Which British administrator and thinker did historian K M Pannikar famously describe as "India new Manu, the spirit of modern law incarnate" in the context of legal changes under colonial rule?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to modern Indian history and examines knowledge of colonial legal reforms and their interpreters. Historian K M Pannikar used a striking phrase to describe a British administrator whose ideas shaped the modern legal system in India. By calling him India new Manu and the spirit of modern law incarnate, Pannikar highlighted how deeply this person legal work influenced Indian society. Identifying the correct personality helps learners connect names with major legal and educational changes under British rule.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The key phrase is "India new Manu, the spirit of modern law incarnate".
• The question asks which British administrator or thinker this description refers to.
• Options list both Indian and British figures involved in law and administration.
• The learner is expected to recall the link between colonial legal codification and the person named.

Concept / Approach:
The phrase is associated with Thomas Babington Macaulay, a British administrator and intellectual. He played a central role in drafting the Indian Penal Code and in shaping British educational policy in India through his Minute on Education. By comparing Macaulay with Manu, the legendary ancient lawgiver of Hindu tradition, Pannikar suggested that Macaulay influence on the legal framework was as great in the modern era as Manu code was in ancient times. Therefore, the approach is to connect modern codified law and English education in India with the name Macaulay and choose him from the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Focus on the words new Manu and spirit of modern law, which clearly refer to someone who designed or promoted a modern legal code. 2. Recall that Thomas Babington Macaulay was a member of the Law Commission in India and helped draft the Indian Penal Code. 3. Remember his famous Minute on Education, which argued for promoting English education in India and had a lasting impact on colonial policy. 4. Look through the options and identify Macaulay as the only one who fits both the legal and educational influence described by the phrase. 5. Select Thomas Babington Macaulay as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, learners can check standard history and polity textbooks that quote K M Pannikar description of Macaulay as India new Manu. These works often emphasise that the modern legal system, especially criminal law, owes much to the codification initiated under Macaulay. Although B R Ambedkar later played a vital role in drafting the Constitution of independent India, the quoted phrase is linked specifically to colonial times and to Macaulay. Warren Hastings, Dalhousie, and Curzon were important administrators but are not associated with this particular expression in historical writing, which confirms that Macaulay is the intended answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
B R Ambedkar is known as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and is sometimes called the modern lawgiver of independent India, but the phrase used by K M Pannikar in colonial context refers to Macaulay, not to Ambedkar.
Warren Hastings was an early Governor General of Bengal and had a role in administrative and judicial reforms, yet he is not described as India new Manu in the same way.
Lord Dalhousie is mainly associated with the Doctrine of Lapse and expansion of British territory in India, not with drafting a comprehensive legal code.
Lord Curzon is remembered for his role in the partition of Bengal and for administrative measures, but he is not connected with the quoted description.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse this phrase with later praise of B R Ambedkar as a lawgiver and may pick his name without carefully considering the colonial context. Others may not have paid attention to the unique poetic description given by Pannikar and simply choose any well known British administrator. To avoid such errors, it is helpful to remember a clear pairing: Macaulay is linked with the Indian Penal Code, English education, and the phrase new Manu used by K M Pannikar. Fixing this association makes it easier to answer similar questions correctly in exams.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Thomas Babington Macaulay.