HISTORIOGRAPHY OF MEDIEVAL INDIA: A Study of Mohammad Habib

Description

Research in Medieval Indian History has changed from theme to theme over the last two hundred years. History of history writing is one of the recent areas which has attracted the attention of historians. The present work tries to assess the writings on Medieval Indian History with particular reference to works of Professor Mohammad Habib. In an area of emerging nationalism and growing consciousness for religious identity, history played a major role in the construction of such ideas. Mohammad Habib stands out as a historian who took a holistic view of the past. His work on Mahmud of Ghaznain gave a new turn to the writing of Medieval Indian History. His exposition of the past using Marxist tools gave a new dimension to Indian Historiography. He proved to be the beginning from where many later historians have taken cue and started the journey of history writing. His works need to be studied thoroughly and examined in relation with later writings, in order to have a correct picture of the past. The author has tried to bring forth those aspects of Medieval Indian History which need to be discussed at length. It would surely go a long way in raising questions in the minds of serious researchers in the discipline and benefit all those who want to have a correct picture of the medieval past. What Habib wrote almost a hundred years back, still finds its relevance today in understanding medieval in the present.

Sanjay Subodh worked on Aligarh Historiography for his doctoral thesis. He started his career as a lecturer in Kurukshetra University in 1993 and subsequently shifted to the University of Hyderabad in 2005, where he is currently working as a Professor in the Department of History. His research interests include medieval archaeology, cultural studies, and science and technology in Medieval India. He sees history as a practicing discipline and understands the relevance of the subject in the present, we need to know the past. The correct undersanding of the past only will make a better future. He has been Sectional President of the Medieval India Section, 76th session of Indian History Congress, 42nd Session of Andhra History Congress and 54rd Session of Punjab History Conference.