WHA Annual Meeting: Korea 2026

Assam, one of the North-Eastern states of India stands as the largest tea producer and exporter globally. The history of tea plantation in India dates back to the time when the European powers discovered tea in Assam as a part of the colonial enterprise. The arrival and sale of tea in London marked the entry of private British capital in Assam and also led to the establishment of a feasible alternative to the Chinese monopoly. The heavy growth of the tea plantations and its unprecedented demand in the London market generated greater need for labourers. In order to cater to the problem of labour crisis, labourers were transported from various parts of the country. Infact, the history of the plantations in Assam is a history of its labour. The paper will try to delve into the historical trajectory of the tea plantation worker's horrifying tales of suffering and oppression during the migration process. Labourers died like cattle in their en-route journey and those that survived were left in miserable conditions. Even after their arrival in the plantations their plight did not end. They were exploited, dominated, subjected to atrocities by their masters. The paper will explore the condition of the workers during the British rule and how the colonial structure of dominance is still prevalent.
The proposed paper will drive deep into the socio-economic and political life of the tea plantations workers during the Empires rule, who despite being the backbone of the industry are till date living a life of deprivation and marginalization.