section explains the importance of Ricketts and Derozio who
were pioneers in creating a group consciousness within the
Anglo-Indian community.
2.2. The Anglo-Indian community's educational initiative:
John Ricketts, James Kyd and Henry Louis Derozio
Caught between the cultures of the East and the West, the
Anglo-Indians in 1823 became more acutely aware of their
marginalisation in the politics of colonial education.
The uncertainty was psychological because the Anglo-Indians
had been repressed by the British and were distrusted by
the Indians. They were caught between the cultures of
India and Europe. Both these cultures were hostile towards
the community. This created a realization and
understanding of the nature, diversity and size of their
community in the early part of the eighteenth century.
The Anglo-Indians had learnt one lesson from the
repressive orders of 1786 and were slowly forming a
cohesive unit, with a strategy of self-help. As a result,
organizations and associations were started in the
nineteenth century by the Anglo-Indians to care for the
educational needs of the community. (9)
In 1823, the Anglo-Indians, under the leadership of John
Ricketts, started the Parental Academic Institution for
three reasons. Firstly, since 1786, as was mentioned in
the last chapter, Anglo-Indians had not been allowed to be
educated in England. (10) Secondly, the British Government
did not fund the Parental Academy and the Calcutta Grammar
schools for the Tknglo-Indians, although the British
Government funded schools for Indians. Thirdly, the idea
for this educational initiative was to form an Anglo-Indian
educational society. (11)
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