Modern Historians

Question 1

Asiatic Society of Bengal started by

Answer 1

Sir William Jones

Question 2

Abhijnanashakuntalam tr. by

Answer 2

Sir William Jones

Question 3

Bhagavad Gita tr. by

Answer 3

Wilkins

Question 4

Sacred Books of the East series

Answer 4

Max Mueller

Question 5

Early History of India (first modern historical text on India)

Answer 5

V.A. Smith

Question 6

Generalizations about India u/ Orientalist school of history

Answer 6

1. Despotic Rule
2. Spiritually focused
3. Ahistorical

Question 7

1/3rd of book devoted to Alexander’s invasion

Answer 7

Early History of India by V.A. Smith

Question 8

First to say ancient (Vedic) Indians ate beef

Answer 8

Indo Aryans by R.L. Mitra

Question 9

First political history of Deccan Satavahanas

Answer 9

R.G. Bhandarkar

Question 10

First history of Vaishnavism

Answer 10

R.G. Bhandarkar

Question 11

22 volumes of Maratha history in Sanskrit

Answer 11

V.K. Rajwade

Question 12

History of the Dharmashastra

Answer 12

P.V. Kane

Question 13

First Ashokan history

Answer 13

D.R. Bhandarkar

Question 14

Contributions of R.L. Mitra

Answer 14

1. Nationalist historian
2. Rationalist and objective perspective
3. First to say Vedic Indians ate beef
4. Wrote Indo Aryans

Question 15

Contributions of R.G. Bhandarkar

Answer 15

1. Political history of Deccan Satavahanas
2. History of Vaishnavism
3. Social reform

Question 16

Contributions of D.R. Bhandarkar

Answer 16

1. Ashokan history
2. History of ancient political institutions

Question 17

Reconstructed Indian history from the time of the Mahabharata

Answer 17

Hemachandra Raychaudhari

Question 18

Contributions of Hemachandra Raychaudhary

Answer 18

1. Reconstructed Indian history from the time of the Mahabharata
2. Criticism of V.A. Smith
3. Militant Brahmanism

Question 19

History and Culture of the Indian People

Answer 19

R.C. Majumdar

Question 20

Contributions of R.C. Majumdar

Answer 20

1. Wrote History and Culture of the Indian People
2. Hindu Revivalist
3. De-emphasized India’s losses, e.g. Alexander the Great, emphasized Porus standing up to him and the defeat of Seleucus by C. Maurya

Question 21

Contributions of Nilakanta Sastri

Answer 21

1. History of South India
2. History of Ancient India
3. Emphasized cultural supremacy of Brahmans
4. De-emphasized India’s losses, e.g. Alexander the Great, emphasized Porus standing up to him and the defeat of Seleucus by C. Maurya

Question 22

First Nationalist historian to focus on South India

Answer 22

Nilakanta Sastri

Question 23

Exploded myth of Indian Despotism

Answer 23

KP Jayaswal

Question 24

Contributions of K.P. Jayaswal

Answer 24

1. Exploded myth of Indian Despotism
2. Wrote Hindu Polity
3. Emphasized indigenous ruling dynasty role in repelling Shakas and Kushanas, ignoring that Shakas and Kushanas became part of India
4. Projected modern nationalism into ancient India

Question 25

The Wonder that is India

Answer 25

A.L. Bashan

Question 26

Contributions of A.L. Basham

Answer 26

1. Wrote The Wonder that is India 2. Sanskritist 3. Shift from political to non-political history (history for fun)

Question 27

Contributions of D.D. Kosambi

Answer 27

1. Wrote Introduction to Study of Indian History 2. Wrote the Civilization of Ancient India in Historical Outline 3. Marxist historian 4. Non-political historian