The Golden Book of India

The British administrators in India amassed a wealth of information about their colony and analysed it with care. They were particularly interested in acquainting themselves with the men of influence, especially the princes and landlords. These were, after all, the pillars of the Raj. The Golden Book of India is a work of considerable value, particularly because it sheds light on not just the princes and nobles but also a number of poets and writers. Thus we have a biographical entry on the Delhi-based writer-historian, Maulvi Zakaullah. Roper Lethbridge took great pains in compiling this book. The introduction is useful, explaining both the methods adopted and the sources used to compile such a book.