Book Description

This book is a biography of William Pettigrew, who worked as a Christian Baptist Missionary in Manipur during the early 20th Century. The first attempt of its kind, it is an outcome of 'the reports and letters' of William Pettigrew to American Baptist Foreign Mission Society "on Manipur" from 1896 till 1933. Oral narratives also helped understand the impact of William Pettigrew in changing the course of Manipur history towards modernity. The Pettigrews (William and Alice Goreham Pettigrew) were responsible in bringing Christianity, Western Education, and Western Medicine to Manipur. Despite such positive modern endeavours, the acceptance of Christianity, western education, and medicine came at a great cost. The indigenous natives had many of their traditions, beliefs, and customs obliterated by the missionary activities during the British Imperial Raj. Pettigrew was also responsible for recruiting the 2000 Labour Corps (of the 22nd Manipur Labour Corps) during the First World War, earning him the title of "War Captain", and Kaisar-i-Hind for working among the indigenous Indians.