The Plato of Allahabad

Abstract

This chapter examines Anukul Chandra Mukerji’s contributions to both Indian and world philosophy. It first considers Daya Krishna’s claim that there was no Indian philosophy in Anglophone universities during the British Raj before turning to Mukerji’s argument that Indian philosophy under the Raj was treated with scorn and contempt. In Indian art and aesthetics, a curious dilemma between authenticity and creativity frames the evaluation of art during the colonial period. Nonetheless, Indian colonial art has subsequently been reassessed and this false dichotomy put aside. However, while that same dilemma structures the reception of Indian philosophy during that period, it has not yet been set aside in this domain. The chapter presents a case study of the work of Mukerji, with particular emphasis on his philosophical views on subjects such as idealism and realism.