COLONIAL EDUCATION AND CREATIVE TRANSFORMATION IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY (1854 - 1947)

In India, the British colonial government introduced educational reforms to advance its administrative and economic objectives. Beyond promoting literacy and formal education, these reforms significantly influenced the development of art, craft, and industrial design. Following Wood's Despatch of 1854, educational policies in the Madras Presidency gradually replaced traditional systems of artistic and craft training with formal institutions and technical education while introducing Western concepts of art and design. Although these policies marginalized indigenous knowledge systems, they also created new opportunities for industrial training, artistic expression, and institutional learning. This article examines the impact of British educational policies on art, craft, and industrial design in the Madras Presidency between 1854 and 1947. It argues that colonial education functioned not only as an instrument of imperial governance but also as a catalyst for creative adaptation, ultimately contributing to the emergence of modern design education in South India.