Documentary on Chinese convicts to cultivate Cinchona plantations in India screened in Beijing

Beijing, Nov 23 (PTI) A documentary made by an Indian academic from IIT Chennai tracing the history of a group of Chinese convicts brought by the British to Udhagamandalam in Tamil Nadu in the 18th century to cultivate Cinchona plantations was screened in Chinese universities here.

Joe Thomas Karackattu, Associate Professor working at the IIT Chennai said the documentary titled "Those 4 Years"  was shown in Hong Kong and elsewhere previously but it was the first time screened in China.

It was screened this week in Tamil and the Hindi departments of the Beijing Foreign Studies University and Tsinghua University, Thomas told PTI here.

  The documentary traces the history of a group of Chinese convicts brought to the hill station known for its picturesque forests and tea plantations in 1865-69 to cultivate Cinchona plantations.

The extraction from the bark of the Cinchona plant in the past was used to treat malaria. The British colonial rulers cultivated the plantations to export to the UK.

The group of Chinese convicts numbering about 40 to 50 were brought all the way from either Hong Kong,  Malaysia and Singapore made to work cultivating the plantations for four years and later sent back, Thomas said.

While many of the Chinese were taken away, a specified number stayed back and settled down in the hill station. They married locals and got integrated, Thomas, who has carried out field studies to make the documentary, said.

The British interests in the Cinchona plant subsequently diminished over the years as it was replaced by Quinine to treat malaria.

The film showcased how the British moved the Chinese convicts to cultivate Cinchona and Tea plantations and provided insights into how the Nilgiri hills of Udhagamandalam have a remote connection with the Chinese, he said.

The Chinese convicts were lodged at Lawrence Asylum, which subsequently became Lawrence School, he said.   The establishment of Cinchona plantations (and export of the bark) and its relevance historically to fight against Malaria and currently the status of the Nilgiris as a geographic indication for tea - all of this has this connection with the Chinese, which will always remain fascinating, he said.

His works included archival evidence from the three sites associated with this episode of Transportation history.

The film, hopefully, will be a meaningful conduit for revealing some of the latent history in the India-China relationship and opening up the conversations on India and China beyond topics concerning strategic competition alone, Thomas said. PTI KJV  RD RD