Herbal heroes and colonial collaborators: a reassessment of European botanists in British India

Botanical studies sponsored by the colonial government in British India had two goals – scientific and commercial. The centre for botanical research was the first capital of British India, Calcutta (now Kolkata, West Bengal), specifically in the Calcutta Botanic Garden. Many of these European botanists were considered scientific heroes constituting a botanical pantheon, both during colonial rule in India and after India’s independence. A more balanced evaluation of such hagiographies is needed. I report new findings and review existing literature to discuss how these botanists used their scientific skills to advance the colonial rule and aided the exploitation of the colonized people. This includes utilizing Indian labour and expertise for science but not providing appropriate acknowledgment to the contributors, advising in favour of privatizing public land to increase revenue of the East India Company, helping steal botanical resources from other countries, growing narcotics to illegally sell to other countries, and growing anti-malarial to strengthen the colonial army and officials while limiting access for the native population. The illegal narcotic business (opium) indirectly resulted in the emergence of racist stereotypes about the Chinese people and the Ghoti people. The achievements of such eminent colonial botanical personalities should be evaluated with a nuanced approach that also acknowledges their participation in colonial exploitation.