Dr. Kawal Deep Kour is a Narcotics Research Scientist and former civil servant with a Ph.D. from IIT Guwahati. She is the author of several books, including “The History of Intoxication: Opium in Assam” and “Opium Consumption and Experience in India.” Her latest book, “Ghazipur, The Opium Mint: From 1820 to the Present,” delves into the historical significance of the Ghazipur Opium Factory and its evolution. Dr. Kour is also a member of global networks focused on narcotics and drug policy.
The Literature Times: What inspired you to write about the Ghazipur Opium Factory and its historical significance?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: During my research on opium in colonial India, I stumbled upon the Ghazipur Opium Factory’s intriguing history. My academic curiosity drove me to delve deeper into the subject. Particularly fascinating was the transition of the factory to a site of manufacture of provision opium for China and excise opium for domestic consumption in colonial times into a factory manufacturing alkaloid for pharmaceutical concerns in modern times. I call this a 200-year-old monument- a legacy – embodying a powerful narrative of how ‘opium made the world go round.’ In part, it is an exploration of the magnificence of production and at other times, of ambitions and human suffering.
The Literature Times: Can you share some of the most surprising discoveries you made while researching the history of the Ghazipur Opium Factory?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: What I witnessed while I was at the factory, was beyond amazement-the past and the present blend in. Observing the factory- the upright structures, many crumbling buildings, imaging its ambitions and achievements, facing its survival and continuity, I need not say, how overwhelmed I was.
The Literature Times: In your book, you explore the evolution of the factory from raw opium production to a modern pharmaceutical facility. How do you think this transformation reflects the broader impact of colonialism in India?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: The Ghazipur Opium Factory’s transformation from a raw opium processing facility to a modern plant manufacturing alkaloids reflects the complex and multifaceted impact of colonialism in India. An artifact of the Victorian era, like most other colonial enterprises, it was developed and designed to further colonial mercantile and imperial interests. Directed and driven by metropolitan capital, though the industrial project was a piecemeal affair in the nineteenth century, opium factory signaled the rise of India as a major exporter of raw opium.
The Literature Times: What role did technology and science play in the success of the Ghazipur Opium Factory, and how did it change over the years?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: Undoubtedly, knowledge had been the companion of commerce and both have followed the flag. The scientifico-colonial machine was employed in a coordinated manner to advance the colonial interests of the empire. The opium establishment in Ghazipur was being prepped up for the manufacture of high-grade medicinal opium. The colonial Government had mobilized and organized an elaborate scientific and technical infrastructure in its efforts to improve the quality of medicinal opium and the English botanists and institutions provided critical expertise.
The Literature Times: You mention the importance of opium chemistry in the efficiency of the factory. Could you elaborate on how this scientific expertise shaped the production process?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: It were the ‘scientists of the empire’ shaped the future of Indian opium from excise to medicinal opium. This was in part molded by the loss of revenue accruing from the declining China trade and disruptions in the supply of medicinal opium to England on account of the wars. The scientific arm of England’s contemporary ‘colonial machine’ that included the Imperial Institute, the Agricultural Research Institute, Research Laboratory at Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) was pressed into service to provide useful outcomes. These organisations and the individuals associated with them undertook coordinated efforts to support and extend imperial efforts at producing superior quality medicinal opium in India.
The Literature Times: How did the global demand for medicinal opium, particularly during and after World War II, influence the operations of the Ghazipur factory?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: The First and the Second World War led to an increase in the demand for opium and expert scientific knowledge paved the way for the rise and development of special medical opium from India. The Turkish supplies of opium had ceased during the First World War and the demand for medicinal opium had increased dramatically in Britain and its allies. Until the year 1930, the Ghazipur Opium Factory continued to supply large quantities of special medical opium to the United Kingdom. In 1941, the alkaloid manufacturing section was expanded but after the war there was a sudden dip in the demand for opium and the plant could not run at its optimal capacity.
The Literature Times: After India’s independence, the opium factory was restructured into the “Government Opium and Alkaloid Works.” In what ways did the post-colonial transition impact the factory’s legacy and operations?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: As the ownership changed, so did the basic purpose of the administration of the opium monopoly. The Government of Independent India moved quickly to distance itself from the humiliation that India had suffered on account of the opium policy of Britian and avowed that the basic purpose of the administration of the opium monopoly would no longer be revenues but the prevention of addiction combined with the production of opium alkaloids for therapeutic purposes. Time and again, it had been reiterated by several committees and consultations that technological upgradation of the factory was a must to increase the efficacy of the production of finished alkaloids and semi-refined drugs for export. Certain rebuilding plans were proposed in 1997 and again in 2008. In 2003, the Government decided to privatize the processing of opium. In 2011, four multinational companies bid for a government contract to build an ultra-modern opium processing plant. Tied up in this trial of the entry of private players was the issue of the nature of relations between the private sector, the GOAW, the poppy farmers, the Department of Revenue, in particular the balance between authority and delegation of responsibility, meeting the requirements of opioids for pain relief and palliative care as well as the problem of illicit diversion and the rising number of substances use dependence in the country. With the entry of Bajaj Healthcare into the highly regulated sector of producing and processing opium, the way forward has been set for the private sector players to manufacture CPS (concentrate I gof poppy straw) alkaloids and API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients). Accepting this new model was based on years of robust discussions and debates and thinking about a future for the opium and alkaloid industry. The Government had realised that a quick-fix solution to the factory operations or management were hardly sufficient for it to adapt and grow. The Ghazipur Opium Factory is a profitable entity but somewhere it had become imperative for the old culture to pave way for the new. Adaptation is never an easy ride. The liberalization of opium production and processing was complete in 2023 when it was decided to set up a production unit for the manufacturing concentrated poppy straw for the extraction of semi-refined morphine
The Literature Times: Given your background in narcotics research, what contemporary issues related to opium and its legacy do you believe are still relevant today?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: I would focus here on the cultural and historical issues chiefly. Opium has been used in traditional medicine for centuries and its cultural significance remains important in many communities. The impact of the opium trade that is often remembered and commemorated through various forms of cultural expressions and public memory. The latter is as important as are the issues of illicit opium trade, global narcotics trafficking and the impact of poppy cultivation on rural communities.
The Literature Times: Your book touches on the intersection of colonial capitalism and the narcotics trade. How does this historical narrative resonate with today’s global discussions about the drug trade and its implications?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: Interesting question. The issues surrounding opium production, trade and regulation are timeless and transcend geographical boundaries. My book aims to provide historical context and insights that can inform contemporary debates. From the exploitation of resources to the complexities of regulation, it explores these themes in the context of colonial India. Understanding the historical context can help policymakers develop more effective strategies for addressing the complex issues surrounding drug production and trade.
The Literature Times: As an expert in narcotics and drug policy, how do you see the role of research and analysis in shaping current policies regarding narcotics in India and globally?
Dr. Kawal Deep Kour: I guess one of the significant roles though highly ignored, of historical research and analysis in particular, is contextualizing contemporary issues surrounding narcotics, including the role of colonialism, globalization and social inequality. They can help policymakers develop more effective strategies for disrupting and dismantling these networks, designing and implementing effective, evidence-based interventions (EBI’s) for addressing the complex issues surrounding narcotics in India and globally.
