(Continued from last fortnight)

Consequent to the Montague-Chelmsford reforms of 1919, jobs hitherto available only to Anglo-Indians became open to other Indians. This turn of events put the community on the back foot: Reports indicate that nearly one-third of Anglo-Indian men of working age were unemployed at the time. Sir Henry Gidney of the Indian Medical Service emerged as the leader of the community during this period. He made forceful representations on behalf of the community before the Simon Commission (1928-29) and the three Round Table Conferences (1930-32) and vigorously urged Anglo-Indians to think of themselves as Indians or else be stranded with no clear national identity.

Dr. Beatrix D’ Souza, former Rajya Sabha MP, and first Ph.D. recipient in Australian Studies from the English Department, University of Madras, and on right, Prof. Eugenie Pinto, former Principal, Queen Mary’s College.

During these difficult times, it was fortunate that Anglo-Indian women entered the workforce in a major way. They served as nurses in civil and military hospitals across the country, as teachers in railway and other schools, and as secretaries in Government offices and commercial establishments. In Madras, those who have worked in Binny’s, Parry’s or Best & Crompton will attest to the preponderance of Anglo-Indian secretaries in their offices in the 1940s. Women took over the provider role in their families. As they were ‘modern looking’, they were also sought after in the tourist and travel industry as receptionists, air hostesses, beauticians and entertainers.

When India became independent, the Anglo-Indians found preferential employment guarantees were not being implemented and, fearing neglect, began to emigrate to Britain, Canada and New Zealand from 1947. It is estimated that at least one-third of the community has left the country since Independence, and that at present there are only around 2,00,000 Anglo-Indians in India.

Dr. Anne Mary Fernandez, the first woman Registrar of the University of Madras.

The majority of those who stayed back had, at one time, to suffer conditions of destitution. Studies have shown that during the 1970s, 36 per cent of the Anglo-Indians were a step away from starvation, while 34 per cent were in abject poverty. With liberalisation in the 1990s, the fortunes of many Anglo-Indian families have taken a turn for the better.

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Anglo-Indians played a major role in Education in pre-Independence India. The 1871 Census of Madras showed that at the time the community ranked as the most literate in South India, second only to the Europeans. A number of European schools (renamed ‘Anglo-Indian’ in 1932) were founded during the last quarter of the 19th Century. Doveton Corrie and St. Bede’s in Madras are two examples. Of course, the St. Mary’s Seminary and Day School had already been in existence from 1839. Though there was some support by government, the schools were largely voluntary enterprises by various Christian denominations. Unfortunately, Anglo-Indians were not able to reap the full benefits of this elaborate institutional structure. For its part, the community, after Independence, managed to set up three Public Schools (named after Frank Antony) in the early 1960s in Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore. The ICSE Board of Education was also started and developed by Anglo-Indian educationists like Frank Antony and A.E.T. Barrow who served it for nearly half a century. Neil O’Brien is its present Chairman. In Tamil Nadu, there are at present about 40 Anglo-Indian schools, with Anglo-Indians constituting about 2 per cent of the strength.

Today, Anglo-Indians work in several multinational companies, hotels and BPOs in the city. Several are based in the Gulf. And Madras has seen the likes of journalist Jennifer Arul, educationists Dr. Beatrix D’Souza, Dr. Mary Anne Fernandez, Dr. G.K. Francis, Dr. Eugenie Pinto and Dr. Oscar C. Nigli, the present MLA in Tamil Nadu. The community has also produced exceptional doctors, lawyers, priests, scientists and government officials. Anglo-Indians have distinguished themselves in the military. Air Vice-Marshal Maurice Barker was India’s first Anglo-Indian Air Marshal. At least seven other Anglo-Indians subsequently reached that rank, a notable achievement for a small community. Air Marshal M.S.D. Wollen is often considered the man who helped significantly in India’s Bangladesh war. Lt. Gen. Henderson-Brooks was the preferred officer chosen to prepare a classified report on the 1962 debacle. And the Keelor brothers were legendary fighter pilots.

The Anglo-Indian contribution to hockey is legendary. It is thanks to predominantly Anglo-Indian teams that India picked up six consecutive hockey golds and one silver from 1928 to 1960. Leslie Claudius is in the Guinness Book of Records for the most number of Olympic hockey medals. In Madras, the Anglo-Indian Sports Club was the pioneering force in hockey during the early decades of the 20th Century. The AISC, Madras and South Mahratta (M&SM), and Telegraphs team, dominated by Anglo-Indians, were a major force in Madras hockey till Independence. Madras has over the years contributed talented players like Jimmy Carr, Nigel Richtor, Charlie Huggins and, in today’s hockey world, Adam Sinclair. Women’s hockey flourished with clubs like the Shamrocks, Penguins, Seagulls, Dolphins and the Falcons. Players like Phyllis Huggins, Clara Taylor and Rebecca Pires went on to play for India.

Over generations, the community has developed a culture of its own. The community has produced international stars like Cliff Richards, Engelbert Humperdinck (from Madras), Tony Brent, Vivien Leigh, Merle Oberon, Russell Peters, etc. Once, the Railway Institutes were the centres of entertainment and recreation. Anglo-Indians have always excelled in music. During the silent movie era, an Anglo-Indian orchestra would often play during intermission at the Elphinstone Theatre near Round Tana. From the 1940s, Anglo-Indian singers and musicians have helped keep the hotels alive at night. Today, Frank Dubier (jazz king), Tommy Smith (guitar man) and Cressy David (keyboard specialist) have enthralled audiences with their splendid music in all parts of India. Frank had been the main flautist for the Delhi Symphony Orchestra and has played with Indian as well as international jazz greats. He has kept the jazz music scene alive in Chennai with the Frank Dubier Jazz Ensemble. Tommy Smith has played for several South Indian movies in the past, especially those of M.S. Viswanathan music direction. In the film Ethir Neechal, the comedian Nagesh dances to his guitar boogie. Tommy is now settled in Melbourne. Keith Peters and Paul Jacob are two well-known bass guitarists in Madras. While Keith is a key man in A.R. Rehman’s music troupe, Paul produces music for movies in the South and has his own record label called Bodhi Records. Andrea Jeremiah is a well-known singer and film personality and Jeffrey Warden and Andrea Jacob are well-known dancers.

With so much of musical talent, there are naturally several Anglo-Indian bands in Madras today, such as the New Horizons, Exodus and Mudskippers who entertain people at shows, festival balls or weddings. There are also individual musicians who give that extra touch to fine dining at star hotels and resorts in and around the city.

In Madras, the community grew up around the railway centres of Perambur and Ayanavaram, the military cantonments of St. Thomas’ Mount and Pallavaram as well as areas near George Town like Royapuram, Vepery, Pudupet and Egmore. Madhavaram, Tambaram, Royapettah and Anna Nagar have also had a sizeable Anglo-Indian presence. An Anglo-Indian lifestyle is still visible in some pockets of the city.

A walk through Foxen or Ballard Street in Perambur, Veteran Lines in Pallavaram or St. Patrick’s Church Road in St. Thomas’ Mount will certainly transport you in time. Houses with rose gardens and picket fences, living rooms with flowery curtains, elderly men with suspenders, country music wafting through the air along with the smell of pork vindaloo or, for that matter, cries of ‘what are you doing child?’ or ‘Get lost, man’ give you no doubt that you are in the world of Anglo-India. It’s still a vibrant world, full of joie de vivre.

(Concluded)