Indian Boy Scout Uniforms


Figure 1.--This image shows an Indian Scout group, we think in the 1990s. We have very little information about Indian Scouting at this time.

We have virtually no information on Indian Scouting at this time. When Scouting was founded and introduced to India the country was a British colony--this period in its history being called the British Raj. I believe that when Scouting was founded that there were not only Indian troiops, but also a few troops for the children of colonial officials. We are not sure to what extent these troops mixed. As with many other aspects of British culture, the Indians appear to have taken to Scouting enthusiastically. The great poverty prevalent in India had meant that Scouting has been inaccessable to the vast majority of Indian boys. We have many questions about Indian Scouting. India is a mix of many different national, ethnic, and religious groups. On many places these groups, especially Hindus and Muslems, live in the same towns and cities. I am unsure how Indian Scouting has approached these divisions. We do not know if troops are formed of largely single ethnic, religious, and national groups or if Indian troops are formed of boys from of diverse backgrounds. India has made considerable economic progress in recent years. There is as a result a large and thriving middle class. I am unsure at this time to what extent the current generation of Indian boys have joined the Scouting movement. The image here in the 1990s shows a uniform for Scouts of black berets, green shirts, black short pants, and black kneesocks.

Baden-Powell

India is a country which played an important role in the development of Scouting. This is the land where Lord Robert Baden-Powell himself conceived the idea of the Boy Scouts when he discovered that the personnel in his own regiment couldn't even tie knots. Baden-Powell as a subaltern with the British Army in India, came to see that his abilities lay activities such as scouting, surveying and reconnaissance--activities that had interested him since boyhood. He also discovered that he was a gifted teacher. He instructed young soldiers who he found many could not read or write. He began to develop his own methods for working with these soldiers rather than using established army training methods. He began forming small groups of half-a-dozen men with their own leader as the unit for instruction. He also used these units for competitions and for games. This of course evolved into the Scou troop when Baden-Powell began to plan the Scouting movement.

Chronology

Annie Besant was heavily involved in getting the Boy Scout movement under way in India. When Scouting was founded and introduced to India the country was a British colony--this period in its history being called the British Raj. I believe that when Scouting was founded that there were not only Indian troops, but also a few troops for the children of colonial officials. We are unsure to what extent these troops mixed. One photograph from the 1910s taken in Jubbulpore clearly shows a troop composed of both English and Indian boys. I am unsure at this time to what extent the current generation of Indian boys have joined the Scouting movement.

Social Class

As with many other aspects of British culture, the Indians appear to have taken to Scouting enthusiastically--at least middle class Indians. The great poverty prevalent in India had meant that Scouting has been inaccessable to the vast majority of Indian boys. We have many questions about Indian Scouting. India has made considerable economic progress in recent years. There is, as a result, a large and thriving middle class.

Religious and Ethnic Differences

India is a mix of many different national, ethnic, and religious groups. On many places these groups, especially Hindus and Muslems, live in the same towns and cities. These groups normally coexisted paecefully and respect each others differences. There have, however, been all to frequent outbursts of horrifying vilolence between these groups. I am unsure how Indian Scouting has approached these divisions. We do not know if troops are formed of largely single ethnic, religious, and national groips or if Indian troops are formed of boys from of diverse backgrounds. We are also unsure as to how Indian Scouts have addressed the untouchability issue.

Organization

Indian Scout and Guide units are separate organizations. They copperate with each other and they do hold coeducational activities such as Jamborees, rallies, and conferences. Handicapped boys and girls participate in the Scouting program.

Uniforms

One Scout troop during the 1910s when India was still a colony appear to wear uniforms similar to British Scout uniforms, but with destinctive hats. There were two Scout associations founded in India, the British Boy Scouts for British boys and the Hindustani Scouts for Indian boys. I am not sure yet how their uniforms differed. The Bharat Scouts and Guides replaced the Hindustani Scouts after independence. We have not derails at this time on theor uniform. The image here taken during the 1990s shows a uniform for Scouts of black berets, green shirts, black short pants, and black kneesocks (figure 1).






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Created: September 25, 2000
Last updated: DEcember 13, 2002