Colonialism introduced new agricultural commodities and encouraged their production. Tea is one of them. With a view to end Chinas monopoly on Tea, British East India Company encouraged production of tea in Assam. It imported the saplings from China but they fid not survive. Maniram Dewan, an Assamese nobleman guided the Company officers to the Singpho tribe in Upper Assam. Tea was the traditional drink of that tribe. Maniram Dewan played a crucial role in the discovery of Indian Tea. He was also one of the first people to establish tea gardens in Assam. He was loyal ally of the British East India Company in his early years , he was hanged to death by the British for conspiring against them during the 1857 Uprising. He was hanged on 26 February 1857. The tea garden workers observed one day Bandh and expressed their solidarity with Maniram Dewan. It is unfortunate that Indian Tea Industry is not aware of the sacrifice of Maniram Dewan. By the way, nearly 40 per cent of tea plantations in Assam are of the small holders.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:13:18 +0000
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