Percival Griffiths facts for kids
Sir Percival Joseph Griffiths (born January 15, 1899 – died July 14, 1992) was an important businessman and a government official in India when it was under British rule. He was known for his work in both business and public service.
What Was Sir Percival's Career Like?
Sir Percival Griffiths studied at Cambridge University and earned a master's degree. He spent a lot of his career working in eastern India. In 1933, he became the District Magistrate of Medinipur in West Bengal. This was a very important job, like being the main leader for a large area.
He left government service in 1937. At that time, he was working as a deputy commissioner in Darjeeling. Sir Percival was very good with languages. Besides European languages, he spoke Bengali fluently. He also knew Hindi, Urdu, Tibetan, Nepali, and Sanskrit.
After he retired from government work, he stayed in India. He became a representative for many European businesses. In 1947, he was given the special title of "Knight," which meant he was recognized for his important contributions. He also became an adviser to the Indian and Pakistan Tea Association, helping with the tea industry.
What Books Did Sir Percival Write?
Sir Percival Griffiths was also a writer. He wrote many books and short articles. Some of his most well-known books include:
- The British Impact on India (published in 1952)
- Modern India (published in 1957)
- The History of the Indian Tea Industry (published in 1967)
- To Guard my People (published in 1971)
- A Licence to Trade: the History of the English Chartered Companies (published in 1974)
- A History of the Inchcape Group (published in 1977)
- Vignettes of India (published in 1985)
