Home > Indian History > History of India > Technological Developments in British India
Technological Developments in British India
Technological developments in British India called for historical leaps towards future, making India prosperous.

Share this Article:

British East India CompanyTechnological developments in British India created history whilst making India burgeoning in wealth. Technological development was such a field which British India adopted to make life easier and smoother. Changes came all over and the introduction of electronic telegraph, steam engine and sophisticated railways made life lot smoother.

Within the period of 1789-1793, the British East India Company`s Court of Directors introduced the screw press in India for the packing of cotton. In 1793, the Court sent to Bombay some of the Whitney saw-gen machines for the cleaning of cotton. They obtained only limited value due to India`s short staple cotton.

In 1822, the Company introduced steam vessels for use on India`s rivers, particularly on the Ganges, the Indus and the Hooghly.

First Burma WarWithin the period of 1824-26, in the course of the First Burma War, steam vessels played a decisive role in moving troops and supplies up the Irrawaddy. Technological developments under British India comprised huge industrial progress, with sophistication being employed in every sphere of business transactions.

During times of 1825-34, even more significant developments in technology could be witnessed. In February 1825, James Henry Johnston (1787-1851) placed a steam vessel in service between Great Britain and India via the Cape. In 1830, Johnston recommended the use of iron construction for steam ships and subsequently built one in England which was launched in April 1834 for service to Calcutta.

In 1829,steamships began to operate routinely between Bombay and the Red Sea and on India`s rivers.

In 1831, the application of steam power in the new Calcutta mint allowed for the production of up to 300,000 coins in a day.

In 1839, Adolph Bazin introduced the first plans for the electronic telegraph in India. Such scientific, technical and industrial progress in India was a true boost for making contact with the outside world, without much effort and pain. Technological developments in British India was a fast approaching goal and it was such an arena which perhaps could never have occurred in India, had the British never landed in the soil. Technology during those years was pretty poor; one had to travel and shell out huge amounts of money in order to make such an effort and become successful. As such developments and improvements in the technological field were received with a warm welcome.

In the years of 1841-54, Robert M. Stephenson conceived the idea of introducing railways in India. On May 7, 1845 the East India Company`s Court of Directors issued its formal sanction to the Governor-General of India supporting the need for the building of railways in India. Stephenson founded the East Indian Railway Company in 1845. The first rail journey occurred on April 16, 1853 in India between Bombay and Thana (presently Maharashtra">Thane, in Maharashtra), a distance of twenty-one miles. In Bengal a rail line connecting Howrah and Hooghly went into service on August 15, 1854 for passenger traffic. Due to the lack of iron making technology in India during that time, most rolling stock, rails and iron bridging materials were imported from Great Britain.

The years of 1851-57 had even more reason to rejoice after the historical introduction of railways in India. Technology was developing in leaps and bounds, with British government shelling out huge amounts to make India advanced. William Brooke O`Shaughnessy (1809-1899) erected the first telegraph line in 1851, stretching from Calcutta to Chunchura. In 1853, the Company authorised lines connecting Calcutta, Agra, Bombay and Madras.

In 1856, telegraph lines were extended over 4250 miles of India, connecting forty-six stations. They linked such major centres as Calcutta to Agra and Bombay to Madras and were to play a key communication role during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

In 1857, O`Shaughnessy was named first Director-General of Telegraphs in India. More than anything else, it was the introduction telegraphs and railways that wholly altered the technological scenario of India. Indians had never witnessed something like it, although these developments were not free from opposition. Technological developments under British India can be stated as the most illustrious beginning, which bore its fruits much later.

In the years of 1868-69, Carl Louis Schwendler (1838-1882) advanced the application of electricity in India as regards its interrelationship with defective insulators used on the telegraph lines. Applying the laws of Faraday`s magneto-induction, he conducted a number of experiments on the supply of electrical current for the telegraph. Electricity, accompanied with such esteemed technological advancements truly made India developed in a sudden span of time.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.