Water, empire, and ecology: Arthur Cotton’s irrigation projects and environmental change in colonial India
Author(s): Krishna Murmu and Santigopal Jana
Abstract: Arthur Thomas Cotton (1803-1899), one of the most prominent engineers in colonial India, redefined the hydraulic landscape of South India through his massive irrigation projects on the Godavari and Krishna rivers. His engineering ventures were not merely technical achievements but embodied a broader imperial vision of controlling nature to consolidate British power. This paper examines Cotton’s irrigation philosophy as a manifestation of colonial developmentalism, where water management became both a symbol and an instrument of empire. It explores how Cotton’s work intertwined science, governance, and ideology, transforming irrigation into a mechanism of political authority and environmental transformation. Drawing from archival sources, official reports, and Cotton’s own writings, the study argues that his projects represented the British attempt to impose order, discipline, and productivity on the Indian landscape—turning rivers into the lifeblood of imperial power.
Krishna Murmu, Santigopal Jana. Water, empire, and ecology: Arthur Cotton’s irrigation projects and environmental change in colonial India. Int J Hist 2025;7(11):38-42. DOI: 10.22271/27069109.2025.v7.i11a.562
