Modern Indian Historiography

Matching Modern Historians to Iconic Books

Sekhar Bandyopadhyay wrote 'From Plassey to Partition', S. Gopal wrote Nehru's biography, David Hardiman authored 'Gandhi in His Time and Ours', and Gyanendra Pandey wrote on the Congress in UP.

Primary Reference: Standard Educational Reference

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Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below. List I (Author)
A. Sekhar Bandyopadhyay
B. Sarvepalli Gopal
C. David Hardiman
D. Gyanendra Pandey List II (Book)
1. Jawaharlal Nehru : A Biography, Vol-1, 1889-1947
2. From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India
3. The Ascendancy of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, 1926-1934
4. Gandhi in His Time and Ours

[CDS 2019 (I)]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept


Modern Indian history is interpreted through various schools—Nationalist, Marxist, Cambridge, and Subaltern—each with its own foundational texts.

Authentic Source Evidence


  • Sekhar Bandyopadhyay: Author of the widely used textbook From Plassey to Partition.

  • Sarvepalli Gopal: Known for his definitive biography of Jawaharlal Nehru.

  • David Hardiman: Noted for Gandhi in His Time and Ours, providing a balanced view of the Mahatma.

  • Gyanendra Pandey: A subaltern historian who wrote about Congress in UP.
  • Analytical Breakdown


  • A-2: Bandyopadhyay provides a comprehensive survey of the colonial period.

  • B-1: Gopal was the official biographer of Nehru and a key figure in Nehruvian historiography.

  • C-4: Hardiman analyzes Gandhi’s legacy in contemporary contexts.

  • D-3: Pandey’s work focuses on regional dynamics and mass mobilization in the United Provinces.
  • Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

    "Which of these books is a primary textbook for students of modern Indian history?"

    'From Plassey to Partition' by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay is considered one of the most balanced and comprehensive introductory texts.

    Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

    "The diversity of these authors represents the shift in Indian history from pure elite biography (Gopal) to complex social analysis (Pandey and Hardiman)."

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