Correct Option
The correct option is (c) 2 and 3 only.
Explanation
The tradition of Orientalism in late 18th-century India was characterized by a scholarly interest among British officials in Indian languages, laws, and culture. This movement was encouraged by Governor-General Warren Hastings, who believed that British rule should be grounded in Indian customs and laws.
Statement-wise Analysis
Statement 1: Incorrect
Sir William Jones arrived in Calcutta in 1783, but his appointment was as a Junior Judge (Puisne Judge) at the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William, not to set up a Department of Education. His primary professional role was judicial, although his passion lay in the study of Indian languages and culture.
Statement 2: Correct
Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed were prominent Orientalists involved in translating ancient Indian texts to assist in administration and legal codification.
- Nathaniel Halhed published A Code of Gentoo Laws (1776), a translation of a digest of Hindu laws (translated from Sanskrit to Persian, then to English).
- Henry Thomas Colebrooke was a leading Sanskrit scholar who translated the Digest of Hindu Law and other significant Sanskrit works on grammar and philosophy.
Statement 3: Correct
The Asiatic Society of Bengal was established on January 15, 1784, by Sir William Jones. He collaborated with other British officials (such as Colebrooke and Halhed) who shared a deep interest in the history, antiquities, arts, sciences, and literature of Asia. The Society aimed to serve as a center for Asian studies.
Key Takeaway
Sir William Jones founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784 to study Indian heritage. While he was a Supreme Court judge by profession, he, along with scholars like Colebrooke and Halhed, pioneered the translation of Sanskrit and Persian texts into English to facilitate British administration based on indigenous laws.