Q. With reference to the non-commercial contributions of the Portuguese to the Indian Subcontinent, consider the following statements:
1.The Portuguese established the first printing press in India at Goa in the mid-16th century, primarily to print religious literature and grammars in local languages like Konkani and Tamil.
2.The introduction of New World crops like chili, potato, and tobacco by the Portuguese was restricted to the coastal regions and had negligible impact on the agricultural patterns of the vast interior of India until the 19th century.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct. The first printing press in India was brought by the Portuguese Jesuits to Goa in 1556. The initial publications included Christian religious texts and later, grammars and vocabularies in local languages (like Konkani and later in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam in their southern missions) to aid missionary work.
- Statement 2 is incorrect. This statement contains a crucial factual error. The New World crops introduced by the Portuguese (such as chili, potato, tobacco, tomato, cashew, and guava) were highly successful and spread relatively quickly and deeply into the agricultural and dietary patterns of the vast Indian interior, long before the 19th century. They became essential commercial and dietary staples across the subcontinent.
