The renowned author and historian discusses why understanding India’s deep past matters today.
“History is not just about the past,” he explained. “It shapes our identity, informs our policies, and influences our future. We must understand India’s history honestly — both its glories and its failures.”
Q: What aspects of Indian history are underappreciated?
“Our intellectual heritage. The mathematical innovations of Aryabhata and Brahmagupta. The philosophical depth of Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanuja. The medical knowledge of Sushruta. Our scientific contributions were globally influential for two millennia.”
Q: How should history be taught?
“With honesty, depth, and curiosity. Not as a list of dates and battles. Not as propaganda. But as a living, complex story of human civilization on this sub-continent.”
Q: What is your message to young Indians?
“Read primary sources. Travel to historical sites. Talk to elders. Listen to different perspectives. Build your own understanding of who we are and where we come from.”
