Speaker: Stephen Barker

The first Indian students to attend the University of Oxford arrived in 1871, and the bridge between Oxford and India has grown stronger ever since. But why did Indian students begin to attend British universities from the middle of the 19th century?

This presentation examines the close relationship between Britain and the Subcontinent, aiming to explain briefly the background in Indian politics, the views of families and the students themselves. It also looks at the Oxford Indian Institute, the growth of Balliol College and those dons at the heart of the developments.

The talk focuses on the stories of four students who attended Oxford before the First World War: the first woman to study Law at the university; a Sikh princess, a nationalist revolutionary and a Bengali poet.

Doors open 7.15pm for 7.30pm start

Guests £5