Who Owns the Past?: How Historians [Re]Wrote India's Past & Present, 1870-2020

Explore a gripping, provocative account of how history became the ultimate ideological battleground over India’s identity, politics, and nationhood with Who Owns the Past? by Shaan Kashyap!

About the Book: Between 1870 and 2020, the writing of Indian history underwent profound, often turbulent transformations. In Who Owns the Past?, author Shaan Kashyap delivers a sweeping and meticulously researched examination of how historians, colonial administrators, nationalists, and modern ideologues continuously re-imagined, reconstructed, and weaponized India's past to shape its present. From the height of the British Raj through the freedom struggle and into contemporary political discourse, history has rarely been a neutral record of facts; rather, it has been fiercely contested terrain. This compelling book unpacks the major historiographical shifts, the fierce ideological debates, and the towering figures who shaped how a diverse civilization understands its roots—raising the urgent question: When a nation's history is constantly rewritten, who truly owns the past?

Key Features & Benefits:

• Compelling Historical Analysis: Offers an incisive, gripping look at 150 years of Indian historiography from 1870 to 2020.

• Thought-Provoking & Timely: Explores the intersection of history, politics, ideology, and national identity in contemporary society.

• Engaging Storytelling: Breaks down complex academic and political debates into an accessible, fast-paced, and captivating narrative for general readers.

• The Perfect Gift: An essential, intellectual present for history buffs, political science enthusiasts, researchers, and anyone curious about how the past shapes modern India.