Colonial Economic Venture: A Study on the Tea Industry of North Bengal (1850 – 1947)

Abstract

The ownership and management of tea plantations in Darjeeling hill, plains and the Duars region rested overwhelmingly in the hands of the Europeans during the colonial period. The monopoly of the Europeans in this economic venture was established with the control of Managing Agency houses and tea Associations. Migrations of adivasis like Santhals, Mundas and Oraons from Chotanagpur and Santhal Parganas as labour - force in Duars was increased rapidly with the growth of tea industries. The entry of the Indian entrepreneurs in tea plantations with their European counterparts was an interesting feature during this period. A few Bengali lawyers and clerks of Jalpaiguri formed the first Indian tea company, called the Jalpaiguri Tea Company, with Mogolkata Tea Estate (1878). The year 1947 was a severe blow to the European tea companies that many of them sold their tea estates to Indians and ultimately left from India.