3g
 In order to pay for the war
against the Marathas and Mysore,
33

Warren Hastings devised a

scheme to employ English
officers as ijaradars (revenue
ar

farmers) in Awadh.
In Gorakhpur,  In 1781, the zamindars and
tk

Basti and 1781 farmers revolted against the

Bahraich oppressive taxes, and within
a

weeks, all of Hannay's

subordinates were either slain
bh

or besieged by zamindari
guerrilla troops.
m

 Hannay was dismissed and his

izara forcibly removed.
ha

 Cause: Annexation of Raja’s

estate by British.
 1758 treaty between English and
ub

Gajapatiraju of Vizianagaram to Vizieram Rauze

RevoltofRajaof oust French from Northern
1794 Northern Circars (Chinna
sh

Vizianagaram Circars → they succeeded but Vijayaramaraju)

EIC went back on its promise
and demandedRs.3 lakhs and
asked to disband troops →
rebellion
 With fall of Seringapatnam,
Dhundiawagh got released and
organized forces consisting of
anti-British elements and carved
Revoltof out a small territory for himself.
Dhundia in 1799-1800 Karnataka Dhundia Wagh
 Defeat by English in 1799→
Bednur
refuge in Maratha region→
instigated disappointed princes
to fight against English.
 Wellesley subdued.

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 The British had adopted a

revenue policy that adversely
affected the interests of the
peasants.
 Pazhassi revolted against the
mistaken revenue policy of the
British. He stopped all
collection of revenue in
Kottayam.
 The British tried to subjugate
Revolt of Kerala Kerala Varmaaka
him→Raja took refuge in the
Varma Pazhassi 1797-1805 Kerala Kerala
jungles of Wayanad
Raja Simham/Pycheraja
 His supporters assembled in
small groups, erected barriers
and cut off British
communications→ British
forced to have truce.
 By the agreement, the
Company agreed to withdraw
all troops from Wayanad and
to cancel the agreement with
Kurumbanadu Raja.
 Nawab Wazir Ali Khan, with
EIC help, ascended throne but
then relations became
sour→replaced by uncle
Saadat Ali Khan II and Wazir
Khanon pension.
 In January 1799, Wazir khan
assassinated George Frederick
Cherry; Wazir Ali's soldiers
Civil Rebellion
1799 also killed two other Wazir Ali Khan
of Awadh
Europeans and assaulted the
Benares Magistrate.
 The entire episode became
known as “Massacre of
Benares”.
 Wazir Ali was able to raise a
force of many thousand
soldiers, but General Erskine
was able to beat them.
 Over revenue payment →
Uprisingsin Strikara Bhanj refused to pay Strikara Bhanj;
1800, Odisha (Northern
Ganjamand revenues in 1797→ joined by Dhanajaya Bhanj;
1935-37 Circars)
Gumsur Jlani Deo of Vijayanagar and Doora Bisayi
Jagannath Deo of Pratapgiri
 The Complex agrarian land
Uprisingin lordism and the exploitative
1800-02 Jharkhand Bhukhan Singh
Palamau feudal system → Bhukan
Singh rose in rebellion
 Main centres: Tinneveli,
Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga,
Revolt of Sivagiri, Madurai, North Arcot Kattabomman
Poligars/ 1795-1805 Tamil Nadu  1781:Nawab of Arcot gave Nayakan;
Palayakkarargal control of Tinnevelli and Oomathurai
Carnatic to EIC→ which resulted
into Poligars revolt.

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 MODERN HISTORY
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 1st Revolt (1795-9): Over

taxation; Kattabomman Nayakan
led the insurrection →
defeated→fled but betrayed by
Ettapan (Raja of Pudukottai).
 2nd Revolt (1801-5):More
violent; imprisoned poligars
escaped; joined ‘Marudus’
rebellion of Marathu Pandian
suppressed in 1801
 Jats fortified themselves in
Bhiwani and made a strong
Uprisingin
1809 Haryana resistance.
Bhiwani
 A brigade of all arms was
required to suppress the revolt.
 Heavy demand for subsidy,
high handed attitude of the
British resident.
Revoltof Diwan Diwan of state, Velu
1808-09 Travancore  Consequences: Velu Thampi
Velu Thampi Thampi
was hanged publicly after
death to instill fear among the
people.
 2nd Anglo-Mysore War:
Bundelkhand captured by Lakshman Dawa
EIC→ multiple resistance from (Killadar of
Disturbances Bundela chiefs→ suppressed. Ajaygarh Fort),
Madhya Pradesh and
in 1808-12  The British had to adopt a Darya Singh
Uttar Pradesh
Bundelkhand policy of binding down the (killadar of
hereditary chieftains of Bundel Kalanjar), Gopal
khand by series of contractual Singh
obligations- Ikarnamahs.
 West Ganjam district Narayan Deo,
Parlakimendi 1813-34 Odisha
Gajapathi
 The British meddled in the
Kutch's internal feuds→
Kutch prompted Raja Bharmal II to
1816-32 Gujarat Rao Bharmal
Rebellion gather Arab and African forces in
1819 with the goal of driving the
British out of his realm.
 Immediate cause of upsurge
was imposition of police tax.
Risingin Mufti Mohd.
1816 Uttar Pradesh  Issue became religious when
Bareilly Aiwaz;
Mufti Muhammad Aiwaz gave
petition to magistrate in 1816.
 The Paiks were the traditional
landed militia who had
hereditary land tenures in
exchange for their military
duty and policing tasks. Bakshi Jagabandhu
Paika  Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Bidyadhar,
1817 Odisha
Rebellion was the military commander of Mukunda Devaand
the Raja of Khurda's army. Binabandhu Santra
 The Company took away
Jagabandhu's ancestral estate
of Killa Rorang in 1814,
leaving him destitute.

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 The entry of a group of

Khonds from Gumsur into
Khurda territory in March
1817 lit the fuse.
 It was successful in obtaining
huge remissions of arrears,
reductions in assessments, a
moratorium on the sale of
defaulters' properties at will, a
new settlement on permanent
tenures, and other liberal
governance adjuncts.

om
 Dayaram, an Aligarhtalukdar
had one of the strongest forts
in India-a ‘second Bharatpur’

l.c
Uprisings  EIC had concluded settlement Dayaram, Bhagwant
1817 Aligarh and Agra
in Hathras of Hathras estate with Singh

ai
Dayaram → Dayaram could
not pay arrears British attacked
m
and won.
 Causes: Imposition of
3g
Waghera company’s rule and company’s Waghera chiefs of
1818-20 Baroda (GJ)
Rising support to exactions by the Okha Mandal
Gaekwad of Baroda.
33

 Causes: Ahom tribesmen

opposed continued occupation
of Assam by the British.
ar

Gomdhar Konwar,
Ahom Revolt 1828 Assam  Led by Gomdhar Konwar Maharaja Purandhar
 Consequences: Singh
tk

Part of
kingdom was restored to the
a

Assamese king.
 In 1838, the British deposed
bh

the ruler of Sawantwadi for his

failure to maintain law and
m

order in the state, and Phond Savant,

Revolt of appointed a European Political Subana Nikam, Daji
1844-59 North Konkan Coast
ha

Savantavadi superintendent to administer Lakshman, Har

the state. Savant Dingnekar
 The discontented rulers fled to
ub

Goa and planned revolt against

the British.
 Islamic revivalist movement
sh

founded by Syed Ahmed of

Rai Bareilly who was inspired
by teachings of Abdul Wahab
of Saudi Arabia and Shah
Wahabi BR, Bengal, Waliullah of Delhi. Syed Ahmed of Rai
1830-61
Movement NWFP, Punjab  Syed Ahmed denounced Bareilly
Western influence on Islam
and called for a restoration to
genuine Islam and society as it
was in the Arabia of the
Prophet's day.
 Initially a religious purification Bhagat Jawahar
Kuka movement (abolish caste Mal; Ram Singh
1840-72 Punjab
Movement system, no discrimination (Found Namdhari
within Sikhs, discourage sect)

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 MODERN HISTORY
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alcohol, meat, drugs; permit

intermarriage, widow
remarriage, women out of
seclusion).
 After British took Punjab, the
movement got transformed
from a religious purification
campaign to a political
campaign.
 Kukas wanted to remove
British and restore Sikh rule
over Punjab.
 Concepts of Swadeshi and
non-cooperation was
propagated by the Kukas.
 In 1872, Ram Singh was
deported to Rangoon.
 Salt duty was raised from fifty
paise to one rupee by British
Surat Salt Gujarat government.
1844-48
Agitation  Consequences: Government
was compelled to roll back the
raise in salt duty.
Kolhapur and  Causes: Administrative
Savantvadi reorganization in Kolhapur and
revolts 1844 disbanding of the Gadkaris, a
hereditary military class which
garrisoned Maratha forts.

Tribal Revolts
 British expansion of lands.
Pahariyas 1778 Rajmahal Hills  British were forced to usher in Raja Jagannath
peace by declaring their
territory as damni-kol area.
 It erupted in response to the
jungle zamindars increased
earnings.
 The East India Company's tax
and administrative policies and
1766-72; police restrictions rendered the Sham Ganjan,
Chuar Midnapore
1795-1816 practise of employing local Durjan Singh
paiks obsolete, since they were
eventually replaced by
professional police.
 In 1799, the British violently
repressed the insurrection
 Large-scale transfers of land
from Kol headmen to outsiders
Ranchi, Singhbhu, like Hindu, Sikh and Muslim
Kol
1813 Hazirabagh, farmers. Budhho Bhagat
Mutiny
Palamau, Manbhum  The Kols were especially
irritated by British judicial
policies.

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 Raja of Parahat organized Ho

tribes to revolt against the
occupation of Singhbhum. The
revolt continued till 1827 when
Hoand Ho tribals were forced to
1820-37 succumb in 1827.
Munda Jharkhand BirsaMunda
uprising  In 1899-1900, Mundas in the
region south of Ranchi rose
under Birsa Munda.
 Ulgulan was one of the
significant tribal uprisings.
 The landlords exploited the
Santhals ruthlessly, charging
excessive interest rates; they
were stripped of their land and
forced to work as bonded
Santhal Raj Mahal Hills labourers. Sindhuand
1855-56
uprising (Bihar)  Against zamindars and money Kanhu
lenders; later anti-British.
 The British brutally quashed the
insurrection, killing around
20000 Santhals, including the
two leaders.
 Chakra Bisnoi, a youthful raja,
led the Khonds, who were
supported by the Ghumsar,
Kalahandi, and other tribes, in
their opposition to the abolition
Khond
1837-56 Andhra Pradesh of human sacrifice, increased Chakra Bisnoi
uprising taxes, and the arrival of
zamindars into their territories.
 The insurrection came to an end
with Chakra Bisnoi’s
disappearance.
 Naikada Revolt took place
under Roop Singh and Joria
Madhya Pradesh and Bhagat.
Naikada 1860s
Gujarat
 Against British and caste
Hindus
 By Kharwas against the revenue
Kharwar 1870s Bihar
settlement activities.
 The Khond is a native clan of
India dominatingly living in
Orissa and the Srikakulam and
Visakhapatnam regions of
Khonda Daburregion of
1900 Andhra Pradesh. Korra Mallaya
Doras Vishakapatnam
 The clan extended from Bengal
to Tamil Nadu covering focal
regions. They are the biggest
ancestral gatherings of Orissa.
 Their grievances included
1803, police and moneylender Tomma Sora,
Koya East Godavariin
1840-62, persecution, new restrictions, Raja
Revolts Andhra Pradesh
1879-80 and rejection of their traditional Anantayyar
rights to forest regions.

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 They rose against company

control due to starvation,
Khandesh, Dhar,
economic suffering, and
Bhil Malwa, Western
1817-19,1913 misgovernment. Govind Guru
Revolts Ghats, South
 To quell the insurrection, the
Rajasthan.
British utilised both force and
conciliatory measures.
 They opposed the imposition of
Company's control, which
1829,1839,
Koli risings Western Ghats resulted in widespread
1844-48 unemployment and the removal

om
of their fortifications.
 They had not accepted British
control or the British system of Chittur Singh

l.c
Ramosi 1822-9, administration. Umaji Naik
Western Ghats
Risings 1839-41  They emerged in 1822 under Bapu Trimbakji
Chittur Singh and devastated the Sawant

ai
land around Satara.
m
 After having occupied the hilly
region between the Garo and
3g
Jaintia Hills, the East India
Company desired to construct a
road connecting the
33

Brahmaputra Valley with

Sylhet.
Khasis, Garos,
Garoto Jaintai,  A considerable number of
ar

Khasi 1829-33 Khamptis,

Sylhet outsiders, including
Singhphos
Englishmen, Bengalis, and
tk

plains labourers, were imported

to these regions for this purpose.
a

 The movement grew into a

bh

widespread revolution against

British administration in the
region.
m

 The British political agent was

killed in an insurrection in 1839.
ha

1830-31,  In 1843, Chief Nirang Phidu

Singhphos Assam-Burmaborder organized a rebellion that Nirang Phidu
1843
ub

resulted in an attack on the

British garrison and the deaths
of numerous troops.
sh

Bastar  Against new feudal and forest

1910 Jagdalpur
Revolt levies
 It was a tribal movement started
by Jatra Bhagat and Turia
Bhagat in Chota Nagpur
Plateau.
 Tana Bhagats opposed the taxes
Tana
imposed on them by the British. Jatra Bhagat,
Bhagat 1914 Jharkhand
 They opposed the zamindars, Balram Bhagat
Movement
Banias and also the
missionaries.
 Tana Bhagats are followers of
Mahatma Gandhi, and believe
in Ahimsa (Non-violence).

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 The tribal movement was fought

against British as a protest to the
1882 Madras Forest Act in
Visakhapatnam.
 As per the Act, tribal people
Rampa Ramparegion, Andhra were restricted on the free Alluri Sitarama
1916,1922-24
Revolt Pradesh movement in the forest areas Raju
and prevented them from
engaging in their traditional
Podu (shifting) cultivation and
use of the forest for firewood
and toddy.
 Led by one Radhakrishna
Dandasena.
Savara
 The colonial administration saw Radhakrishna
Rebellion 1856-57 Odisha
links between this movement Dandasena
and Chakra Bisoi, who could
never be arrested.

Important Sepoy Mutinies

 The Bengal Sepoy Mutiny of 1764.
 The Vellore Mutiny of 1806; when the sepoys revolted against interference in their social and
religious traditions and raised a banner of revolt, unfurling the flag of the monarch of
Mysore.
 The sepoys of the 47th Native Infantry Unit mutiny in 1824.
 The insurrection of the Grenadier Company in Assam in 1825.
 The mutiny of an Indian regiment at Sholapur in 1838.
 Mutinies in the 34th Native Infantry (N.I), 22nd Native Infantry (N.I), 66th Native Infantry
(N.I), and 37th Native Infantry (N.I) in 1844, 1849, 1850, and 1852, respectively.

Nature of Pre-1857 Uprisings

 Aimed to overthrow immediate oppressors: Zamindars, money lenders and the colonial
British.
 Popular character: Rebellions drew their legitimacy from the people, allowing public
meetings, planning and attack.
 Socio-political consciousness: Rebels targets were the political sources of their oppression
such as landlords, revenue contractors or even the British rule itself.
 Local leadership: These movements threw up leaders who themselves belonged to the
immediate context of the movements.
Limitations of Pre-1857 Uprisings: Localised and isolated; traditional outlook; failed to achieve
their goal of overthrowing foreign rule; semi-feudal leadership; rebellions are centuries old in form
and ideological content.

********

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 MODERN HISTORY
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Chapter-6
REVOLT OF 1857
Introduction:
The revolt was not a sudden occurrence but the culmination of a century long tradition of popular
resistance to company’s rule. The simmering discontent burst in the form of violent storm in 1857
which shook British empire in India to its very foundations.

Causes of the revolt

 Economic causes: Exploitative land revenue settlement→peasant indebtedness to
moneylender, summary evictions, discriminatory tariffs against Indian products, destruction
of Indian trade, handicraft, absence of industrialization, alienation of upper and middle
classes.
 Political causes: Greedy policy of aggrandisement, annexation of the princely states, Policies
like 'Effective control', 'Subsidiary alliance', and 'Doctrine of lapse' created suspicion in the
minds of the people; abolition of regal titles; alien rule of the British and absentee
sovereignty ship→ rule of foreigners from distant land.
 Administrative causes: Exclusion of Indians from administrative posts. Rampant corruption
in the company's administration.
 Socio-Religious causes: Social legislations like Satiabolition act, 1829, Widow re-marriage
act, 1856, etc. Missionary activities; racial overtones; taxing mosque and temple lands;
Religious disabilities act (1856)->change of religion did not debar son from inheriting his
father property.
 Outside Events: 1st Afghan war (1838-42), Punjab wars (18545-49)- British suffered losses.
 Immediate Causes: Mixing of bone dust in atta (flour), introduction of Enfield rifle. Greased
wrapping paper of cartridge of new rifle to be bitten off before loading and grease was
reportedly made of beef and pig fat.
 Long history of revolts: Bengal (1764), Vellore (1806), Barrackpore (1825), Afghan wars
(1838-42).
 Discontent among sepoys: Restrictions on wearing caste and sectarian marks; rumours of
proselytizing activities of chaplains; no foreign service allowance (Bhatta) when serving in
Sindh or in Punjab; Indian sepoy was paid 1/3rd the salary of a European sepoy; In 1854, Post
office act (Lord Dalhousie) was passed which withdrew the free-postage privilege of the
sepoys.

Beginning of the revolt

 The revolt began on May 10, 1857, at Meerut, 58 kilometers from Delhi, and quickly spread
across a large territory, encompassing Punjab in the north and the Narmada in the
south, as well Bihar in the east and Rajputana in the west.
 In February 1857, the 19th Native Infantry at Berhampore (West Bengal), which refused
to use the newly imported Enfield rifle and mutinied, was dissolved.
 Mangal Pandey, a young sepoy in the 34th Native Infantry, went a step further and shot at
his unit's sergeant major at Barrackpore.
 3rd native cavalry- On May 9, 85 of them were dismissed and sentenced to 10 years
imprisonment.

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Spread of the revolt

 Began at Meerut on May 10, 1857 - Punjab in north and Narmada in south to Bihar in east
and Rajputana in west.
 Hindu-Muslim unity: Bahadur Shah as symbolic head; Hindu and Muslim sepoys respected
each other’s religious sentiments.
 Awadh, Rohilkhand, Doab, Bundelkhand, Central India, Bihar, East Punjab.
 Civilians joined - peasantry, artisans, shopkeepers, day labourers, zamindars, priests, civil
servants
 Peasants and petty zamindars attacked money lenders and Zamindars.

om
 Methods used: Attacked government buildings, destroyed bridges over rivers and dug up
metalled roads, targeted Delhi Bank.
 Several storm centres emerged in north India covering present-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,

l.c
which included Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi and Arrah.

ai
Leaders British
Lt. Willoughby, John
Delhi General Bakht Khan m
Nicholson, Lt. Hudson
3g
Kanpur Nana Saheb SirHugh Wheeler, Sir Colin Campbell
Henry Lawrence, Brigadier Inglis, Henry
Lucknow Begum Hazrat Mahal
Havelock, James Outram, Sir Colin Campbell
33

Bareilly Khan Bahadur Sir Colin Camphel

Bihar Kunwar Singh William Taylor
ar

Faizabad MaulviAhmadullah
tk

Jhansi Rani Laxmibai Sir Huge Rose

Baghpat
a

Shah Mal
bh

Allahabad and Benaras Maulavi Likayat Ali Colonel Oncell

Suppression of the revolt

m

 After a lengthy and bloody battle, the British finally took Delhi on September 20, 1857, and
ha

the uprising was eventually put down.

 The siege's commander, John Nicholson, was severely wounded and died as a result of his
ub

injuries.
 Bahadur Shah was apprehended and imprisoned.
sh

 British control over India was largely restored by the end of 1859.

Consequences of 1857 revolt

 Change of Power: British government was forced to pass GOI act, 1858 and assumed direct
responsibility for the administration.
 Princes and landlords rewarded and befriended: Princes who remained loyal to British
during the revolt were rewarded (included Gwalior, Rampur, Patiala and Jind). In 1861, a
special order of knighthood ‘the star of India’ was instituted and its recipients were rulers of
Bhopal, Baroda, Gwalior, Patiala and Rampur.
 Era of annexations and expansions ended and British promised to respect the dignity and
rights of the native princes. Doctrine of Lapse was abolished.
 Hostility towards Higher education

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 Policy of social intervention was abandoned by colonial government.

 Divide and rule: Sowed seeds of communalism in India and disrupted the national
movement.
 Racial discrimination: British rule was justified by philosophy of ‘Whiteman’s burden’- the
burden of civilizing the non-whites.
 Changes in military policy: The number of European soldiers was increased; In Bengal
army, ratio was fixed at 1:2; In Bombay and Madras armies, ratio was fixed at 1:3 or 2:5 +
Soldiers from Awadh, Bihar and Central India were declared as non-martial while Punjabis,
Gorkhas and Pathans were declared as martial and recruited in large numbers + Caste and
communal divisions were introduced in each regiment; Army amalgamation scheme
(1861)→ moved company’s European troops to services of crown.
 Equal protection under law to all Indians, old Indian rights, customs would be given due
regard while framing law.

Role of women in 1857 revolt:

Rani Lakshmi Bhai, Moti Bhai, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Sursi and women like Ashgari Begum, Asha
Devi, and Bhagavati Devi resisted the British attempts to exploit in their local areas for which they
welcomed death.
Reasons for failure:
No All India participation (Eastern, Southern and western parts remained unaffected); limited
participation (Big zamindars acted as 'break waters to storm', moneylenders, educated Indians,
Gorkha and Sikh regiment helped British, many rulers not participated-Sindhia of Gwalior, Holkar of
Indore, Maharaja of Kashmir etc); Poor arms and equipment; less communication; lack of unified
programme and ideology; superiority of British resources.

********

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Chapter-7
DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN PRESS
Introduction:
The Press as is known today was introduced in India by the British when in 1674 Bhimji Parak
(chief broker of English company at Surat) took keen interest in technology, and procured a printer
from England and set up printing press at Bombay.

Important Newspapers/Journals
 Bengal Gazette/Calcutta General Advertiser (1780): Started by James Augustus Hickey
(Father of Indian Press) + First newspaper in India and also First English language
newspaper in India + Seized in 1872 because of its outspoken criticism of government.
 Bengal Journal: Founded in 1785 by William Duane and Thomas Jones.
 Calcutta Chronicle: Founded by Daniel Stuart and Joseph Cooper; also set up Chronicle
printing press.
 Madras Courier: First newspaper to be established in the Madras Presidency, British India +
It first appeared in the English language on 12 October 1785 started by Richard Johnston.
 Bombay Herald: The Bombay Herald was first printed in 1790 Bombay, by William Ashburner.
 Digdarshan (First vernacular newspaper) and Samachar Darpan started by Serampore
Missionaries.
 The Friend of India: The Statesman was established in 1875 by Robert Knight as an
outgrowth of an earlier paper, The Friend of India (founded 1817).
 Bengal Gazette (1818): It was the first Indian-owned newspaper started by reformist
Gangadhar Bhattacharya.
 Hindu and Swadesamitran under G Subramaniya Aiyar.
 Voice of India under Dadabai Naoroji.
 Amrit Bazar Patrika under Sisirkumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh.
 Som Prakash: Founded by Dwaraknath Vidyabhusan in 1828.
 The Bengalee: By Girish Chandra Ghosh and Surendranath Banerjee in 1862.
 Indian Mirror under NN Sen.
 Kesari (in Marathi) and Maharatta (in England) under Balgangadhar Tilak.
 Sudharak under Gopal Krishna Gokhale
 Hindustan and Advocate under GP Verma.
 Tribune: The Tribune is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded by
SardarDyal Singh Majithia on February 2, 1881, in Lahore.
 Indu Prakash: Indu Prakash was an Anglo - Marathi periodical published from Bombay in the
late 1800s and early 1900s + Established by Vishnu Parshuram Pandit in 1862, it was published
as a weekly bi-lingual periodical and often contained articles supporting the Indian freedom
movement and criticism of the British colonial rule. It was latter merge in lokmanya.
Important Acts Governing Press in British India
 Censorship of Press Act (1799)
o Enacted by Governor-General Richard Wellesley to prevent the French from
publishing anything critical of the British.
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o It subjected all newspapers to government scrutiny prior to publication.

o Later expanded in 1807 to include all types of press publications, including
newspapers, magazines, books, and pamphlets.
o Publications on Sunday was prohibited.
o Prescribed punishment for breach of rules was immediate deportation.
o Rules were relaxed in 1818 by Lord Hastings.
 Licensing Regulations (1823)
o Governor-General John Adams introduced the Licensing Regulation Ordinance.
o Introduced licensing of Press (compulsory pre-publication licensing) for the first time;

om
constituted First press ordinance.
o It required a previous license for printing for all matters, except commercial matter.
o It made operating a press without a licence a criminal offence.

l.c
o The ban was primarily aimed at Indian-language newspapers or those edited by
Indians.

ai
o With exception of Calcutta Journal, no English newspaper was deprived of license in
1823. m
o The government also had the authority to revoke the license.
3g
o This prompted Raja Ram Mohan Roy to discontinue publication of his Persian
journal 'Mirat-ul-akhbar,' which he began in 1822.
33

o Licensing later abolished by Metcalf’s Act of 1835.

 Regulations of 1825 (By Lord Amherst): It prohibited the servants of the company from
ar

having any connection with the press.

tk

 Press act of 1835 (By Lord Metcalfe)

o Charles Metcalfe had a liberal attitude toward Indian Press and he repealed the 1823
a

regulations.
bh

o This act, therefore, is called the ‘Metcalfe Act’ and Metcalfe is known as the ‘Liberator
of the Indian Press’.
m

o It required a printer/publisher to give precise account of premises of a publication

and cease functioning.
ha

 Licensing act of 1857

o Governor General Canning enacted the Licensing Act of 1857 to impose stricter
ub

restrictions on the press.

o This act-imposed licensing restrictions as well as the right to halt the publication and
sh

distribution of any book, newspaper, or printed matter owned by the government.

o It was applicable to all papers, Indian and Anglo-India.
 Indian Penal Code of 1860 (Lord Canning): It contains offences like defamation and
obscenity which writers and publishers must avoid.
 Press and Registration of Books act, 1867 (By Lord Lawrence)
o Lord Lawrence passed the act, oldest surviving Press regulations in India.
o The act was to impose regulations but no restrictions on the press.
o The name of the printer, publisher, and place of publication were now required to be
included in the print media, and a copy was required to be submitted to the government.
o Within one month of publication of a book, a copy had to be supplied free of charge to
the local government.

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 Vernacular Press Act, 1878 (By Lord Lytton)

o Called as Gagging act; it excluded English language newspapers.
o The district magistrate had the authority to order the printer and publisher of any
vernacular newspaper to enter into a bond with the government promising not to cause
disaffection against the government or antipathy between people.
o The printer and publisher could also be required to deposit security, which could be
seized if the offences reoccurred.
o The magistrate's decision was final, and there could be no appeal in a court of law.
o A vernacular newspaper could obtain an exemption from the Act's application by
submitting proof to a government censor.
o Item powered government for the first time to issue search warrants and enter
newspaper premises even without court orders.
o Som Prakash, Bharat Mihir, Dacca Prakash, and Samachar were charged under the
VPA.
o Incidentally, to avoid the VPA, the Amrita Bazar Patrika morphed overnight into an
English newspaper.
o Later, the pre-censorship clause was repealed, and a press commissioner was appointed
to provide the press with authentic and accurate news.
o Ripon eventually repealed it in 1882.
 Newspaper (Incitement to Offences) Act, 1908 (By Lord Minto): It empowered
magistrates to seize a press where a newspaper containing matter which incited murder or
any other act of violence was printed.
 Indian Press Act, 1910
o It empowered district magistrates to ask for a deposit of security from the presses and
where it deemed fit, to forfeit it.
o Authorize searches and to declare newspaper copies and presses forfeited by the
government.
o Further enhanced under Defence of India regulations 1914.
o Printer of newspaper was required to submit two copies of each issue to local
governments free of charge.
 Indian Press (Emergency Powers) act 1931 (By Lord Willington)
o It gave wide-ranging powers to provincial governments to suppress Civil Disobedience
movement propaganda.
o It imposed on Press an obligation to furnish security at call of executive.
o Surendranath Banerjea became the first Indian journalist to be imprisoned in 1883.
Newspaper/Journal Place Year Founder/Editor
Bengal Gazette
Calcutta 1780 James Augustus Hickey (Irish)
(or Calcutta General Advertiser)
Richard Johnson (owner); Hugh Boyd
Madras Courier Madras 1785
(first editor)
India Gazette/Calcutta General Advertiser Calcutta 1780 Bernard Messink
Bombay Herald
Bombay 1789 William Ashburner (editor)
(First paper from Bombay)
Indian Herald Started by R. Williams and published
Madras 1795
by Humphreys.
Bengal Hurkaru (English weekly, later daily) Calcutta 1795 Hugh Boyd

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Calcutta Journal (English bi-weekly) Calcutta 1818 James Silk Buckingham

Digdarshan (first Bengali monthly and Calcutta Serampur missionaries (William
Calcutta 1818 Carcy, Joshua Marshman and William
first vernacular newspaper)
Ward)
Serampore
Samachar Darpan (Bengali weekly) Baptist Missionary Society (Joshua
(Bengal) 1818
Marshman)

Calcutta 1821
Sambad Kaumudi (Bengali weekly) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Mirat-ul-Akhbar (first Persian journal, a weekly) Calcutta 1822 Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Samachar Chandrika (orthodox 1822
Calcutta Bhabani Charan Bandyopadhyaya.
Hindu newspaper of the Dharma Sabha)

Jam-i-
i-Jahan-Numah Calcutta 1822 Harhihar Dutta (Editor)
(first paper inUrdu)
Amrit Bazaar Patrika (Oldest Indian owned Jessore
1868 Sisirkumarghosh and Motilal Ghosh
English daily) district
National paper Calcutta 1865 Debendranath Tagore
Indian Mirror (English weekly of Calcutta
Calcutta 1862 Debendranath Tagore
Brahmosamaj)
Girish Chandra Ghosh, bought by
The Bengalee Calcutta 1862
Surendranath Banerjee in 1879
Bangadoota (weekly in English, Hindu, Persian
Calcutta 1822 Raja Ram Mohan Roy
and Bengali)
Bombay Samachar Bombay 1822 Fardunjee Marzban
Udant Mart and (first Hindi language newspaper) Calcutta 1826 Pt. Jugal Kishore Shukla
Rast Goftar Calcutta 1851 Dadabhai Naoroji
Hindu Patriot Calcutta 1853 Girish Chandra Ghosh
Madras Mail Calcutta 1868 -
Bangadarshana Calcutta 1873 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
BandiJivan Bengal - Sachindranath Sanyal
Kranti Maharashtra 1927 SS Mirajkar, KN Joglekar, SV Ghate
KudiArasu Tamil Nadu 1910 EV RamaswamyNaicker
Bahishkrit Bharat 1927 BR Ambedkar
Bombay chronicle Bombay 1913 Pherozshah Mehta
Yugantar Bengal 1906 Barindra Kumar Ghosh
Vital Vidhvansak 1888 Gopal Baba Walangkar
Paridasak - 1886 Bipin Chandra pal
Voice of India Bombay 1883 Dadabhai Naoroji
GS Aiyar, Viraraghavachari and
The Hindu (started as a weekly) Madras 1878
Subbarao Pandit

Outside India-
Name of News paper Written by Place
Bande Mataram Madam Bhikaji Cama Paris
Gadar Lala Hardayal San Francisco
Indian Sociologist Shyamji Krishna Varma London
Talwar Virendranath Chattopadhyaya Berlin

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