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Synopsis This wide-ranging book offers a succinct and engaging narrative of the history of the Indian subcontinent, tracing the development of its society, culture and polity from 7000 BC to the present. Incorporating the accumulated findings of recent research—including the author’s own work on the history of South India—the book considers the complex patterns of pre-modern as well as contemporary politics, examines the origins and consequences of the Mughal and British conquests, and addresses current, often controversial, issues such as post-independence India’s commitment to secularism and women’s rights. The tensions between communities and states, cultures and politics, the region and the world beyond are the recurring themes that shape this rigorous, scholarly account. And throughout, the text is informed with an insight and sensitivity that bespeak the author’s lifelong personal involvement with the Indian subcontinent.