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Scientific Racism faced by Indian Fingerprint Scientists during Colonial Rule: Need to correct a Historical Wrong

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Title Scientific Racism faced by Indian Fingerprint Scientists during Colonial Rule: Need to correct a Historical Wrong
 
Creator SODHI, G. S.
KAUR, JASJEET
 
Subject Azizul Haque
Bengal Bureau
Classification system
Fingerprints
Hem Chandra Bose
Henry system
Telegraphic code
 
Description 52-69
In the last decade of the nineteenth century, two Indian officers
of the Bengal Police, Sub-Inspectors Azizul Haque and Hem
Chandra Bose worked out a mathematical formula for classifying
fingerprints. This formula was soon adopted by all the nations
across the globe for cataloguing criminal records. It is still being
used worldwide. Unfortunately, due to the imperialist policies of
the colonial rulers, the Indian policemen were sidelined and their
English officer, Sir Edward Richard Henry shrewdly gave his
name to the classification methodology.
The world’s first fingerprint bureau was set up at Calcutta
(now Kolkata) in 1897 mainly by the efforts of Haque and Bose.
In addition, Bose invented the telegraphic code system for
fingerprints and published it in 1916. Sir Charles Stockley Collins
of Scotland Yard, who is worldwide recognised as the originator
of the fingerprint telegraphic technique, published his findings
in 1921 — five years after Bose’s publication. Likewise, Bose
devised the single-digit fingerprint classification system three
years prior to Harry Battley who stole the credit for this invention.
The then British government reciprocated the sagaciousness of
Haque and Bose by awarding each of them an honorarium of
Rs 5000/- and by conferring the titles of Khan Bahadur and Rai
Bahadur, respectively on them.
(After India became free these decorations were rendered
meaningless, for all titles were abolished under an Act of the
Constitution). However, this is not enough. Justice has been
denied to Haque and Bose. Now that the colonial clouds have
dispersed, it is pertinent to highlight the contribution of these police officers so that they may officially be recognised as
pioneers of the science of fingerprinting.
 
Date 2022-07-27T10:38:41Z
2022-07-27T10:38:41Z
2022-06
 
Type Article
 
Identifier 2278-2796 (Online); 2278-2788 (Print)
http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/60165
 
Language en
 
Publisher NIScPR-CSIR, India
 
Source JST Vol.10(1-2) [January-June 2022]