Urban History Of India

Urbanization has become a world-widephenomenon in the 20th century. In modern India urbanization was greatly facilitated, by the British government. The East India Company selected sites which had both strategic and commercial importance. Since in the beginning, their trade was mainly sea-borne, and water-transport was the main means of conveyance, they chose those sites which were close to the sea. In this book is analysed the process of urbanization of Assam is a historical setting taking Dibrugarh town as the focus of attention. After establishing their suzerainty over the hill tribes with Dibrugarh town as the headquarter of the British military and para-military forces, the rulers set out to fulfill their ultimate objective of commercial exploitation of the rich natural resources. Tea-plantation yielded good return to the British capital invested. Discovery of coal and oil in the nearby places further increased the importance of this town in the eyes of the colonial rulers. It become the most commercially advanced and materially developed town in the entire north-east. The newly emerging industrial activities, necessitiated important of people from other parts of India. As a result the demographic composition of the town underwent great changes. But the material progress of this town has been marred at present by the floods and erosion of the mighty Brahmaputra. It is the constant treat of this river which lead to a half of investment in the town. But despite this industrial stagnation, the town continues to be an important centre of education and health due to the establishment of the Dibrugarh University and the Assam Medical College. While narrating the different aspects of urbanization, attempt has also been made to focus the contribution made by the people of this area towards the growth and development of culture and civilization in the north-east.

Dr. Deepali Barua (b. 1944) has had a brilliant academic career since her school days. She obtained her graduation and post graduation in History from the University of Gauhati securing places in the merit list. She is also a law graduate of the Dibrugarh University. As a Teacher Fellow of the U.G.C. she received Ph.D. Degree in 1989 from the Dibrugarh University. She did a Foundation Course in Research Methodology organized by the N.E. Council for Social Science Research, Shillong in 1983. She has participated in a number of All India Conferences and presented papers on the role of women and other important topics. She started her career as a Lecturer in the M.D.K. Girl’s College. Dibrugarh in 1963 and is presently the Head of the Dept. in the same college. She is actively connected with women and child welfare activities. She renders talks through A.I.R. Dibrugarh.