The Accidental Anthropologist of India

Rai Bahadur Sarat Chandra Roy (1871-1942) was regarded as the Father of Indian Ethnography and the First Indian Anthropologist, undoubtedly a forgotten citizen of India. As a child, his father Purna Chandra Roy came to Bengal from Khulna (now in Bangladesh). The young Sarat passed his Matriculation Exam from City Collegiate School and graduated in English (Hons.) from General Assembly Institute (now Scottish Church College), followed by a Masters from the University of Calcutta. To continue further, he studied Law and obtained a Bachelor of Law (BL) degree from Ripon College (now Surendranath College). 


Sri Roy started practicing Law in Calcutta but shortly after, he was advised to move to Ranchi (now capital of Jharkhand) due to health issues. In Ranchi, he rose to great heights and earned a good reputation in the Judicial Commissioner’s Court. Besides pursuing Law, he also turned into the oppressed tribes of the society. Gradually, he started documenting the social and cultural history of various tribes. At this point, he turned his attention to Anthropology despite not having a formal degree in the subject. He was a member of many Indian and International Organizations of Anthropology and became the first person to deliver lectures on Anthropology in India. Likewise, he published many journals and became one of the few Indians to write about Indian Tribes after the British (these are perhaps still hiding somewhere in the Asiatic Society of India) . Thus, Sarat Chandra Roy was an accidental anthropologist.

 

Mr. Sarat Chandra Roy predominantly immersed himself in anthropological studies. His major works were preserved into his  private museum cum residence at Church Road, Ranchi. One of his remarkable work on the tribe called Mundas (pronounced as Mundaas) can be found in the book called “The Mundas and their Country”, published in 1912. The book primarily focuses on the ethnography of this interesting Chota Nagpur tribe containing six comprehensive chapters spanning over the traditional, medieval and modern history of Mundas. 

 

Mundas are a subset of ancient Kolarian Tribes of India. Some of their physical features included dark complexion, thick lips, sturdy limbs and scanty body hair and a more brachy-cephalic head compared to an average Dravidian. One notable member from this group was Birsa-Munda (1875-1900) who revolted against the British Raj from Ranchi. The “Birsa Munda Chowk” in Ranchi was named after him.

 

Mr. Roy was a visionary. He firmly believed anthropology is necessary for nation building and must not be considered as a subject of the backward society. He won many accolades and his publications received praises from the World renowned anthropologists such as RB Dixon.


Abstract from Nature journal (Source: www.nature.com)


For more exposition, one can read this article published in the The Telegraph:

 

https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/fast-forgotten-ranchi-does-not-remember-sc-roy-ru-has-done-little-in-memory-of-the-father-of-indian-ethnography-and-now-his-private-museum-discovers-arti-sahuliyar-has-been-shut-down-for-visitors/cid/1650190

 

Unfortunately, SC Roy left the physical world on April 30, 1942. India forgot this great man too quickly. But even today, his presence is greatly missed by many and his works are taught and referred in courses of Anthropology, all across the world.


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