Beastly encounters of the Raj: Livelihoods, livestock and veterinary health in North India, 1790–1920

by Saurabh Mishra, Andrew Thompson (Series Editor), John M. MacKenzie (Series Editor)

This is the first full-length monograph to examine the history of colonial medicine in India from the perspective of veterinary health. The history of human health in the subcontinent has received a fair amount of attention in the last few decades, but nearly all existing texts have completely ignored the question of animal health. This book will not only fill this gap, but also provide fresh perspectives and insights that might challenge existing arguments.

At the same time, this volume is a social history of cattle in India. Keeping the question of livestock at the centre, it explores a range of themes such as famines, agrarian relations, urbanisation, middle-class attitudes, caste formations etc. The overall aim is to integrate medical history with social history in a way that has not often been attempted.

184 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2015

About the author

Saurabh Mishra wears many identities - a serial entrepreneur who has started, successfully grown, and sold 3 business ventures and is actively involved with yet more global business and also social ventures. A volunteer who has for over a decade, spent his Wednesdays giving company to people in palliative care as well as in long hours of silent meditation. An Indian classical vocalist, an engaging raconteur, a loving husband, caring father, son, brother and friend. And yet, underneath all that is a unifying whole - an individual with a keen awareness of himself as an infinitesimal expression of the divine, blissful cosmic consciousness.