History Archive

Between November 1947 and April 1948, Rajouri became the site of one of the most savage and deliberate campaigns of violence during the Partition of India. Yet this chapter remains pushed to the margins of public memory. While narratives of the First Kashmir War focus heavily on Srinagar and the dramatic airlift of Indian troops into the Valley, the events in the Jammu sector, especially in Rajouri, unfolded with a cruelty and intent that demand equal attention.

The 16th of December is marked as Vijay Diwas, or Victory Day, in both India and Bangladesh. On this day, the Indian Armed Forces, fighting alongside Bangladeshi freedom fighters, defeated the occupying Pakistani forces in 1971.

7th November 2025 marks 150 years of India’s National Song, “Vande Mataram.” On this historic day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a year-long nationwide commemoration of the song at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The ceremony aimed to remind citizens of the song’s deep emotional connection with India’s freedom struggle and its lasting presence in public memory.

Between 1930 and 1933 – over a decade before the Nazis opened the Auschwitz concentration camp – British colonial authorities were already using gas chambers on human subjects. This fact alone overturns the carefully polished image of Britain as a so-called “civilized” empire. Long before Europe shuddered at Hitler’s crimes, Britain had already begun its own gas chamber experiments—not on its enemies, but on the very Indian soldiers who fought under its flag.

“The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.” —Sun Tzu, Art of War

Independent India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, is often remembered not only for his leadership but also for the many blunders committed during his long tenure. These decisions, even decades later, continue to cast a shadow on India’s progress and security. Among them, one of the most debated mistakes was the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in 1960, a treaty that surrendered India’s control over its own precious rivers.

On August 15, 1947, as most of the Indian subcontinent rejoiced in newly-won independence, the indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) – predominantly Chakmas along with Marmas, Tripuris, and others – celebrated under the assumption that they were part of India. In the hill town of Rangamati, thousands gathered at the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow and hoisted the Indian tricolour, believing their majority-non-Muslim homeland rightfully belonged in the Indian Dominion.

Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi is remembered with pride across India as a fearless warrior queen of the Revolt of 1857. Her name is etched in history books, folk songs, and nationalist stories. However, very few know about her adopted son, Damodar Rao, who witnessed the rebellion not through legend, but through the harsh realities of life. The British Empire’s controversial policy known as the Doctrine of Lapse refused to recognize adopted heirs as rightful successors. It was this very denial that pushed Rani Lakshmibai into battle. But while she became a national symbol of resistance, her son’s life became a tale of pain, neglect, and erasure.

The story of Kharsawan is not just a chapter in India’s post-independence history—it is a wound. A wound so deep and raw that even today, more than seven decades later, it bleeds in silence, mostly unacknowledged by the nation it belongs to. In the early 20th century, long before Jharkhand existed as a state, this land was part of the vast Bihar and Orissa Province under British rule. It was home to a proud and deeply rooted Adivasi (indigenous tribal) community. These were people who spoke their own languages, followed unique traditions, and held a strong connection to their forests and hills. But they also carried a dream—a dream to govern themselves, to live with dignity in a state of their own where their voices would not be drowned in the politics of outsiders.

The global security landscape is fraught with challenges, none more pressing than preventing rogue regimes from acquiring nuclear weapons. The recent Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities underscore the urgency of this mission, drawing parallels to a historical missed opportunity involving India, Israel, and Pakistan’s nuclear program at Kahuta. This article chronicles the events surrounding these critical moments, highlighting why the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program by the U.S. and Israel is essential for global stability, while reflecting on India’s historical missteps under Morarji Desai that allowed Pakistan to become a nuclear power.