9 MUST READ BOOKS ON INDIAN HISTORY

1. THE WOMEN WHO RULED INDIA

This book is a compilation of the stories of 20 fierce women who ruled India at some point of time and was able to make the name in history. The throne of the kingdom always goes to the son but many a time, women have to take the reign of the kingdom.

The book is an engrossing read for history buffs, as several unfamiliar nuggets of information are presented by the author. Readers are inundated with richness and abundance of interesting and vital information from the past. Archana Garodia Gupta time-travels to revisit history’s epoch-making, sparkling moments and reopens chapters to show that although women rulers have been few in number and far between compared to their male counterparts in India, they have left their indelible marks by ruling kingdoms like able statesmen.

2. TRAIN TO PAKISTAN

It's in the backdrop the story of a small town on the border of India and Pakistan, unfolds along with the story of its inhabitants.

the book speaks  on a small scale about the inter-religious hatred and violence that tore apart India in the 1940s. 

3. THOUSANDS OF HERO HAVE ARISEN

The book explores many reasons why Sikhs rose to the challenge of fighting in the Great War, and how this is linked to the Sikh psyche, their martial traditions, coercion and to the prevailing situation in the Punjab.

Utilizing research from hundreds of unpublished letters written to and from Sikh soldiers, testimonies, newspaper articles, archives and a range of other sources, the book builds a picture of the human experience of Sikhs during the Great War, a war of the 20th century whose effects are still being felt a century later.

4. FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT

“Freedom at Midnight is a panoramic spectacular of a book that reads more like sensational fiction than like history, even though it is all true….. The narrative is as lively, as informative and as richly detailed as a maharaja’s palace.”
—Judson Hand, The New York Daily News

This is the story of the eclipse of the British Raj and the birth of an independent India and Pakistan. The fabled India of the maharajas, with their palaces and harems, their gold-caparisoned elephants and their glittering private armies -- the India of Kipling's legendary army, with its young British officers commanding troops of a dozen races, religions, and castes -- the India of tiger hunts and pig sticking, of sadhus and holy men -- the India that was the heart and soul of an empire -- underwent a violent transformation into the new India of Gandhi and Nehru, precursor of the Third World.

 At the center of this drama are Nehru, Jinnah, Mountbatten and, of course, Gandhi, the gentle prophet of revolution, who stirred the masses of the most populous area on earth without raising his voice.

5. THE GREAT INDIAN NOVEL

In this award-winning, internationally acclaimed novel, Tharoor has masterfully recast the 2,000 year-old epic, The Mahabharata, with fictional but highly recognizable events and characters from twentieth-century Indian politics. Chronicling the Indian struggle for freedom and independence from Great Britain, Tharoor directs his hilarious satire as much against Indian foibles as the bumbling of the British rulers.

6. THE ARGUMENTATIVE INDIAN

In 16 related articles, Nobel Laureate in Economics Amartya Sen discussed India’s intellectual and political heritage, as well as its widely acclaimed traditions that are critical to the success of its secular democracy and politics. A gentle analysis of the fierce debate surrounding these issues, the nature of Hindu traditions, Indian identity, the country’s huge social and economic imbalances, and its current status in the world.

 

7. THE CORNER OF FOREIGN FIELD

If you are a cricket fan, then you will be attracted by the fascinating book "The Corner Of Foreign Field: The Indian History of British Sports". This book, written by Ramachandra Guha, describes the former British movement and its gradual adaptation to the terrain, all of which are intertwined in an interesting way. From exciting topics such as history and biography to carefree topics such as anecdotes and observations, she decorates herself with descriptive words and transforms them into beautiful pictures.

 

8. THE CASE THAT SHOOK INDIA

This book describes one of the most important cases in Indian judicial history, namely INDIRA NERU GANDI v. RAJA NARAIN (also known as Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain), in which the election of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was influenced by her opponent Raj Narain The latter was tried in the Allahabad High Court, during which she was convicted of abusing her power during her campaign.

At that time, the young author witnessed this process with his own eyes, so he obtained first-hand information about him. Although the process is usually difficult, recording the observations during the process is not an easy task. Unlike other countries, which can obtain a final ruling on a case.

9. DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN

Most of the time the female avatar in major kingdoms don't get the spotlight , they deserves but Ira Mukhoty has somehow managed to carry out meticulous research and has come up with this book that delves into the lives of the important women hailing from the Mughal empire.

However, despite this shortcoming, this book will definitely give you more information about some queens. Except for Razia, we learn very little in history books. Although women play behind the scenes, many of them have played an important and equal role in shaping the history of the subcontinent . This is important because it pays tribute to them and removes them from the footnotes of the story.