British Rule in Odisha | Odisha State PSC (OPSC): Preparation - OPSC OCS (Odisha) PDF Download

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British Rule in Odisha
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In 1765, after the Battle of Buxar, East India Company General Robert Clive
acquired the Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha from Mughal Emperor,
Shah Alam II.
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The British East India Company obtained the Northern Circars (Division of
British India’s Madras Presidency) consisting of Chicacole (Srikakulam),
Rajahmundry, Ellore and Guntur in which the present undivided Ganjam district
was included. The British East India Company also got Midnapore, which was a
part of Odisha.
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Thus, the British authorities acquired Oriya speaking tracts, both in South and in
the North. This facilitated them to conquer Odisha with ease. The first settlement
was made in Harishpur (present day Jagatsinghpur).
The British Conquest of the Regions of Odisha
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Puri In 1803, a British Colonel Harcourt marched from Ganjam to capture Puri.
On 18th September, 1803 Puri was captured by the British.
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Cuttack After capturing Puri, the British forces on 24th September, 1803 began
the march towards Cuttack. The Harcourt’s artillery force defeated the Marathas
and by 14th October, 1803 entire Cuttack was under the British Rule. The
capitulation of Barabati fort by British, marked the end of Maratha rule in Odisha.
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Baleswar On 22nd September, 1803, the British captured Balasore under Captain
Morgan. On 17th December, 1803, the Battle of Laswari ended by the Treaty of
Deogarh, Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur surrendered Cuttack and Baleswar which
include Mughalbandi, Garhjat, the coastal part of Odisha and Balasore to the East
India Company. Thus beginning the British rule in Odisha under Lord Wellesley.
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Sambalpur In January 1804, Major Broughton, conquered Sambalpur by defeating
Maratha Governor Tantia Pharnavis. With the departure of Lord Wellesley,
Governor General Barlow, a pacifist restored Sambalpur to the Marathas. In 1849,
British annexed it again with the application of the Doctrine of Lapse of Lord
Dalhousie.
British Administration in Odisha
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Odisha was divided into three administrative units under British administration.
First was Province of Cuttack under Bengal Presidency second was Ganjam and
Koraput under Madras Presidency and third was Sambalpur was under Central
Provinces.
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All the three kind of land settlements, viz Zamindari, Ryotwari and Mahalwari
were implemented in different parts to assess and collect land revenue.The short
term settlements proved disastrous to the Oriya tenants as well as zamindars. The
Bengali zamindars exploited the tenants of Odisha. British also controlled the
economic and military base of Odisha.
31 Modern History of Odisha