Dubash, Roneo Operator, Mali, Masalchi, Jamadar and other job titles in the State government

Dubash, Bhoi, Jamadar, Daffadar, Sheristadar, Mali, Shroff and Masalchi are some of the job titles in the State government. While the Telangana budget is an endeavour at modernity, it carries India’s historical legacy that’s hard to shake off. This information is part of the budget documents that reveal not just the numbers but the people it employs and their designations. The designations date from feudal set up, from the early automation era and the present day job roles.

The State employs 195 chowkidars who draw a salary between ₹19,000 and ₹58,850. There are also 114 Roneo operators. The personnel who get paid between ₹22,240-₹67,300 are expected to operate a machine that predates Xerox and had a similar function. Roneo Co was a British company that introduced a dry copying machine in 1906 that produced 70 copies a minute and the brand was phased out in 1990. But in Telangana, these Roneo operators work out of various government offices. There are also Bradma operator. Bradma machine is a calculating and automation machine that was one of the first automation solutions.

The State also employs 12 Farrash. The Hobson-Jobson glossary of words describes ‘Farrash’ as someone who spreads carpet and over the course of time it came to mean a menial worker.

The Backward Classes Welfare department has 341 personnel who are designated ‘Kamati’. Then there are seven Masalchis employed by the State who draw a salary between ₹19,000 and ₹58,850. Masalchis are traditional cooks.

The State also employs Jamadars, Daffadar and Sherishtadar — the titles that originate in the Persian language. Jamadar, Dafadar, are some of the words that have been borrowed from military ranks. Sheristadar was someone who kept track of petitions received by nobility or royalty. The other job titles that occur in the budget papers include Amin, Lascar, Daroga, Trench Coolie, Nazir, Cycle Messenger, Maty Boy and Xerox Operator.

Dubash is again a relic of the British rule where they needed people conversant with two languages. The word is a corruption of Tamil ‘tupashi’ according to Hobson-Jobson. The State employs a Senior Dubash who earns between ₹27,130-₹80,960 and a Dubash whose salary is ₹21,580-₹65,570.

Bhois were known earlier as the palanquin bearers. Now, one of them works in the Jawahar Bal Bhavan and draws a salary of ₹19,000-₹58,850. Mali, which is also a caste name, persists in the budget document with its female version Malan referred to in the document.