3-5: Science, Technology and Medicine in Colonial India | David Arnold (2000) | Volume III: The British Raj | The New Cambridge History of India

Science, Technology and Medicine in Colonial India | David Arnold (2000)

Overview

David Arnold’s Science, Technology and Medicine in Colonial India is a pioneering examination that delves into the significant impact of science and its related fields during the era of British rule. Released in 2000 as part of The New Cambridge History of India series, this work offers an analytical account of the ways in which Western science was introduced, adapted, resisted, and employed in colonial India.
Differing from many conventional historical accounts, Arnold’s study centers not solely on imperial directives but also on how science and medicine served as mechanisms of control, as well as means of resistance and transformation within Indian society.

Central Themes of the Book

Science as an Imperial Tool

Arnold stresses that science in colonial India was never impartial. It functioned as both an ideological and practical tool of the empire, utilized to:

• Enhance oversight through mapping, classification, and censuses
• Bolster agricultural and industrial output
• Establish racial hierarchies through medical and anthropological examinations

Science facilitated the legitimization of British governance by portraying it as rational, advanced, and superior.

Colonial Medicine and Public Health

The text explores the introduction of Western medicine and its interactions with traditional Indian medical systems like Ayurveda and Unani. Arnold reveals:

• How colonial medical practices were implemented for the protection of British troops and administrative hubs
• The selective execution of public health measures in urban areas such as Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras
• The resistance and negotiation efforts by Indians regarding enforced medical policies

Technology and Infrastructure

Arnold investigates the extensive technological changes during British dominance, including:

• Railways, telegraphs, canals, and dams
• Their effects on Indian society, economy, and environment
• The dual narrative of technological progress juxtaposed with the exploitation of natural and human resources

He also considers how these initiatives were presented as gifts of modernity, while simultaneously intensifying colonial control.

Knowledge Production and Classification

The British employed science to classify and categorize Indian flora, fauna, and people:

• Botanical gardens, museums, and educational institutions became centers for knowledge generation
• Fields such as anthropology and ethnography perpetuated stereotypes regarding Indian society
• The rise of scientific racism and its effects on governance

Indian Response to Colonial Science

• Indians actively engaged with Western science rather than simply accepting it. There were attempts to indigenize, adapt, or reject colonial practices
• The emergence of Indian scientists, medical professionals, and technocrats who contributed to global advancements in science
• Intellectual discussions regarding the role of science in Indian nationalism and the pursuit of modernity

About the Author: David Arnold

David Arnold stands as a leading historian of colonial South Asia, focusing on:

• The history of science and medicine
• Environmental and technological history
• Colonial governance and state formation

He has extensively documented how imperialism and scientific advancement intersected in non-Western contexts.

Why This Book Is Important

This book is crucial for comprehending:

• The way science became a mechanism of power within colonial governance
• The intricate relationship between modernity and imperialism
• The development of Indian perspectives on Western science and medicine
• The intellectual foundations of India’s contemporary scientific institutions following independence

Who Should Read This?

• Students and scholars engaged in the history of science, South Asian studies, and colonial medicine
• Academics interested in postcolonial theory and the relationship between science and empire
• Candidates preparing for competitive examinations (UPSC, CSS) concentrating on colonial history
• General audiences examining the impact of colonialism on daily life in India