About the Book Babur nama, the autobiography of Babur, the founder of Mughal rule in India, has been universally acclaimed as one of the twenty best books ever written in the history of manking The original Turkish manuscript written in Babur's own hand, no longer exists. It was translated into Persian by Abd-ur Rahim Khankhana at the instance of Akbar and was later illustrated by all the leading painters of the Mughal court. Of the several manuscripts of the Babur-nama illustrated at Akbar's court, only five are known two survive today. These are present in the British Museum, London; the Victoria and Alvert Museum, London; the Louvre, Paris, the State Museum of oriental culture. Moscow and the national Museum New Delhi. The National Copy Contains 145 paintings of which 54 bear the names of 40 artists. It was completed in 1598 A.D.

The Manuscript is indeed very rare and the attempt of Dr.G.N.Pant the renewed Scholar of Indian arms and armour is still rare. Dr.Pant has successfully tried to take out all variants of early mughal weapons as depicted therein, and corroborate them with existing examples and thus present a very comprehensive picture.

The Book is profusely illustrated with more that three hundred line drawings, fifty black and white photographs and twenty color photos all based on the National Museum Manuscript.

The Book is the product of decades of dedicated study, meticulous research and vast experience and is ordained to prove a landmark in the armeology of India.

About the Author Dr Gayatri Nath Pant born in 1940 at Stegba (Lakhimpur Kheri, U.P.). He had a distinguished career. After passing his M.A., and D.Ed Examination from Lucknow University, be Obtained his Doctorate on Ancient Indian Arms from sagar University and D.Litt from University of Magadh. His Proficiency in Sanskrit enabled him to study classical literature He has 200 research papers to his credit.

Dr. Pant's first book Indian Weapons was published in 1966 and the second, studies in the defense history Bibliography in 1970. The gigantic work studies in Indian weapons and warfare, published in 1970, fetch him the president of India's Acclaim and his Bhartiya Astrasastra won for him. Acharya Narendra Dev Special Award. His other notable publications are Indians Arms & Armor in three volumes, Indian Archery (1980), Indian Shield (1982), Catalogue of Indians Arms in the Hamuragies Museum, West Germany (1984) Catalogue Arms in the Janagadh Museum Gujarat (1984), etc. A Number of Monographs are in press.

Dr. Pant has prepared half a dozen catalogues of arms and armor and has studied the collection of almost all the Indian Museums He has traveled US.S.R., UK., Africa, etc., and studied the oriental arms preserved there.

Dr. Pant is the member of Archer Antiquaries', London:

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