Child Welfare Exhibitions in Delhi (1920, 1924–1932): Motherhood, Public Health and Colonial Government

Abstract

The child welfare exhibitions in Delhi, held for the first time in 1920, and then from 1924 to 1932, aimed at educating mothers to look properly after their children hoping to reduce illness and mortality. These exhibitions are to be understood against two broad trends. One is a worldwide interest regarding maternal and infant mortality and a greater awareness regarding the relevance of hygiene and sanitation. The other is the set of particular concerns in India and Delhi. There was a shift in policy and language between the end of the decade of 1910 and the beginning of the decade of 1920, when sanitation acquired a new meaning which included not only drainage works or cleaning of streets, but also hygiene lessons and inspection at schools; when there was talk about public health, and greater emphasis on the role of the ‘Indian public’ and ‘social service’ in the colonial discourse.