The WWW Virtual LibraryHistory of India

This site is dedicated to information on various aspects of history of India. We have tried to cover most of the related topics and will greatly appreciate any other contribution in this respect.

Education

The spiritual and philosophical richness of India can safely be attributed to its ancient learning centers. The importance that Indians place on education has seen its steady rise form an underdeveloped economy to a knowledge driven booming economy. Modern day Indians have inherited the virtues of quality education from their forefathers, who were an integral part of the Gurukul system of education. The Guru Shishya Parampara (teacher student culture) existed before the Gurikul system, which comprised of passing on knowledge orally. Gurukuls went one step further wherein the teacher and the student enjoyed close proximity in the teacher’s home or monastery. The education was free with only a nominal Gurudakshina that a student paid as a token of honor. The subjects taught included religion, scriptures, philosophy, literature, warfare, state craft, medicine, astrology and history.

The Nalanda, Takshila, Ujjain and Vikramshila Universities were some of the world renowned places of learning that produced scholars that the world looked up to. Though the Universities taught subjects ranging from art, architecture, painting, logic, grammar, philosophy, and astronomy to literature, Buddhism, Hinduism, Arthashastra (economics & politics), law, and medicine, medicine was Takshila University’s forte, while Ujjain University’s stronghold was astronomy.

Institutions

  1. Loyola College , Chennai- The Department of History, “Where excellence is not a habit, has a tradition” has a history as old as Loyola College. The tale of the founding and the emergence of the department is in many respects exemplary of its age.
  2. Xaviers College, Mumbai- St. Xavier's College, is named after St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit saint of the 16th Century who travelled to India. The College was founded by the Society of Jesus, a Christian Religious Group started by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540.
  3. The Presidency College, Kolkata- The illustrious history of academic excellence of Presidency College, Kolkata is intimately entwined with the intellectual history of Bengal and India. The foundation of the Hindoo College in 1817 has had far reaching effects on the social and cultural history of the country.
  4. Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi- Through five eventful decades of its history, Lady Shri Ram College has celebrated the quest for expanding landscapes of learning. Today, LSR is recognized as a centre of excellence that nurtures intellectual and academic striving, vibrant extra curricular activity, outreach initiatives and civic engagement. Acknowledged as one of the nation’s finest colleges, it sends out some of the brightest young people to the world of work and the best institutions of higher learning the world over.
  5. St. Stephen's College, Delhi- St. Stephen's College is a religious foundation drawing inspiration from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It aims at helping its members realise spiritual and moral as well as intellectual and aesthetic values. Founded on 1 February 1881, St. Stephen's is the oldest college in Delhi. It was first affiliated to Calcutta University, and later to Punjab University. Finally with the establishment of Delhi University in 1922, it became one of its three original constituent colleges.

 

Courses on Indian History

  1. Courses Outside India:
      1. Northern Illinois
        University's History course on India- This course surveys the history of the Indian subcontinent (South Asia) during the period of British colonialism, from its beginnings around 1740 until 1947, the year of Indian independence and the creation of Pakistan. Some attention may be paid to the period after 1947, but the post-1947 history of South Asia is covered in another course, South Asia Past & Present.
  2. Courses in India

 

Research Institutes

  1. Center for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta-
    The Research Training Programme (RTP) is meant for research students in the early stages of their doctoral work. It involves reading courses and written assignments. The programme consists of a core of interdisciplinary courses in the social sciences and a choice of specialized advanced courses in a host of disciplines mentioned below. The objective is to equip young researchers with a general grasp of the main intellectual concerns of social science research, the most important recent trends in the social sciences and a strong grounding in interdisciplinary methods.
  2. Sharma Centre for Heritage Education, India-
    The Sharma Centre for Heritage Education (established 1999) is a  registered non-profit public educational trust. The trust was established with the aim of conducting research in the field of Indian archaeology, anthropology and Quaternary geology;  and with a component for educating the community on issues related to India's natural and cultural heritage.

 

Universities

  1. University of Pune , History Department- The Department was established in 1969, by Dr. A.R. Kulkarni (now Professor Emeritus of the Department). Earlier, it was located in the Deccan College, but at that time, the two were separated, with Medieval and Modern Indian History coming to the University, while Ancient Indian History and Archaeology remained with Deccan College.
  2. University of Delhi , Department of History-  The Department of History was established almost at the same time as the foundation of University of Delhi in 1922. For a long period till the nineteen forties, distinguished teachers from the constituent colleges managed the task of conducting post-graduate classes.
  3. Jawaharlal Nehru University , School of Social Sciences- Established in 1970, this School now has the largest faculty in the university. From the beginning an attempt has been made here to dismantle the narrow disciplinary compartments found in traditional academic structures, and this objective can be seen reflected even in the unusual appointment pattern.

 

Publishers & Book Sellers

  1. Motilal Banarsidass, Publishers of Books on Indian Ideological Books since 1903- The Leading Indian Publishers on Sanskrit and Indology since 1903, Motilal Banarsidass have an impressive list of scholarly publications on a wide range of disciplines.
  2. Sage Publications-
    SAGE Publications is an independent international publisher of journals, books, and electronic media. Known for their commitment to quality and innovation, they are a world leader in our chosen scholarly, educational, and professional markets.
  4. Regency Publications- Regency Publications has come a long way in making a dent in the field of publication in about ten years, because of its quality and the choice subjects. Concerned not so much with commercial viability of the subjects or even the author but with meaningful titles on diverse subject to its credit, their books cater to readers of all ages from all sections of society.
  5. Indian Research Press
    - India Research Press is a collectively run book publisher with support of Authors and Editors. Since our founding in 1999, they have tried to meet the needs of readers who are exploring, or are committed to the politics of change.
  6. INDOLOGY: Indological Publishers and Bookshops.
  7. Powell's Books- Contains a list of Books on Indian History with Synopsis.

 

Organizations

  1. Archiological survey of India - The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as an attached office under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.

 

Scholarly Societies

  1. Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies- Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS) is an association of professional archaeologists, geologists, pre-historians and historians, and individuals interested in archaeological research.