Dr.A.Ramadas has offered us an exhaustive account of the adventurous journey of education in Pondicherry. On account of various challenges and the ways they were met, education in the French settlements of India is a unique field of study for all those interested not only in the history of education but also for those engaged in moulding the education pattern. Unfortunately there was no work in English language on the subject. The author has fortunately filled up the lacuna.

…Education in the french settlements of india was thus characterised by the multiplicity of medium of instruction, by the various systems working simultaneously, by the conflict between the providers of education, and by the difference of race, religion and caste of pupils. In spite of the obstacles surging from various sides the administration was able to steer the development of education in steady way. On the whole all segments of population were satisfied. This is what emerges from the presentation of the subject by Dr.A.Ramadas under the captain `Education in the French Settlements of India’. His long experience as a teacher and educational administrator stood him in a good stead to understand the problems and to appreciate the solutions they received.

…Though the matter was rather complex, the author has unveiled the development of education in the colony in a clear and lucid manner. On behalf of prospective readers and on my own behalf i congratulate and thank Dr.A.Ramadas for the successful completion of this highly valuable book.

David Anoussamy

Former Director of the Pedagogic Centre (1955-1964), Pondicherry

About the author

Dr.A.Ramadas was the joint Director of School Education in the Union Territory of Puducherry. He served in the School Education Directorate of Puducherry in various capacities as a teacher, a teacher-educator, and held many posts in the educational administration including the State Project Director of `Sarva Siksha Abhiyan’ ( A project for `Education for All’). His Ph.D degree is on primary education. He also taught the post-graduate students of the Department of Education in the University of Madras. He has to his credit two books in Tamil language, viz.

`Education in French India’ (2017) and `The Identities of Puducherry’ (2021). He now specializes in education and the history of the French settlements in India and publishes articles on them.