Learn about India’s vibrant past through the best books for Indian history. Discover the best resources through our carefully curated list.
As the 7th largest country in the world, it’s no wonder how India accumulated a rich history that spans millennia. Through thousands of years, the land bears witness to the rise and fall of empires, bloody and peaceful revolutions, and shifts in culture and religion.
To understand Indian history means stepping into various timelines of civilizations that make the country we know today. From the Indus River valley occupants to modern India, there’s much left to explore.
The only possible and reliable way of immersing ourselves in India’s history is through books. Books with exhaustive research then become treasures. They are the only way readers can gain nuanced perspectives on India’s multi-faceted history. Interested in this topic? Read our round-up of essays about history.
Contents
- 1. A History of India by Romila Thapar
- 2. India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy by Ramachandra Guha
- 3. The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
- 4. The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 by William Dalrymple
- 5. The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture, and Identity by Amartya Sen
- 6. Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar
- 7. The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the History and Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming of the Muslims by A.L. Basham
- 8. Empire of the Moghul Series by Alex Rutherford
- 9. Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins
- 10. Ashoka: The Search for India’s Lost Emperor by Charles Allen
- 11. The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History by Sanjeev Sanyal
- 12. India: A Sacred Geography by Diana L. Eck
- 13. Alberuni’s India by Dr. Edward C. Sachau
- 14. The Indian Mutiny: 1857 by Saul David
- 15. India’s Struggle For Independence by Bipan Chandra
- 16. History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra
- FAQs About Best Books for Indian History
- Author
1. A History of India by Romila Thapar
Romila Thapar presents A History of India in an academic tone, making it an excellent material for Indian history students to study. Readers are introduced to the Harappan culture and the founding of the Delhi Sultanate. It also covers other important topics, such as the effects of religion and other milestones. It’s a compact 384-page book that’s straightforward, concise, and helpful. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“Nations have to be built on an inclusive identity.”
Romila Thapar, A History of India
2. India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy by Ramachandra Guha
India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy focuses on India after its 1947 separation from British rule. It narrates one of the most brutal and dark periods of Indian history. There’s unrest, cultural divide, and continuous chaos brought by clashing religion and other differences. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“What is now in the past was once in the future”
Ramachandra Guha, India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy
3. The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
Penned by India’s first Prime Minister, The Discovery of India discusses ancient India and the last years of the British Raj. Jawaharlal Nehru also talks about other foreign invaders, movements, and philosophies. This book is an excellent resource that showcases the point of view of an Indian leader rallying for his country’s independence. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes. “
Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of India
4. The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 by William Dalrymple
Get to know the last Mughal Emperor, Zafar (Bahadur Shah Zafar), against the backdrop of an anti-colonial war in The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857. Though history already proved his ultimate demise in a British prison, the empire’s history has always been a fascinating topic.
William Dalrymple offers in-depth research from many references and even undiscovered sources in the book. Despite the book leaning on abundant research, it remains a digestible account of the fall of the Mughal Empire that existed for 300 years. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“On the road, as in many other aspects of Indian life, Might is Right.”
William Dalrymple, The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857
5. The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture, and Identity by Amartya Sen
The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture, and Identity is a collection of essays that explains India in its totality. Through the information in the essays, Amartya Sen expounds on India’s heritage from the ancient past and connects it to a modern perspective.
Sen is an Indian economist who has won the 1998 Nobel Prize. Through this book, readers can understand his arguments affecting India. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“A society can be Pareto optimal and still perfectly disgusting.”
Amartya Sen, The Argumenta Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture, and Identity
6. Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar
Go through the country’s thousands of years of evolution in Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 before its relationship with Europe began. Learn facts about the Indus Valley Civilization, its dynasties, and teachings still influencing India today.
Romila Thapar, a prominent ancient Indian historian, is famed for her balanced presentation of India. She has no political agenda or interest in Indian politics, making her works an excellent resource for unbiased takes. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“Epic literature is not history but is again a way of looking at the past.”
Romila Thapar, Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300
7. The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the History and Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming of the Muslims by A.L. Basham
The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the History and Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming of the Muslims is a great introductory book even non-experts can understand easily. Here, A.L. Basham centers on ancient India and presents theories of what could have happened. Further, it examines Hinduism’s influence in every part of Indian society. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“It is not wholly surprising, however, that, when India began to reassert herself, two nations should have replaced the single British Raj; but all impartial students must regret that the unity of the Indian sub-continent has been once more lost, and trust that the two great nations of India and Pakistan may soon forget the bitterness born of centuries of strife, in cooperation for the common welfare of their peoples.”
A.L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the History and Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming of the Muslims
8. Empire of the Moghul Series by Alex Rutherford
Empire of the Moghul Series is a must-read epic retelling of the Mughal Empire. Alex Rutherford talks of its rise, peak, and eventual downfall through six volumes. It’s a detailed and entertaining account of the tempestuous but legendary history of the dynasties. It starts with Genghis Khan’s Babur. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“No weapon is more powerful than he who aims it.”
Alex Rutherford, Empire of the Moghul Series
9. Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins
Freedom at Midnight highlights the freedom struggle of the country and the subsequent Partition of India. Much of the book focuses on the British Empire letting go of its power. However, after this event, who wields the power?
Lapierre and Collins’ work delves into the fallout and post-independence consequences. At the same time, the authors underscore the bravery it took for India to gain its independence. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“My friend, I’m glad you listened to the voice of God, and not the voice of Gandhi.”
Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, Freedom at Midnight
10. Ashoka: The Search for India’s Lost Emperor by Charles Allen
This is the story of the third Mauryan emperor, Ashoka, and how he turned a minor religion into one of today’s most prominent belief systems. Ashoka: The Search for India’s Lost Emperor doesn’t only record Buddhism’s birth; it also talks of its disappearance and rediscovery. Allen’s book is a fascinating biography of the man who preached tolerance and nonviolence to a dynasty hardened by war. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“No person ever really lives until he has found something worth dying for.”
Charles Allen, Ashoka: The Search for India’s Lost Emperor
11. The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History by Sanjeev Sanyal
Readers can expect a chronological effort that explains the geography, anthropology, and history of the Indian Ocean in The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History. The book mentions how it became a crucial part of trade and World War II.
It also looks at the economic impact of the ocean, including the English’s East India Company and exchanges with China. Inside the book are maps that help readers better understand the author’s intentions. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“We know about the remarkable tale of how a foreign prince was invited to rule over a kingdom in southern India because Nandi Varman II himself tells us the story in inscriptions and bas-relief panels on the walls of the Vaikuntha Perumal temple in Kanchipuram.”
Sanjeev Sanyal, The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History
12. India: A Sacred Geography by Diana L. Eck
As its title suggests, A Sacred Geography is the author’s decade-long dedication to exploring the pilgrimage sites of India. It’s a great adventure for those who want to learn more about India’s religious traditions and landscape. Additionally, Eck delves into religious ideas and influences on the country. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“We tend to gravitate towards our tribes; the challenge is to understand the people of other tribes.”
Diana L. Eck, A Sacred Geography
13. Alberuni’s India by Dr. Edward C. Sachau
In 1017 CE, to follow Sultan Mahmud’s orders, Alberuni traveled to India to learn more about Hindus, the country’s religion, customs, and science. Through Alberuni’s exploration, readers get a peek into the life of the Indus Valley Civilization. It’s an authentic study of India’s socio and political history, depicting Alberuni’s account of medieval India during the Islamic invasions. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“Maḥmûd utterly ruined the prosperity of the country and performed their wonderful exploits, by which the Hindus became like atoms of dust scattered in all directions.”
Dr. Edward C. Sachau, Alberuni’s India
14. The Indian Mutiny: 1857 by Saul David
The Indian Mutiny probes into the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a time when freedom fighters first consciously wrested against British tyranny. Instead of rigid analysis, David uses narrative history to interpret the morals and causes of this period. It is worth noting that the author still uses logic and offers a thorough review. Although David is a British historian, the book is still an excellent resource for understanding the Indian Rebellion with unbiased writing. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“History tells us that a general can move and feed an army as efficiently as he likes, but the real litmus test is the battlefield.”
Saul David, The Indian Mutiny
15. India’s Struggle For Independence by Bipan Chandra
Aside from exhaustive research, Bipan Chandra’s India’s Struggle For Independence includes interviewing hundreds of freedom fighters nationwide. Through this, he offers a full account of what happened then. He inquires about the events in detail and adds the impacts of the movement on the people of India.
Here, the Indian historian presents relevant particulars and excellent arguments from valid and legal sources. He does so in a fluid manner. Much of the book is devoted to Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts of nonviolence, the civil disobedience movement, and other fights that led to the country’s independence. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“The deceiver loses when there is a correct response from the deceived.”
Bipan Chandra, India’s Struggle For Independence
16. History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra
History of Medieval India’s focal point is the momentous changes India has undergone from the 8th to the 18th century. It’s the land’s tale of invasion, religious evolution, and others. Despite this book’s dark history, it also excels in pointing out the positive aspects of the Mughal rule and Islam in India.
As it uses simple language and covers a comprehensive timeline, the History of Medieval India is an excellent resource for anyone preparing for civil service exams. Read it on Amazon; click here.
“The real founder of the Pratihara empire and the greatest ruler of the dynasty was Bhoja.”
Satish Chandra, History of Medieval India
FAQs About Best Books for Indian History
What are some beginner-friendly books on Indian history?
India: A History by John Keay is an excellent choice for beginners. It offers a comprehensive yet accessible overview of India’s past. It covers five millennia of Indian history, from ancient civilizations to modern times. A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir is another. It has a concise and digestible account of India’s journey from colonialism to independence. Readers who want to know more about Hinduism should check out Shashi Tharoor’s Why Am I A Hindu for a dissection of the religion.
Ancient Indian history enthusiasts should turn to renowned authorities like Romila Thapar, whose work A History of India: Volume 1 delves deep into the ancient period. Another scholar is R.S. Sharma, celebrated for his book India’s Ancient Past, which offers a scholarly perspective on India’s early civilizations. Also, D.D. Kosambi’s An Introduction to the Study of Indian History remains a classic, providing valuable insights into ancient India’s social and economic aspects.
If you’re craving more books about the past, check out our article about the must-read classic literature books next!
