CONTESTING THE PAST: IDEOLOGY, INSTITUTIONS, AND THE WRITING OF INDIAN HISTORY

Abstract

This article examines the debate over ideological influence in Indian academia, particularly from the late 1960s onward. It explores how institutions, curricula, and textbooks became sites of contestation between Marxist, nationalist, and civilizational approaches to Indian history. Drawing upon the writings of Kapil Kapoor, Makarand Paranjape, and Sankar Saran, among others, the paper argues that historiography in India has been shaped by competing epistemologies rather than a single dominant narrative. It foregrounds the tension between methodological rigor and cultural memory, emphasizing the need for a more balanced and plural historical discourse.