Medicine and Politics at the Edge of Empire: Surgeon Lt Col Atmaram Sadashiva Grandin Jayakar

Medicine and Politics at the Edge of Empire with Charlie Sammut

'There are no Europeans or Christians of any sort, as far as I know in Muttra, but there is a clever little Indian doctor…who has been fifteen years in the place and knows it like the palm of his hand.' [1]

Atmaram Jayakar worked as the British Agency Surgeon in Muscat from 1871-1900. But he was much more than just a surgeon. In his time, he was a naturalist, linguist, historian, diplomat, husband, father, son, and an integral, intimate part of British, Omani and Indian history; a man who parlayed truces with rebellious Sheikhs, advised Sultans and nursed one on his death bed, and “perhaps the Agency Official whose name will be longest remembered”. This lecture covers his unique story, from growing up as part of the Pathare Prabhu eating masala shepherds pie for dinner to his long years of service in Oman as he played an even more unique role in the “making” of British power and, finally, his retirement in India and his great unfinished task of translating Al-Damiri’s “the world of Animals”.

The British Omani Society are so excited to host Charlie Sammut for this exciting talk. Charlie Sammut worked in Muscat from 2017-2020 as the Political Counsellor at British Embassy Muscat. He established and led the UK-Oman Digital Hub, and developed an abiding interest in British imperial history in the Gulf during his time in Muscat.

Join us at 34 Sackville Street on May 18th 2022, 5:30pm for a 6pm start, we can't wait to see you there! Please email us at rsvp@ao-soc.org if you have any difficulties booking.

[1] Maitland (1891) in Birks (1895), p.368