From the Hills to the Plains

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From the Hills to the Plains

The Bengali Entrepreneurs and the transformation of North Bengal's Tea Industry (1879 - 1947)

Economic history Agriculture, agribusiness and food production industries Asian history

Author: Supam Biswas

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Language: English

Published by: Routledge

Published on: 5th June 2026

Format: LCP-protected ePub

ISBN: 9781040908822


Introduction

The book explores the emergence of Bengali entrepreneurship in the 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 the Indianisation of the trade.

Tea Associations and Nationalism

It also resulted in the formation of various tea associations established by Bengali entrepreneurs like the Indian Tea Planters’ Association (ITPA) and Terai Indian Planters’ Association (TIPA). The book highlights their role in the freedom struggle as well as their lifestyle, culture and leisure.

Ownership Changes and Historical Insights

The work also offers an account of how the ownership of tea gardens changed hands from Bengalis to other Indians, mainly Marwaris, and delves into reasons behind this shift.

Target Audience

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

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