The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) has launched a new history book called“Bharat: Loktantra ki Janani.” The title translates to “India: The Mother of Democracy.” The book was launched on Thursday, 24th of November. The Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present at the launch and he addressed the audience.

He said that history may keep on moving in new directions in each century but the central values of the society remain the same. He also said that he was sure of the democratic system in the Indian society ever since the medieval ages. This is because, he says, the Indian Civilization has never discriminated against anyone and, rather, has celebrated the unity in diversity. He said “India as a society welcomes and accepts everyone. That’s why we have 33 crore Gods and Goddesses and even others. The Sufi saints we celebrate in India don’t enjoy the same in many other countries of the same faith.”

The book aims to foreground the democratic traditions prevalent within the Indian culture. By going to the days of Harappan civilisation, the book attempts to reclaim and debunk the conventional narrative of Indian history that has largely been popularised by the western view of India that the British colonizers brought along with them. The book provides archaeological evidences from ancient scriptures and epigraphs.

Pradhan also highlighted how the knowledge prevalent in ancient India was sought out by many and in saying so, he cited Chinese travellers who came all the way to India learn about our knowledge systems. The introduction of the book says “Traditions of modern historical research founded by British scholars of repute were unfortunately coloured by their attitude towards ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, which have a dead past and arguably are museum exhibits […] The discoveries in the Indus Valley and thereby link up Indian history with that of the most ancient period of the world known to us. India now takes her place alongside.”