Mottram (Indian Surveyor)

Survey of India: Established in the 18th century, by the late 19th century it was one of the most important institutions of the Raj. Its officers mapped territories, measured land, and produced detailed geographical data.They conducted topographical surveys, triangulation, and boundary mapping, often under extreme climatic conditions. Indian assistants and laborers were employed in large numbers, but their contributions were rarely acknowledged in official reports. The prestige and recognition went to British officers, while locals were treated as background figures.The survey embodied how the empire relied on technical expertise and invisible labor, yet in literature like Kipling’s, the focus remained on the suffering of British officers rather than the lives of the colonized.