Book Review: ‘Governors of Empire’ by Amar Farooqui

Book Title: Governors of Empire
Author: Amar Farooqui
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Number of Pages: 344
ISBN: 978-8119635283
Date Published: Oct. 15, 2025
Price: INR 723

Book Review

“Governors of Empire” by Amar Farooqui provides a comprehensive historical analysis of the East India Company’s governors and their roles in India’s colonization from 1608 to the Revolt of 1857. The book intricately profiles key figures such as Robert Clive, Warren Hastings, Charles Cornwallis, William Bentinck, and Lord Dalhousie, highlighting their strategies of trade, annexation, and governance that established British rule in India.

It underscores the expansionist policies and military conquests that facilitated British dominance, revealing the personalities behind these decisions and their lasting impacts on Indian history. Farooqui’s biographical sketches offer a rigorous and engaging narrative that makes the complexities of British imperialism accessible to both scholars and general readers. Additionally, the author critiques glorified colonial narratives, providing nuanced perspectives on these governors’ legacies, including the often-overlooked consequences of warfare, annexation, and the disruption of indigenous powers.

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With his authoritative background as a retired Professor of History at the University of Delhi, Farooqui’s work stands as a valuable contribution to the discourse on colonial history and imperialism, appealing to anyone interested in the intricacies of British administration in India.

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