Combo Pack of 2 Books | Eminent Historians | Eminent Distorians

1. Eminent Historians

Shourie has the anecdotal reasoning of Nirad Chaudhuri married to the writing style of Robert Ludlum. Both are in ample evidence in this book.’ – India Today In this incisive commentary, Arun Shourie documents the ways in which our history textbooks have been doctored by leftist historians. Thoroughly researched and riveting, this study brings to light the techniques and frauds that a cabal of some of our best-known academicians has used to promote themselves, and to acquire control over institutions. And then to put these supposedly academic institutions to use. Shourie shows how, in the process, this cabal has perverted India’s historical narrative, and thereby vitiated the country’s public discourse.

Two new chapters bring to light recent developments in the field: how, with their holy scriptures having been repudiated in their holy cities, these ‘historians’ strive to retain their perches by dominating niche domains; how these efforts are bound to fail; but how their trajectory holds vital lessons for those who seek to replace them. A must read for every Indian who has an interest in the country’s history and a stake in its future.

2. Eminent Distorians

Bharat’s history is often written as a series of invasions starting with the Aryans knocking on the gates of the subcontinent followed by Central Asian tribes, the Arabs, Afghans, Turks, and finally Europeans. Mainstream history depicts Bharat as a barren land where various races and cultures arrived at different times. This country, we are told, belonged to each one of these migrants and invaders or to none of them.

Eminent Distorians: Twists and Truths in Bharat’s History challenges this historiography, presenting Bharat’s story from its own perspective. It debunks the Aryan invasion theory, calling Vedic and Harappan civilizations two sides of the same coin. It reevaluates Ashoka’s legacy and the Nehruvian obsession with his ‘greatness’. It reinterprets Bharat’s ‘golden era’ during the Gupta period and sheds new light on the post-Gupta phase.

The book argues that Islamic conquest in Bharat faced stiff Hindu resistance until Akbar’s diplomatic/matrimonial overtures. When Aurangzeb reverted to confrontation, his empire declined. Contrary to conventional understanding of history, Eminent Distorians explains how the British conquered this country from the Marathas not the Mughals.

It also examines the roles of Gandhi, Gandhians, and revolutionaries in ending colonialism. Meticulously researched and cogently argued, the book avoids a Delhi-centric view of history as it highlights significant dynasties such as the Karkotas, Gurjara-Pratiharas, Pallavas, Cholas, and Ahoms, among others.