This January, the Mittal Institute welcomes two new India Fellows, including Dr. P. Arun, a postdoctoral scholar whose work explores the interplay of politics, law, and technology. Under the mentorship of Prof. Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs, Department of History, Harvard University, he will delve into the surveillance practices of late colonial India, examining how postal and telegraph systems were weaponized against colonial subjects and anti-colonial movements.
In the interview below, Arun shares insights into his research, his aspirations for the fellowship, and the broader significance of his work.
P. Arun, Mittal Institute India Fellow
Mittal Institute: Welcome to your fellowship at the Mittal Institute, Arun! Could you elaborate on your research interests?
P. Arun: My research examines the intersection of politics, law, and technology, focusing on surveillance studies, particularly communications surveillance over telegraph, telephone, and internet. These technologies have created new possibilities while introducing complex challenges, leading to profound impacts on our society and polity.
My fascination with communications began during my childhood when my father, who served as a radio telegraphist in the Indian Navy, would share the technical nuances of telegraphy and Morse code with me. It turned into an academic curiosity to deepen my understanding of the significance of communications in diverse political and historical settings. I believe that for humans, the ability to communicate and access information is not only a fundamental necessity but also a cornerstone for active participation in a democratic society.
My fascination with communications began during my childhood when my father, who served as a radio telegraphist in the Indian Navy, would share the technical nuances of telegraphy and Morse code with me. It turned into an academic curiosity to deepen my understanding of the significance of communications in diverse political and historical settings. – P. Arun, Mittal Institute India fellow
Mittal Institute: Could you give us a brief overview of the research topic that you will be pursuing over the course of your fellowship at the Mittal Institute?
P. Arun: During my fellowship, I will be researching postal and telegraph surveillance in late colonial India, focusing on the extensive surveillance placed over colonial subjects and anti-colonialists. During this period, the telegraph and postal networks became essential means for anti-colonial resistance and independence movements, but they were closely monitored and heavily censored by colonial authorities. My study examines the motivations behind these surveillance measures, exploring how they were deployed to control political activities and maintain British colonial authority.
By analyzing historical archival documents, my research seeks to uncover the presence of surveillance over communications, contributing to a deeper understanding of colonial surveillance practices in India. For the colonial state, such measures primarily aimed to deny postal and telegraph facilities to individuals engaged in anti-colonial resistance and the independence movement. It became possible with the powers of interception, censorship, and withholding granted under the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and the Indian Post Office Act 1893.
Source: Krishnalal Shridharani, Story of the Indian Telegraphs: A Century of Progress (Posts and Telegraphs Department, 1953)
Mittal Institute: Could you describe the work you were involved with prior to this fellowship?
P. Arun: I received my doctorate from the University of Delhi, focusing on a historical and comparative study of communications surveillance in liberal democracies, particularly on telegraph and telephone communications in America, Britain, and India.
As a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Krea University’s Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, I conducted archival research on telegraph surveillance in late colonial India. This work involved examining materials at the Maharashtra State Archives and the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi. Another aspect of my research involved exploring the relationship between the right to information and communications surveillance in contemporary India. Beyond this, I undertook a project funded by the Surveillance Studies Network (SSN) Small Research Grant (2023–24), which investigates welfare surveillance in India’s rural employment program.
Previously, I served as an Adjunct and Guest Faculty member at Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi, and the School of Law, Governance and Citizenship, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi, for over a year.
Mittal Institute: How will this fellowship with the Mittal Institute benefit your research?
P. Arun: The Mittal Institute India Fellowship will be highly beneficial for my research as it provides an excellent opportunity to access the vast electronic resources at the Harvard Library. This access will be crucial to further explore the presence of telegraph and postal surveillance in late colonial India. Additionally, the fellowship will allow me to work closely with my mentor, Prof. Sugata Bose, on my research and engage with other Harvard faculty and affiliates working in related areas. Such interaction will undoubtedly enrich my work, and I hope to both learn from and contribute to the emerging scholarship in this field.
Source: NAI, Home Political, 1932, File No.30-32.
Source: NAI, Home Political, 1932, File No.30-32.
Mittal Institute: What are you most excited about for your year at the Mittal Institute?
P. Arun: The most exciting aspect of joining the Mittal Institute is the opportunity to engage with my mentor, faculty, and affiliates at Harvard University. I am looking forward to the mentorship, as I believe Prof. Bose’s guidance will enrich and refine my research ideas while pushing me to explore new perspectives on postal and telegraph surveillance in late colonial India. Additionally, I look forward to participating in talks, conferences, and other events hosted at the Mittal Institute, all of which will further enhance my academic experience.
☆ The views represented herein are those of the interview subject and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mittal Institute, its staff, or its Steering Committee.