The imperialist version of Indian history, according to which the “meek Hindu” had always been preoccupied with pure speculations and seldom stood up in defence of his country and culture, has been predominant. The same narrative has not only continued after independence but has become more entrenched in our history textbooks. From the invention of decimal numbers to the practice of Yoga, various knowledge systems have sprung from India. Yet, history books present a sordid story of how India was shaped and reshaped after many waves of foreign invasions. In a fresh departure from this trend, we offer a course on India’s true history, free from the Colonial and Marxist biases that characterize most academic narratives. In this course, we will teach history from an Indic perspective; we will see how we consider history in our tradition so that we can witness the living ceremony and sense of historical consciousness deeply rooted in our people. This course on Indian history will highlight cultural continuities that have endured the test of time. This course will not only narrate the stories of elemental kingdoms and their role in shaping our past but also focus on socio-economic changes and India’s historical position in the world.

Important note: This was a live course where the students attended the classes regularly conducted by the instructor from 03rd June 2022. Now, we have recorded videos of the whole session available here. If you want to go through the videos, you have to get enrolled in the course first. Next, you need to click on the “Take the Course”/”Continue Course option” from this page and then visit the “Recorded Video” section. Then, you can access the videos any time as per your convenience like the other self-paced courses available on our website.

What You’ll Learn

• Important dates, kings and empires, as also the life and culture of the Indian people.
• About the unsung warriors of Indian history who fought valiantly in defence of their motherland.
• India’s rich cultural heritage in philosophy, art, architecture, literature, martial arts, science, environmental awareness and so on.
• The four limbs of Indian culture Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha and their incorporation into day-to-day life.
• The Indian concept of Rashtra, administrative system, village economy, and foreign policies.
• The histories of various Hindu empires such as The Vijayanagara Empire and The Maratha Empire that flourished in the medieval period.
• India’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage, which has remained intact despite various foreign invasions.
• India’s unique economic position and cultural diversity.

What You’ll Get

• Live and interactive lectures with Instructor(s) twice a week.
• Special guest interactions (Prof. Meenakshi Jain, Prof. Saumya Dey, Prof. V.N. Prabhakar, Tanmay Kelkar and Sai Priya) with external experts to get comprehensive perspective.
• Reference materials like articles, online discussions and links to books and videos.
• Quizzes which will make you learn faster and more thoroughly.
• Indus University Certificate to certify that you have gone through and passed this course.
• An opportunity to work on various Indian Knowledge System (sponsored by Ministry of Education) projects to meritorious students.