The colonial discourse on Indian society emerged during British rule as a body of knowledge produced by administrators, missionaries, Orientalists, ethnographers, and scholars to understand, classify, and govern the Indian population. This discourse significantly influenced the development of sociology and anthropology in India by introducing systematic methods of documentation and classification. However, it was also shaped by colonial interests and often presented Indian society through biased, essentialist, and Eurocentric perspectives. A critical examination reveals that while colonial scholarship contributed valuable empirical information, it also distorted social realities to justify colonial domination. Colonial administrators believed that effective governance required detailed knowledge of Indian society. As a result, extensive surveys, censuses, gazetteers, revenue records, and ethnographic studies were conducted. Institutions such as the Census of India, initiated in 1871, classified people according to caste, religion, language, tribe, and occupation. These classifications created standardized categories that often ignored regional variations and social mobility. Colonial officials treated caste as a rigid and unchanging institution, whereas earlier social practices displayed considerable flexibility in many regions. Orientalist scholars such as Sir William Jones admired India's ancient civilization and emphasized Sanskrit texts, Hindu philosophy, and classical traditions. They viewed ancient India as a glorious civilization that had declined over time. Their reliance