The Raj was a partnership that enriched Indians in the upper and middle classes, even as it impoverished those at the bottom. That is why it lasted as long as it did. The people with capital and social power in India were rewarded for not rocking the boat.
sorry, come again?!?!
the brits did not allow G D Birla to do business in Kolkata. Did not even allow him to board the same lift theey (brits) were using, Jamshedji Tata was not allowed to stay in hotel by brits in mumbai because he being an Indian...
from tatasteel website:
The incident left such deep scars on Jamsetji’s heart that he decided to construct a place equally luxurious and lavish for all fellow Indians. By the time the Taj Mahal Hotel was completed in 1903, it was the finest luxury hotel and the first building in Bombay that used electricity. Endorsed with supreme luxury items from across the globe, Taj Mahal Hotel boasted American fans, German elevators, Turkish baths, English butlers (what a revenge) and whole lot of other innovative delights that the Indians were deprived of.
(Sir) G D Birla was not allowed to start a small industry in kolkata. every piece of land he wanted to buy for his factory was cunningly blocked by the people you are thinking have enriched upper indian class. GDB almost gave up and decided to sell all the land he had purchased to andrew yule & co. at that moment he was taunted by a british clerk that such an indian fool has come out to compete with we
great british people. He decided at that moment to not proceed with the sale and eventually one day on his own purchased Andrew Yule.
He established Birla Jute Mills in Bengal, much to the consternation of established European merchants. This noted businessman had to cover a number of obstacles as the British and Scottish merchants
with unethical and monopolistic methods tried to close his business. Birla`s business reached its pick when supply problem arises throughout the British Empire due to World War I. Ironically, GDB was conferred knighthood but he never used it...
Anglophiles’ note of apology says “British colonial rule in India was the organized banditry that financed England’s Industrial Revolution”. The British rulers even took over the technology of India, along with money. Will Durant, an American Historian mentioned in his note “India was flourishing in Ship building besides the expertise of making steel and textiles. But all got ruined when British took over those technologies”.
where is the enrichment thru partnership?
and this piece from indiannavy.nic.in provide ample proof:
(quote)
Indian maritime interests witnessed a remarkable resurgence in the late seventeenth century, When the Siddhis of Janjira allied with the Moghuls to become a major power on the West Coast. This led the Maratha King Shivaji to create his own fleet, which was commanded by able admirals like Sidhoji Gujar and Kanhoji Angre. The Maratha Fleet along with the legendary Kanhoji Angre held away over the entire Konkan Coast keeping the English, Dutch and Portuguese at bay. The death of Angre in 1729 left a vacuum and resulted in the decline of Maratha sea power. Despite the eclipse of Indian kingdoms with the advent of western domination, Indian shipbuilders continued to hold their own well into the nineteenth century. The Bombay Dock completed in July 1735 is in use even today.
Ships displacing 800 to 1000 tons were built of teak at Daman and were superior to their British counterparts both in design and durability.
This so agitated British shipbuilders on the River Thames that they protested against use of Indian built ships to carry trade from England.
Consequently active measures were adopted to cripple the Indian shipbuilding industries.
Nevertheless, many Indian ships were inducted into the Royal Navy, such as HMS Hindostan in 1795, the frigate Cornwallis in 1800, HMS Camel in 181 and HMS Ceylon in 1808. HMS Asia carried the flag of Admiral Codrington at the battle of Navarino in 1827 the last major sea battle to be fought entirely under sail.
(unquote)
Irony is india has to buy UKstan built ships! Fruits of ancient Indo-british partnership for upliftment of people with capital and social power
for so many years; had he not bankrupted the brits financially and militarily , there was no way India would have kicked the brits outta here in 1947 ? Do we owe a "Thank You" to Hitler?
Emerging middle class 
WTH. With Journos like this who needs ...