Ananda Ranga Pillai: The Pepys of French India

The book contains the record of the events concerning the emergence of the French in south India from 1736 to 1760 compiled by Ananda Ranga Pillai. Ananda Ranga Pillai was a merchant by profession, who also served as a dubashi of the French East India Company. He belonged to a well-to-do merchant family in Madras. He became a close confidant to Joseph Franois Dupleix, the Governor-General of the French East India Company. He served Dupleix till his removal on account of ill health and deteriorating performance. His accounts reflect the eighteenth-century political scenario in the Madras province, and more specifically the Anglo-French Carnatic wars. The author of this book referred to Pillai as the 'Samuel Pepys of French India', who was an English diarist and navy administrator from whom the title of this book is given.

The volume is part of article series, 'The Historical Material in the Private Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai (1736-1761)' which was committed into a form of a book in 1940. Its English translation was published by the Madras Government. This book discusses the activities of the French in Madras province, and in particular, gave special reference to Dupleix's political activities. It also contains the history of Pondicherry which he recorded in his diaries. This book is from one of few Indian writers, who gave a closer look at the European activities in India. This volume also covers the conflicts between the Nawab of Carnatic and the subject of the Mughal Empire, Chanda Sahib, and the commandant of the English East Company's army, Yusuf Khan. Besides, the chapter covers the description of noted political figures like La Bourdonnais, Leyrit, Godeheu, and De Bussy, and covers the annexation of Madras, military operations conducted at Cuddalore and Pondicherry, and the fall of Pondicherry.