The India We Left: Life as One of the Last Generation of British Officials in India

by Humphrey Trevelyan

The India We Left describes the lives of the British and Indians in India in the mid-nineteenth century to the twilight of the British Empire through the experiences of two members of the same family, generations apart.

The first part of the book follows the career of the author’s great-uncle, Sir Charles Edward Trevelyan, who worked in India between 1826 and 1865 and was instrumental in the Indian adoption of a revolutionary policy of English education. As Governor of Madras and then a Finance member of the Governor General’s Council, he was known for his bold and liberal views and was always engaged in controversy with the Establishment.

The second part is based on the life of Humphrey Trevelyan himself, one of the last generation of British officials in India, where he served from 1929 until Indian independence in 1947. He paints a vivid picture of the extraordinary relationship of the British Political Officers with the Indian Rulers in the last years of the British Raj, recording with liveliness and humour what life was like for the last British generation in India.

This highly entertaining book is a worthy successor to Lord Trevelyan’s previous acclaimed books, The Middle East in Revolution and Worlds Apart. It is a brilliant and vivid study of two ages of British life in India seen against the political background of the time.

Humphrey Trevelyan(1905-1985) was a British diplomat and author. He occupied several diplomatic posts, including Ambassador to Egypt during the Suez Crisis and Ambassador to Iraq during the Kuwait Crisis. He wrote a number of books including The Middle East in Revolution and The India We Left.

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 1972

About the author

Humphrey Trevelyan, Baron Trevelyan, KG GCMG CIE OBE (1905 - 1985) was a British diplomat and author.

Reviews

[Sivaprasad TG · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Indian, reading this book after 77 years of Independence is truly a significant virtual journey into the past. This is not about the freedom struggle, not about the conflicts between the British and the Congress. It's just like a modern day Travelogue about the old India - which makes it a wonderful read. There are notes on several important cities including mine - Madurai (which is referred as Madura) and the officer's journey in those cities with relevant political outlook.

[Barun Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute gem of a book if you like reading about how administration was run during the Raj especially the nuances of the relationship of the Indian Princely States with the freedom movement as well as the British administration and how they both depended on each other for continued stability and economic benefits.