Volume V Special Issue VI December 2025

Name of Author : Dr. Sajitha D V

Title of the paper : Bengal Famine and Migration in India

Abstract: The Bengal Famine of 1943, one of colonial Indias worst human made disasters, reshaped the regions demographic and socio economic landscape. Rooted in exploitative British policies, wartime disruptions, ecological shocks, and administrative neglect, the famine caused nearly three million deaths and triggered massive internal migration. Rural populations moved to cities like Calcutta, while others migrated seasonally or permanently to provinces such as Assam, Bihar, and the United Provinces in search of food and work. Particularly affected were landless labourers and marginalized castes, whose displacement altered traditional village structures. The famine must also be viewed within Indias broader history of colonial era migration and recurrent famines.

Keywords : Colonial Bengal, Food Supply Crisis, Public Health Collapse, Historic Migration Trends, Demographic Transformation

DOI :

Page Number : 42-46