A New Look at Modern Indian History (From 1707 to The Modern Times)

Preface

It is a pleasure to present to our readers-university students, candidates preparing for the I.A.S. and various States. Civil Service examinations and, above all, our fellow university teachers who have given us the necessary feedback for additional information about some topics. It is relevant to mention that on the repeated demands of the students, university teachers and even publishers from Maharashtra, our publishers S. Chand and Company Ltd. have brought out a Marathi version of our book A New Look at Modem Indian History.

Nobody can change the past, not even God, but historians may. The British historians of Indian history have proved the truth in this statement. Early British I.C.S. administrators-cum-historians like Mountstuart Elphinstone, Alfred Lyall, W. W. Hunter, Y.A. Smith et all and academic authors like H.H. Dodwell, P.E. Roberts, Percival Spear, C.H. Philips, Judith Brown et al from the British universities of Cambridge, Oxford and London displayed a racial superiority comples in narrating the British wars of conquest and aggression in India as also in their assessment of British-Indian administrative set-up organized by the ruling race. We come across catching phrases like Whiteman s Providential Mission, Blessings of British Rule in India and Britains Christian duty in civilizing the uncivilized population in India and the world. The theme of modernization of India, under the aegis of British rule is still finding supporters in the Anglo-American universities. In fact, such writings appear an apologia for British imperial conquest of India and economic exploitation of Indias vast resources. Many Indian writers like Dadabhai Naroji, R.C. Dutt, S.N. Bannerjee, Tilak, Lajpat Rai and even some English writers like William Digby, Morris De Morris challenged the conclusions of British writers and drew attention to the “exploitative features” of British rule, of “infinite and increasing misery of Indian people” and of “aborted modernization” under British colonial rule. The debate on the theme, “British rule in India: A Blessing or a curse?” still continues.

A special feature of our book is that it mentions not only factual data about various topics but also gives information about different interpretations put forward by Western and Indian historians, with an integrated analysis. Still an additional plus feature is that at the end of every chapter Select Opinions of distinguished historians on the topic in question are reproduced.

Five New Appendices on contemporary developments have been added:

SHRAMEV JAYATE (May Day, 2007).

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

Prime Ministers New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities, 2007.

Statewise Allocation of seats in State Legislatures.

Statewise Allocation of seats in Parliament.

The 22 Appendices provide lot of General Knowledge about Indian National Movement and Freedom Struggle, Indian Polity and Economy, current events of National and International importance etc. etc. and as such are useful for candidates preparing for the LA.S, and other competitive examinations. For example, in the LA.S, examination syllabus General Studies paper is a compulsory paper both in the Preliminary and Main examinations.

We hope the students will keep liaison with us.

Contents