This fresh and up-to-date interpretation of India's rich and extraordinary history, written by a leading authority in the field, explores themes in ancient, medieval and especially modern India. Peter Robb's accessible study analyzes India's civilizations, empires and regions through the ages, and now also evaluates present-day developments and opportunities. This second edition of A History of India: * Examines the relationships between politics, religious belief, social order, environment and economic change* Assesses, from c. 1860, British colonialism, Indian nationalism and nation-building, popular protest movements, religious revivals, and reinventions of caste, community and gender* Discusses long-term economic development, the impact of global trade, and the origins of rural poverty* Has been revised in the light of the latest scholarship, and now features a Chronology as well as a fully reworked final chapter which brings the story up to the present day and carefully considers India's prospects and new roles in the world. Centered around clearly expressed and well argued topics, issues and explanations, A History of India remains the ideal introduction for all those who wish to understand the drama and vitality of India's past, its present situation and its future challenges.