How colonial-era Mysore's native elites reimagined development

Historian Chandan Gowda explores how native elites in colonial Mysore engaged with the concept of development, both as an intellectual pursuit and through tangible projects.

Gowda's examination focuses on infrastructure initiatives undertaken by Mysore's rulers, including canal systems and an ironworks industry. The research seeks to understand how these leaders navigated colonial structures while attempting to modernize their kingdom.

The study sheds light on how development ideas took shape in princely states during the colonial period, examining the interplay between indigenous aspirations and external colonial pressures.