In the Indian Army of the British Raj, the officer corps was "reserved for the governing race", (i.e. the British). Only in 1917, a mere thirty years before India won freedom, did the Raj permit Indians into the Army's officer corps, thus slowly beginning its Indianization. Yet it is often forgotten that this decision was the culmination of a hundred-year-long debate. Based on meticulous archival research in Britain and India, this book breaks new ground by offering readers the first detailed account of this generally forgotten debate. It traces the myriad schemes and counter-schemes the debate generated, the complex twists and turns it took, and how it engaged both British policy-makers anxious to maintain control, as well as nationalist Indian leaders agitating for greater self-government. This work also offers insights into the martial races concept, the 1857 uprising, and the impact of Anglo-Indian ideology upon the Indian Army. Clearly written and carefully argued, this monograph is an original and defining contribution to military/war and society history, the history of colonial India and its army, the history of British empire, the history of racism, and to civil-military relations.

About the Author
Chandar S. Sundaram is instructor at the University of Victoria.

Reviews
Carefully researched and written, Indianization, the Officer Corps, and the Indian Army: The Forgotten Debate, 1817-1917, offers readers an insight into the important, and often forgotten `pre-history' of the Indianization of the army. This book does an excellent job of exploring the tensions within a military establishment that at once championed a return to `traditional' rulers and the incorporation of `martial races' into the Indian army while riddled with a deep-seated racism and elitism that blocked any moves toward Indianization until absolutely required. -- Erica Wald, University of London


Awards
Winner of Society for Army Historical Research UK's Templer Medal Best First Book Prize, 2020 2020.



Book Information
ISBN 9781498579513
Author Chandar S. Sundaram
Format Hardback
Page Count 284
Imprint Lexington Books
Publisher Lexington Books
Weight(grams) 603g
Dimensions(mm) 231mm * 160mm * 26mm