Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on Banas River, United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 and more (Week 114)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on Environment and Geography to check your progress.
🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨
With reference to the High Seas Treaty, consider the following statements:
1. The treaty deals only with oceans that are outside the national jurisdiction of any country.
2. Its objective is to demarcate marine protected areas (MPAs), rather like there are protected forests or wildlife areas.
3. India has not signed the High Seas Treaty.
4. The aim of the treaty aligns with Sustainable Development Goal-10.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Explanation
— At the United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, India announced that it is currently in the process of ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, also known as the high seas treaty, and reaffirmed its commitment to conserving and using oceans sustainably, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal-14. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.
— India signed an important international agreement called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, or the High Seas Treaty at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 25, 2024. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
— The high seas cover 64% of the ocean surface and approximately 43% of the Earth. These habitats are home to around 2.2 million marine species and trillions of microbes. They belong to no one, and everyone has equal rights to navigation, overflight, economic operations, scientific research, and the installation of infrastructure such as underwater cables.
— The convention, signed in March 2023, only applies to oceans that are not under any country's jurisdiction. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Objectives of the High Seas Treaty
(i) Demarcation of marine protected areas (MPAs), rather like there are protected forests or wildlife areas; Hence, statement 2 is correct.
(ii) Sustainable use of marine genetic resources and equitable sharing of benefits arising from them;
(iii) Initiation of the practice of environmental impact assessments for all major activities in the oceans; and
(iv) Capacity building and technology transfer.
— The treaty makes it mandatory to carry out a prior environmental impact assessment (EIA) for any activity that is potentially polluting or damaging to the marine ecosystems, or to conservation efforts.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
(Read more: Knowledge nugget of the day: High Seas Treaty)
With reference to the Banas River, consider the following statements:
1. The Banas River Basin is located in the western part of Rajasthan.
2. It is bounded in the east by Chambal river basin and in the north by Gambhir and Banganga river basins.
3. It is a tributary of the Luni River.
4. The entire length of the river flows through Rajasthan only.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Explanation
— Eight men drowned in the Banas river in Rajasthan's Tonk district, police said.
About Banas River
— The Banas River Basin is located in eastern Rajasthan and covers a substantial area to the east of the Aravali mountain range. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
— It is bordered in the east by the Chambal river basin, in the north by the Gambhir and Banganga river basins, in the west by the Shekhawati and Luni river basins, and in the south by the Sabarmati and Mahi river basins. It feeds into the Chambal River, which then flows into the Yamuna. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
— The Banas River originates in the Khamnor Hills of the Aravali Range, approximately 5 km from Kumbhalgarh in Rajsamand District, and runs entirely through Rajasthan. Hence, statement 4 is correct.
— It flows northeast through Rajasthan's Mewar area, eventually meeting the Chambal River near the village of Rameshwar in Khandar Block, Sawai Madhopur District. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
(Other Source: phedwater.rajasthan.gov.in)
South Lhonak Lake was in the news due to a devastating flood in the Teesta River. The lake is located in:
(a) Sikkim
(b) Arunachal Pradesh
(c) Assam
(d) West Bengal
Explanation
— Scientific studies have long demonstrated that climate change is causing Himalayan glaciers to melt at an unprecedented rate, affecting water resources, agriculture, and livelihoods.
— 'Global warming is causing Himalayan glaciers to deplete, resulting in the formation of artificial lakes known as GLOFs. When they burst, they cause mayhem. In October 2023, a flood generated by South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim devastated the Teesta River valley. It wrecked the Teesta III hydroelectric dam and caused widespread damage,' says Guman Singh, an environmental activist and coordinator for Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, a grassroots organisation calling for a sustainable, mountain-specific development model in the Himalayas.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
With reference to the tardigrades, which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. They are also known as 'water bears'.
2. They have survived all five major mass extinction events that have taken place.
3. They can be found only in the deepest oceans.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
— One of the scientific investigations astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will do during his two-week stay on the International Space Station (ISS) is to investigate the recovery, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades in space.
— Tardigrades, sometimes known as 'water bears,' are muscular aquatic animals that have existed for around 600 million years, 400 million years before dinosaurs roamed the earth. They have survived all five main mass extinction events that have occurred so far, and scientists anticipate they will be around long after humanity has been wiped out. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.
— Tardigrades are typically around 0.5 mm long when fully grown, with four pairs of legs and 4-6 claws on each foot. They also have a unique mouth that allows them to extract nutrients from plant cells, algae, and other tiny invertebrates.
— Tardigrades can be found practically anywhere, including the highest mountains and the deepest oceans. Their most common habitat, however, is the thin film of water found on mosses and lichens, earning these critters the nickname 'moss piglets'. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
Scientists made a surprising discovery — a mushroom growing out of the side of the frog, in the:
(a) Western Ghats
(b) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(c) Barak Valley
(d) Eastern Himalayas
Explanation
— Scientists uncovered an unexpected find in India's Western Ghats foothills: a mushroom growing out of the side of a frog. This is the first time a mushroom has been witnessed growing from a living organism.
— On June 19, 2023, the researchers discovered several 'Rao's Golden-backed frogs' in a rainwater-fed pond on the roadside in the foothills of the Kudremukha mountains near Mala, Karkala, Karnataka. However, one of the frogs appeared to have a white growth on the right side of its body. As it turned out, that was a mushroom growing from a live frog.
— The frog was not taken; rather, the researchers photographed it and described it in a note published in the journal Reptiles and Amphibians. Fungus experts who examined the photographs identified the white growth as a Bonnet mushroom, which often grows on dead and rotting wood.
— There are numerous fungi that form symbiotic relationships with other creatures. Some are parasitic, causing illnesses such as mucormycosis, sometimes known as 'black fungus.' The Independent, however, reports that this is the first time a fungus has been seen growing on a living organism.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
With reference to the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025, consider the following statements.
1. France and Colombia are co-organizing the Conference.
2. The overarching theme of the Conference is 'Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean'
3. This is the first ever Conference on Ocean by the United Nations.
Which of the statements given above is/are true?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation
— France and Costa Rica are co-organizing the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice from June 9 to 13, 2025. The overarching theme of the Conference is 'Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.'
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer
(Source: unocnice2025.org)
Consider the following statements:
1. It is inhabited by the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses.
2. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3. The Endangered Ganges dolphin is found in some of the closed oxbow lakes of this site.
Which is the site that the above statements indicate?
(a) Khangchendzonga National Park
(b) Keoladeo National Park
(c) Kaziranga National Park
(d) Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Explanation
According to UNESCO World Heritage Convention:
— 'Kaziranga National Park represents one of the last unmodified natural areas in the north-eastern region of India. Covering 42,996 ha, and located in the State of Assam it is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain…The park's contribution in saving the Indian one-horned rhinoceros from the brink of extinction at the turn of the 20th century to harbouring the single largest population of this species is a spectacular conservation achievement. The property also harbours significant populations of other threatened species including tigers, elephants, wild water buffalo and bears as well as aquatic species including the Ganges River dolphin.'
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
The biography titled 'The Man Who Fed the World' is based on the life and achievements of which of the following internationally renowned figures?
(a). Norman Borlaug
(b). M.S.Swaminathan
(c). Lester R. Brown
(d). Rachel Carson
Explanation
— 'The Man Who Fed the World: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger' is a biography written by Leon Hesser.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 114)
Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 114)
Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 114)
Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 114)
Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 113)
Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 113)
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Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than four years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called 'Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik' and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called 'You Ask We Answer'.His talks on 'How to read a newspaper' focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University's Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women's Studies by the Women's Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on 'Psychological stress among students' at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More
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Indian Express
2 days ago
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Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on significance of the triratna and temple architecture (Week 107)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-1 to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Discuss the major structural and decorative differences between the Nāgara and Drāviḍa temple traditions. Explain the significance of the triratna ('Three Jewels') in the quest of nibbāna. Explain how Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha interact as interconnected underpinnings of the Buddhist path. Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. QUESTION 1: Discuss the major structural and decorative differences between the Nāgara and Drāviḍa temple traditions. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — Indian temple architecture follows two main traditions: Nāgara (northern) and Draviḍa (southern). — In addition to these two, Indian art treatises discuss a third sort of construction tradition known as the 'Vesara' or hybrid. The etymological meaning of the term has led researchers in the past to interpret this category as a synthesis of northern and southern artistic traditions and to identify it with the geographically appropriate Deccan region. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: Nagara or North Indian Temple Style — Nagara is a temple building style that rose to prominence in northern India. In North India, it is typical to construct an entire temple on a stone platform with steps going up to it. — The earliest temples had only one tower, or shikhara, whereas later temples had multiple. The garbhagriha is always situated right beneath the tallest structure. — Nagara temples are divided into various categories based on the shape of the shikhara. The various components of the temple are known by different names in different parts of India; nevertheless, the plain shikhara is the most prevalent. — The phamsana is the nagara order's second primary architectural form. Phamsana buildings are often larger and shorter than Latina buildings. Their roofs are made up of many slabs that slowly rise to a single point above the core of the building, as opposed to Latina roofs, which appear to be sharply rising towering towers. — The third major kind of nagara buildings is known as the valabhi type. These are rectangular structures with roofs that rise into vaulted chambers. The vaulted chamber's edge is rounded, similar to the bamboo or wooden waggons hauled by bullocks in ancient times. They are commonly known as 'wagonvaulted buildings'. Dravida or South Indian Temple Style — The Dravidian temple is encircled by a compound wall. The front wall has an entrance gateway in the centre, known as a gopuram. In Tamil Nadu, the main temple tower, known as vimana, is shaped like a stepped pyramid that rises geometrically, as opposed to North India's bending shikhara. — In South Indian temples, the term'shikhara' refers only to the crowning part at the top of the temple, which is typically formed like a tiny stupika or an octagonal cupola—this is analogous to the amlak and kalasha of North Indian temples. To read more: How Indian temple architecture is rooted in art, religion, and politics Conclusion: — The evolution of Indian temple building is based on a complex interplay of art, religion, politics, and culture. While it began modestly, it grew into a sophisticated tradition that differed by region while maintaining a consistent cultural character. — Temples were frequently visited by powerful monarchs to worship their preferred deity while also asserting, consolidating, and legitimising their rule over an existing or new area. Rajaraja Cola, for example, constructed the Thanjavur Brihadesvara temple to demonstrate his authority over the region. — Kanchipuram, Thanjavur or Tanjore, Madurai, and Kumbakonam are the most well-known temple cities in Tamil Nadu, where temples served more than only religious purposes from the seventh to the twelfth centuries. Temples grew into prosperous administrative centres, governing enormous tracts of territory. (Source: How Indian temple architecture is rooted in art, religion, and politics, Points to Ponder Read more about Indian Temples Read about important temples in news in India Related Previous Year Questions How will you explain that Medieval Indian temple sculptures represent the social life of those days? (2022) Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. Discuss. (2013) QUESTION 2: Explain the significance of the triratna ('Three Jewels') in the quest of nibbāna. Explain how Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha interact as interconnected underpinnings of the Buddhist path. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — Buddhism, founded on Siddhartha Gautama's or Buddha's teachings, lays forth the road to nibbana (freedom). The Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha are the three jewels of Buddhism, and they are important to this path. — These three, also known as the tisarana (threefold refuge), are places of sanctuary for Buddhists, both laity (upasakas/upasikas) and monastics. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — The Buddha is the first and most fundamental of the three refuges. He is renowned as an awakened teacher who discovered and spread the road to liberation. — In Buddhism, Dhamma refers to the Buddha's teachings, which are based on the ariya sacchani or four noble truths and the atthanga magga or eightfold way. It describes ethical behaviour, discipline, and wisdom as the pillars of an individual's development. Impermanence (anichcha) is a key concept in the Buddha's teaching in this regard. — In the framework of a person's life and existence, no force in the cosmos can avert the unavoidable. As Siddhartha discovered on his first visit outside the palace, the beginning of old age, disease, and death is unavoidable. As a result, the conceptions of 'I','me', and'self' are ever-changing and comprised of a variety of experiences. — This idea is intimately related to Buddhism's rejection of anything permanent, including the soul or atman. Buddhism offers the doctrine of anattā (non-self), which holds that there is no permanent self or essence within beings or occurrences. This principle is expressed through a discourse between King Milinda and monk Nāgasena from Milindapañhā. — In Buddhist teachings, the Dhamma is sometimes compared to a raft, a powerful metaphor utilised in the Majjhima Nikaya. The book depicts a man who comes across a big river in flood. The shore he stands on is perilous and filled with terror, yet the far shore appears safe. However, there is no bridge or boat to help him cross the river. — After the Buddha and the Dhamma, the Sangha is the third jewel of the triratna. The Sangha is Buddhism's monastic organisation, created during the Buddha's lifetime. It was the central institution for disseminating the Buddha's teachings. — The Sangha's regulations specify aspects of monastic life, such as what its members should eat, how they should speak and walk, what they should dress, and how they should behave. These regulations also establish standards for settling conflicts and establishing the relationship between the Sangha and the laity. The Vinaya Pitaka also details the monks' first travelling lifestyle and ultimate transition to fixed dwelling. (Source: Three jewels that shape Buddhist philosophy and way of life) Points to Ponder Read about Vinaya Pitaka, Milindapañhā Read more about Buddhism Related Previous Year Questions Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate. (2016) Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate. (2020) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 106) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 107) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 106) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 107) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 106) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 105) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
‘Earliest Indians were migrants…India has been connected to the world from the very beginning,' says historian Audrey Truschke
A quarter of humanity today is made up of South Asians, and for the rest of the world, their lives are constantly being shaped by South Asian culture—be it through films, spices, yoga or religion. US-based historian Audrey Truschke begins her monumental work tracing 5,000 years of Indian history with this crucial reminder to her readers about the impact the subcontinent has made upon the globe for millennia. Truschke's India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent (published by the Princeton University Press) begins with the much-discussed and debated Indus Civilisation, and goes right up till the post-Independence period, including the caste wars of the 1990s and the rise of the Hindu right. Throughout her re-telling of Indian history, Truschke reminds her readers of the vital connections that India has maintained with the world from the very beginning of its existence, through migration, trade and cultural exports. The earliest of Indians, as she reveals, were migrants who built the foundations of urban civilisation and shaped the oldest literary tradition of the region in the form of the Vedas. She also underlines the necessity of understanding the past of the subcontinent through the lens of the marginalised, particularly through the voices of women and the oppressed castes. In an interview with Truschke talks about her findings of the Indus Civilisation, the use of literature written by women to tell the story of Buddhism, as well as the dark side of the history of Hindu nationalism. Excerpts from the interview: Q. Your book title suggests that it is about 5,000 years of Indian history. How and why did you decide on this specific number? Audrey Truschke: For the last century, the conventional beginning of Indian history has been about 4,600 years ago with the Indus Civilisation. That is where I begin my narrative. We rounded up for the title, because publishers like round numbers, so that is where the 5,000 comes from. I do not adhere to this time frame strictly, however. I do start in earnest with the Indus Civilisation, which began around 2600 BCE. But before that, I give a brief account of how people populated the subcontinent in the first place. And that story goes back 1,20,000 years. Q: Why do you choose to begin with the Indus Civilisation? Truschke: The beginning of Indian history geologically goes back millions of years when the subcontinent was formed; the Himalayas are still rising today from the crashing together of two tectonic plates. Human history in India goes back a more modest 1,20,000 years. I begin the book with recorded human history, devoting attention in earnest first to the Indus Civilisation, which was robust enough that it left behind significant material evidence for us to work with. Not all of the past is recoverable. But history is a positivist discipline. We work with the evidence we have. And so there is no value judgment that the Indus Civilisation was somehow more important than other groups of people doing other things in India around the same time. It is simply that they are the ones for whom we have significant material evidence to reconstruct their lifestyles. Q: We know that there is a lot of politics around the Indus Civilisation lately, with different political parties trying to appropriate it around religious or regional lines. How do you respond to that? Truschke: I think every single political party in India will be disappointed with my take on the Indus Civilisation. I know there is a huge push right now for it to be a Dravidian civilisation. There is no positivist evidence that shows that. It is plausible, but a lot of things are plausible. The bottom line is we don't know much about who the Indus Civilisation people were. We know they built cities. We know how they lived. We know a fair amount about their diet. These are certain things that are recorded in the material and skeletal records. But we don't fundamentally know who they were, except that they were from northwestern India. That was a long time ago, and we really don't know how the Indus people map onto modern linguistic, political, and ethnic groups. For those who are making modern political claims, that comes with all the limits of political claims. But insofar as some people are trying to make a historical claim, they need to be a little bit more realistic about the evidence. Q: There is a section in your book where you speak about the first Indians. Could you elaborate a bit on who the first Indians were? Truschke: I am taking from Tony Joseph there, who has an excellent book called The Early Indians. The first Indians were not actually the first Homo Sapiens to set foot on the Indian subcontinent. That would be the group that came 1,20,000 years ago. But they all died out. About 65,000 years ago, another migrant group came. They came eastwards roughly from Africa and entered the subcontinent, and some of those people survived. They have left behind a genetic lineage that is shared by some, not all, modern Indians. It is especially strong in South India. We call them the first Indians because they are the first ones to make it. Q: You also write that you have included a diverse representation of voices, especially those of women and the oppressed castes, in your telling of Indian history. Could you give a few examples? Truschke: Like many historians right now, I too think it is so important to have a more diverse set of voices when we are looking at the past. The thing is, it is hard because the people who tend to be recorded tend to be members of dominant social groups. In South Asia, that means they tend to be men, they tend to be upper caste, and they tend to be Hindu. I am looking for people who don't fit that bill. I think it is important to find diverse voices to explain key shifts in South Asian history. For example, when I cover the advent of Buddhism about 2,400 years ago, I cite from the Therigatha, which is a collection of poems and hymns by Buddhist women, collected in the early centuries BCE. Later on, I bring in female voices, for example, when I talk about the Hindu reform movements and criticisms of Hinduism that arose in the 19th century. I do talk about some of the men, such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Vivekananda, but I also talk about Pandita Ramabai, a Brahmin woman who later converted to Christianity. It is harder to bring in voices from the oppressed castes. From ancient India, for instance, we have very little to nothing that was actually written by Shudras and Dalits. It is not until later that we get texts authored by Shudras and Dalits, but I at least try to bring in texts about them. For example, I have a section where I am talking about caste in the 17th century, and I talk about some Shudra kings. I also print part of a Telugu drama written around 1700 CE. It is written by an upper caste individual, but it depicts a Brahmin in a very poor light. It depicts this Brahmin who is lusting after a Dalit woman and is abusing his Brahmanical privilege. He cites Sanskrit verses to her and plays with religion to try to lure the Dalit woman. This is not a Dalit voice, but at least it is a Dalit character. You work with what you have for the historical evidence. There is no getting around the fact that dominant groups are better represented in the South Asian historical record. That is true of all histories in all parts of the world, but that does not absolve historians of doing the hard work of trying to recover what we can, both about and from the perspective of less-discussed, less-represented groups. Q: You also write that India, throughout its ancient and medieval history, has had global connections. Could you elaborate on some of the key historical moments when India's connections with the world were of key importance? Truschke: India has been connected to the world from the beginning and throughout. How people get to India is a story of repeated migrations. The Indus Valley Civilisation had extensive trade connections with Mesopotamia and, possibly through Mesopotamia, with ancient Egypt. The people belonging to Vedic society, which was founded and flourished after the Indus Civilisation, were also migrants. They came from outside into northwestern India and composed the Vedas. The Vedas are an Indian composition, but the language group of that community does have roots from outside originally. People, things, and ideas also left the subcontinent. And South Asia then has some remarkable cultural exports starting in the few centuries before the turn of the CE era. Of course, Buddhism is probably the most well-known one, which travelled both on the sea trade routes and along the Silk Roads, surviving ultimately largely outside of the subcontinent. There are also stories, such as the Panchatantra, and games like chess and Parcheesi that are still popular across the West today. Then there is Sanskrit that travels east to Southeast Asia. All of this attests to India and the subcontinent more broadly being part of an interconnected world. Q: We know that history in India has become a major topic of debate. How would you say your book addresses the current politics around history in the country? Truschke: Firstly, I think my book is pretty staunchly, openly, and decidedly a non-nationalist history, down to the title. As I say in the introduction, the India that I refer to in the title is not the modern nation state of India. The modern nation state of India was born yesterday from a historian's perspective. It is less than a century old. I use India in the title and throughout most of the book, until the last couple of chapters, in its historic sense of the subcontinent. It is a geographical designation, and it very much includes Bangladesh, Pakistan, and southern parts of Afghanistan. I realise that is going to be a little uncomfortable for a lot of readers who are really used to India being the modern nation state with militarised borders, an army, and a set of nationalist symbols. The second way in which I address nationalism—and I think this will be particularly important for younger readers, under the age of about 30 or 35—is by giving a fair amount of the history of Hindu nationalism. I think Hindu nationalists do not like talking about their own history. There are some dark parts of that history, the Nazi loving stuff, the fascist stuff, the fact that it is largely a European import, and the fact that it was unpopular for most of its existence. Forty years ago, no respectable Indian would touch Hindu nationalism. I think that is very hard to understand if you are 30 years old and living in Hyderabad or Bombay or Delhi or Ahmedabad or wherever, and Hindutva is what you know. My book charts that history, among many other facets of Indian and South Asian histories. Adrija Roychowdhury leads the research section at She writes long features on history, culture and politics. She uses a unique form of journalism to make academic research available and appealing to a wide audience. She has mastered skills of archival research, conducting interviews with historians and social scientists, oral history interviews and secondary research. During her free time she loves to read, especially historical fiction. ... Read More
