Author:

Shankhajit Sen
PhD Research Scholar
Department of Economics
University of Calcutta
Kolkata,West Bengal,India

Email: shankhajitsen12@gmail.com

Abstract::Abstract:Despite persistent low productivity in India’s colonial textile industry, little is known about
whether entrepreneurs themselves recognised these challenges and proposed solutions. Through a
thematic analysis of the Indian Textile journal’s Golden Jubilee Edition, the paper reveals systemic
barriers, such as outdated machinery, organisational inefficiencies, and underinvestment in R&D,
that hindered modernisation despite entrepreneurial awareness. While indigenous adaptations and
localised innovations emerged, structural constraints and colonial-industrial dynamics limited
productivity gains. The case of Ahmedabad highlights successful technological adoption, contrasting
with broader industry stagnation. Findings underscore the tension between entrepreneurial vision and
institutional limitations in colonial industrial development

Key Words::Colonial Industrialisation, Industrial modernisation, Indian textile etc.