BOOKS ON MODERN INDIAN HISTORY

The history of India can be dated as long back as 5300 years ago. Modern Indian History is viewed as the set of experiences from 1850 onwards. A significant piece of Modern Indian History was the involvement of British Rule in India. The historical backdrop of free modern India started when the nation turned into an autonomous country inside the British Commonwealth in 1947. Direct organization by the British impacted a political and monetary unification of the subcontinent. When British rule ended, the subcontinent was divided along strict lines into two separate nations — India, with a greater part of Hindus, and Pakistan, with a larger part of Muslims. Simultaneously the Muslim part northwest and east of British India was isolated into the Dominion of Pakistan, by the Indian partition.

The partition prompted an exodus of thousands of people to both India and Pakistan.  Indian National Congress pioneer Jawaharlal Nehru became the Prime Minister of India, yet the pioneer generally connected with the freedom battle, Mahatma Gandhi, acknowledged no office. The Constitution taken on made India a democratic nation, and this majority-ruled government has been supported from that point forward. India's democratic opportunities are novel among the world's recently autonomous states. The country had confronted religious savagery, casteism, Naxalism, illegal intimidation, and local revolts. India is an atomic weapon state, having led its most memorable atomic test, trailed by five more tests. India followed communist arrangements. 

The economy was impacted by broad guidelines, protectionism, and public proprietorship, prompting inescapable defilement and slow monetary development. Starting in 1991, neoliberal monetary changes have changed India into the third biggest and quite possibly the quickest developing economy on the planet. From being a moderately desperate nation in its early stages, the Republic of India has arisen as a quickly developing G20 economy with high military spending and is looking for an extremely durable seat in the United Nations Security Council. India has at times been alluded to as an extraordinary power and a potential superpower given its huge and developing economy, military, and populace. 

FAQs

Q1. What was the Revolt of 1857?

The Indian revolt of 1857 was an enormous resistance by warriors employed by the British East India Company in northern and central India contrary to the organization's regulations. The incident that prompted the revolt was the issue of new explosive cartridges for the Enfield rifle, which did not take the religious sentiments of the Indians into account. The key revolting individual was the great Mangal Pandey. What's more, the fundamental complaints about British tax collection, the ethnic differences between the British officials and their Indian soldiers, and land extensions assumed a huge part in the disobedience. In mere weeks after Pandey's uprising, many units of the Indian armed force enlisted with the peasants in the revolt. The revolutionary warriors were subsequently joined by Indian nobles, a large number of whom had lost titles and spaces under the Doctrine of Lapse and felt that the organization had slowed down a customary arrangement of legacy. Rebel pioneers, for example, Nana Sahib and the Rani of Jhansi had a place in this gathering. After the flare-up of the revolt in Meerut, the agitators immediately arrived in Delhi. The revolutionaries had additionally captured huge tracts of the North-Western Provinces and Awadh (Oudh). Most remarkably, in Awadh, the defiance assumed the characteristics of an energetic rebel against the British presence. 

Q2. What is the Bengal Renaissance?

The Bengali Renaissance alludes to social change development, begun by Bengali Hindus, in the Bengal locale of the Indian subcontinent during British rule. History specialist Nitish Sengupta portrays the renaissance as having begun with reformer and compassionate Raja Ram Mohan Roy and finished with Asia's most memorable Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. This blooming of  social reformers, researchers, and essayists is depicted by antiquarian David Kopf as "quite possibly the most imaginative period in Indian history." 

Q3. Which book is better for modern Indian history?

India after Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy by Ramachandra Guha. India is a developing, democracy; nuclear and space power, and a nation of innovators yet experiencing violence and other problems. India after Gandhi makes sense of modern India. It is history told in an accessible, evidence-based fashion, and free from biases.

Modern History by Bipin Chandra is one of the most recommended books, as it helps students cover all major topics in detail for modern history.

NCERT Books: are the best friends, the most helpful tool in the exams. NCERT books are used as the base for preparing questions covering the syllabus.

Q4. Which is the best book to read about Indian history?

The Outsourcer: The Story of India's IT Revolution By Dinesh C. Sharma a story about the “miracle” of Indian IT, converting skills and knowledge into capital and wealth by establishing centers for the development of computer science and technology.

Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation By Nandan Nilekani It projects new ideas – technological as well as creative policy options - for meeting some of the pressing challenges of poverty, health, education, and economic growth.

The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable By Amitav Ghosh the book focuses on climate change as a phenomenon that is directly hitting the people and their livelihoods.

Q5. What is Indian modern history?

Modern Indian History is considered the history from 1850 onwards. A major part of this History was occupied by British Rule in India embracing:

Fall of Mughals; India under East India Company’s Rule;

British Expansion Policy; Economic policies and their impact; Foreign Policies; Social Policies; Indian Kingdoms in 18th Century; Socio – Religious Reforms; Movements in the 19th and 20th CE India; Changes in Indian Administration after 1858; Growth of Political Ideas and Political Organisations (up to 1885); Foundation of the Indian National Congress; National Movement (1885 – 1919) ; National Movement (1919 – 1939) ; Freedom to Partition (1939 – 1947)

Q6. What are the topics of modern Indian history?

The decline of Mughal and Maratha Empire

Rise of the Regional States and European Power Hyderabad State & Nizams of Hyderabad

Establishment of the British East India Company Government of India Act 1858: Key Features

Government of India Act 1935: Main Features

· The Revolt of 1857: Causes, Nature, Importance, and Outcomes

· Theosophical Society: Roles and Features of the movement in India

Indian National Movement

·        Indian National Congress:

·        Partition of Bengal

·        Formation of the Muslim League and its Objectives

·        Non-Cooperation Movement

·        Quit India movement

·        Subhas Chandra Bose and INA

·        The Constituent Assembly of India: Features & its Committees

·        Indian Independence Act 1947

·         Lord Mountbatten Plan: Main Features

Q7. What is the most important source of modern Indian history?

Government documents: It helps us to identify and understand the various strategies and tactics used by the Britishers to gain control over India.

Newspapers: Newspapers provided news about the political, social, economic, and cultural happenings of that period.

Historical buildings: Buildings give us information about contemporary history, architecture, and the nature of the monument, the economic condition of that particular period.

Paintings: Paintings can be used to learn about famous personalities and depict their lifestyle, important historical events, etc.

Statues and sculptures: The display plaque on the statues provides full details about the contemporary rulers and eminent personalities.

Q8. How important is the book as the source of modern Indian history?

Printed books tell us about social, economic, sports, entertainment, culture, science & technology, and political conditions of a period. These help us to know and trace the early techniques and methods (practices). Such books are also important because they have been written by a variety of authors. Hence, they provide a variety of perspectives on various aspects of Indian history.

They are the storehouses of wide knowledge. A detailed trace of the past can be made with the help of early printed books. Provide a tangible and durable source of information and cultural heritage that can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Q9. What are the types of modern Indian history?

Mughal Empire: Begins in the middle of the eighteenth century. The decline of the Mughal Empire. Portuguese (European) penetration in India as traders.

Medieval: trading and ruling India by East India Company, the revolt of 1857, the Indian National Congress, the partition of Bengal, Mahatma Gandhi, the Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh, Bhagat Singh, and other revolutionaries, the civil disobedience movement, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, The Quit India movement in 1942, Subhas Chandra Bose & the INA

Modern: Division of India, Independence, the development of parliamentary politics, the non-alignment movement, the economic crisis, the China and Pakistan wars, the birth of Bangladesh, globalization and changes in economic policies, and the effects of the pandemic.