Frontier Officers in Colonial Northeast India

Contents: Preface. Abbreviations. 1. Lieutenant Colonel F.J. Lister (1823-1854), Political agent of governor general of India in Khasi Hills and Officer Commanding, Sylhet Light Infantry. 2. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Herbert Lewin (1858-1873), Superintendent and Deputy Commissioner, Chittagong Hills Tract. 3. Sir John Ware Edgar (1862-1892), Chief Secretary, Government of Bengal. 4. R.B. McCabe (1875-1897), Deputy Commissioner, Naga Hills and Kamrup and Political officer, North Lushai Hills. Glossary. Select bibliography. Index.

"This treatise aims at giving a glimpse of the renowned frontier personalities shaping the British frontier policy acting in different capacities as civil and military officers under trying circumstances in a hostile climate to open up the North-East to the world. They studied carefully the topography of the hills and plains, made survey of the forbidden land, mixed with the unknown people at the risk of their lives to know their customs and usages, gave a shape to their languages and made them conscious of their rights. Today\'s North-east what we know now, is the product of their hard labour, sacrifice and farsight.

There has been, however, a large number of such officers but we had selected only four; Lieutenant Colonel F.J. Lister, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Herbert Lewin, Sir John Ware Edgar and R.B. McCabe. Those goliaths came to India in the 19 century to transform the North-eastern hills into a prosperous province full of life and expectation.

This multi-disciplinary work will prove of utmost use to one and all concerned." (jacket)