WGW_Kolkata

Jamshedpur history provides detailed information on the establishment of the first industrial unit of Iron and Steel Plant in India and the industrial progress of the country. The modern city of Jamshedpur is the brain child of Sri Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata who was the main force behind the industrial revolution of India.

Jamshetji Tata had set up the industrial unit of Tata Iron and Steel Plant in Jamshedpur. However, after the demise of the founder leader of Tata Iron and Steel Plant, Sri Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata, his unfulfilled dream was finally realized by his eldest son, Sri Dorabji Tata who led to the further expansion of the business establishment. Sri Dorabji Tata had built the modern city of Sakchi that was later renamed as Jamshedpur.

Sri Dorabji’s brother, Sri Ratan Tata took part in the Indian freedom Struggle. He believed that India can attain her cherished dream of becoming an industrially progressive country, only when the country is freed of foreign rule and oppression. After independence, Sri Ratan Tata diverted his attention to the well being of the company and Tata Iron and Steel Plant became one of the pioneering companies of the world under his guidance. The industrial city of Jamshedpur became one of the developed cities of India.

The reins of the company went to Sri Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata after the death of Sri Ratan Tata. Sri Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata had further led to the modernization and beautification of Jamshedpur. He had constructed new roads for improving the transportation system of the industrial city. Sri Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata also constructed several gardens and recreational parks for entertainment of the citizens of Jamshedpur.

The modern city of Jamshedpur bears relics to the rich industrial history of our country.

Initially people of Dravidian and Austroloid stock inhabited this region. Around two thousand five hundred years ago, it became an area of significant Jain activity. According to some, the last Tirthankar of Jain religion, Mahavira Vardhamana, used to live and work in the area. The district and headquarters town thus came to be known as Bardhaman. Some identify the spread of Jainism in West Bengal with the Aryanisation of the region. Evidence of major Jain activity exists in the Jain temples on Pareshnath Hill in neighbouring Jharkhand. There is an old Jain temple at Begunia on the bank of the Barakar river. A number of temples in neighbouring Bankura district also bear evidence of major Jain activity in the region.

Later, the area was possibly part of the Vishnupur kingdom, where the Malla dynasty ruled for around a thousand years till the advent of the British. There is a Vishnupur style temple in Chhotodighari village providing a clue to its links with Vishnupur. The local dialect and culture of the region has closer affinities with those of Bankura and Vishnupur than the other neighbouring areas. It is evident that the area was part of different kingdoms at different points of time.

History of Howrah City dates back to 500 years. But, the district has thousands of years of rich heritage in the form of the great Bengali kingdom of Bhurshut. Venetian explorer Ceasare de Federici, who travelled India during 1565–79, mentioned a place called Buttor in his journal circa 1578.[3] As per his description, this was the place up to which large ships could travel (in the Hoogli River) and so, it was the dock for loading and unloading goods for those ships.[3] This place is identifiable with the modern day neighbourhood Bator of Howrah.[3] Bator was also mentioned in the Bengali poetry Manasamangal written by Bipradas Pipilai in 1495.[4]
In 1713, the Bengal Council of British East India Company, on the accession of the Emperor Farrukhsiyar, grand son of Aurangzeb, to the throne of Delhi, sent a deputation to him with a petition for a settlement of five villages on west bank of Hooghly river along with thirty-three villages on the east bank.[5] The list of villages appeared in the Consultation Book of the Council dated 4 May 1714. The five villages on the west bank on Hooghly river were: 'Salica' (Salkia), 'Harirah' (Howrah), 'Cassundeah' (Kasundia), 'Ramkrishnopoor' (Ramkrishnapur), and 'Battar' (Bator): all identifiable with localities of modern day Howrah city.[6] The deputation was successful except for these five villages.[6] By 1728, most of the present day Howrah district was part of either of the two zamindaris: Burdwan or Muhammand Aminpur.[6] After Battle of Plassey, as per the treaty signed with the Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim on 11 October 1760, Howrah district (then part of Burdwan) came under control of East India Company.[7] In 1787, the Hooghly district was formed, and till 1819, the whole of the present day Howrah district was added to it.[8] The Howrah district was separated from the Hooghly district in 1843.[9]
With the establishment of the Howrah Railway Terminus in 1854 started the most important phase of its industrial development. Flour mills were established in 1855, followed by Jute mills and around 1870s, there were five mills near Howrah station.[10] The Howrah–Shalimar Railway Section and the Shalimar Terminus were constructed in 1883.
By 1914 almost every major city in India was served by the Railways and the increased demand for its rolling stocks and repair works resulted in the establishment of railway workshop in Howrah. The light engineering industry grew up after 1914.[11] This industrial boom continued throughout the second world war and brought with it rapid urbanisation phase in unplanned manner creating slums near the industrial establishments.

Sunderbans was one of the first wilderness areas in India to receive preferred / protected status. The East India Company gained proprietary rights to the region from the Mughal Emperor, Alamgir II, in 1757. As early as 1764, Surveyor General of the East India Company mapped out the Sunderbans. When the Forest Management Division was created in 1869, the Sunderbans was the very earliest forests to come under their jurisdiction. It was formally declared a reserved forest in 1875.