These reports provide scholars with an invaluable insight into Indian social and political events, urban and rural conditions, criticisms of the British government, popular protest and the development of nationalist feelings. They cover the period from Curzon’s arrival to the new Government of India Act of 1919 and the growing mass appeal of Gandhi’s non-violent boycotts.

Key topics featured from this period are:

• Gandhi’s arrival in Bombay in January 1915 and his growing political influence over the next 6 years.
• the launch of non-co-operation.
• the founding of the Bombay Chronicle in 1910, by Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, a key member of the Bombay Legislative Council, known as ‘the Father of Municipal Government in Bombay’.
• the growth of the first suburbs.
• economic and industrial development in the Bombay region.
• the All-India Muslim League.
• the impact of the First World War upon India.
• trade, agriculture and living standards.
• the investigations of the Rowlatt Committee, its July 1918 report which identified Bengal, the Bombay Presidency and the Punjab as “centres of dangerous conspiracy”, and its recommendations for emergency powers to deal with areas officially proclaimed to be subversive.