The First Firangis

Jonathan Gil Harris introduces readers to a diverse group of ‘firangis’—including soldiers, healers, artists, adventurers, religious figures and courtesans. Their stories reveal the cultural exchanges and connections that existed in India long before the British Raj.

Jonathan Gil Harris is a historian, writer and professor of Shakespeare. Born in New Zealand and educated in England, he later moved to India. His work often explores ideas of migration, cultural exchange and encounters between different worlds.

The First Firangis explores the lives of little-known foreigners who arrived in India during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Some came seeking opportunity or adventure, while others arrived as refugees, slaves, traders or soldiers. Many adapted to Indian society and contributed to fields such as medicine, art, religion and military life. Through these individual stories, the book presents a richly diverse picture of India’s cosmopolitan past.