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2. Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period. Write a few lines about them.
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Dadabhai Naoroji
He was one of the earliest Indian economists to study India’s national income. Through his Drain Theory, he showed how British rule led to a continuous outflow of wealth from India, contributing to poverty and low per capita income. -
William Digby
Digby focused on India’s economic stagnation and poverty under colonial rule. His estimates highlighted the extremely low standard of living of Indians during the British period. -
Findlay Shirras
An official economist, Shirras made systematic attempts to estimate national and per capita income using available administrative data, though his estimates were limited by poor statistics. -
V. K. R. V. Rao
Rao provided the most comprehensive and credible estimates of national and per capita income for the colonial period. His work clearly showed slow growth and near stagnation in per capita income. -
R. C. Desai
Desai contributed refined estimates using improved methods and historical data, helping economists better understand the structure and distribution of income in colonial India.
These economists played a crucial role in revealing the low level of economic development and widespread poverty in colonial India