Romila Thapar is an Indian historian, professor and author. Known for writing books on Indian history, Romila is one of the most eminent figures among Indian historians.
Wiki/Biography
Romila Thapar was born on Monday, November 30, 1931, in Lucknow, United Provinces of British India (age 87 in 2018). Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. She attended St. Mary’s School in Pune and attended schools in various cities in India, changing the location of her school based on her father’s posts. She completed her secondary education from Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune. She received her BA from Panjab University, Chandigarh and studied at Miranda House, Delhi University. After completing her studies in Delhi, she wanted to pursue further studies in London. Her father told her that he could pay her dowry or send her to London, and asked her to choose between the two. Romila chose to study. Romila recalled her father’s words and said——
I have money to keep for you, but only enough for a dowry and a degree from the University of London. You must choose. “
In 1958, Romila received her second honors BA and PhD in Indian history under the supervision of AL Basham at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′3″
Eye color: black
Hair color: gray
family, caste and husband
Her father, Daya Ram Thapar, is the Director General, Medical Services, Indian Armed Forces. Her mother’s name is Kaushalya. She has two older siblings; a brother named Romesh Thapar (journalist) and a sister named Bimla Thapar.
Romila Thapar and her brother
Romila Thapar’s sister
Her cousin Karan Thapar is a journalist.
Romila Thapar’s cousin Karan
Romila Thapar’s family tree
Profession
After spending a few years in England, she decided to return to India and joined Kurukshetra University in 1961 as a lecturer in ancient Indian history. In 1963, she joined Delhi University and held the same position. She worked at the University of Delhi until 1970, then transferred to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. There she served as Professor of Ancient Indian History until 1991. She is an honorary professor at Jinan University.
Romila Thapar gave a speech at Jinan University
Main works
- Ashoka and the Decline of the Maurya Dynasty
- Social History of Ancient India: Some Explanations
- Latest perspectives on early Indian history
- History of India: Volume One
- Early India: From Origins to 1300 AD
dispute
- In 2019, Romila and 12 Emeritus Professors were asked to submit their resumes to the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration for review for their posts (as Emeritus Professors). The university is reportedly seeking a review of the positions of all emeritus professors who will be 75 or older before March 31, 2019. The decision by the Jinan University government has drawn criticism from all quarters. In September 2019, in response to the university’s order, Romila refused to submit her resume to the school and instead wrote a letter explaining the meaning of her status.
- In 2003, an online petition with more than 2,000 signatures opposed Romila’s appointment as Kruger Chair at the Library of Congress. The opposition reasoned that she was “Marxist and anti-Hindu” and that supporting the left was a “waste of American money.”
- Romila was criticized twice by the Indian government for not accepting the Padma Shri; first in 1992 and then in 2005.
Awards and Honors
- 2019 Member of the American Philosophical Society
- Keynote speech at the 14th World Sanskrit Conference in Kyoto in 2009
- 2009 Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 2008 Kruger Prize for Human Research ($1 million), co-winner with Peter Brown
- In 1983, he served as President of the Indian History Congress.
Honorary Doctorates and Scholarships
- 1976 Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship
- In 1986, he was awarded the title of Honorary Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall of Oxford University.
- In 1992, he was awarded the title of Honorary Fellow of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
- Received an honorary doctorate in humane literature from the University of Chicago in 1993
- Honor D. Little. Graduated from Peradeniya University in 1992
- Received an honorary doctorate in social sciences from the University of Edinburgh in 2004
- Honor D. Little. Received PhD from Oxford University in 1997
- Honor D. Little. Graduated from Calcutta University in 1997
- Received an honorary doctorate from Brown University in the United States in 2010
address
23 B Road, Maharani Bagh, New Delhi 110065
favorite thing
- Topics: Botany, Ancient History
- Historians: Eric Hobsbawm, AL Basham
- Sports: Horse riding, swimming
fact
- She enjoys reading and writing.
- Her specialty is ancient India.
Romila Thapa’s books
- Her grandfather was a school teacher and was also appointed to the British government to censor vernacular media.
- Romila’s maternal grandfather was a legal practitioner. He insisted that all five of his daughters, including Romila’s mother, graduate.
- She became pregnant with Romila when her mother Kaushalya traveled from Yangon to Lahore. She thought of stopping at her sister’s house in Lucknow. By chance, Romila was born in Lucknow.
- Soon after her birth, Romila continued her journey with her mother, living in Tal Fort in the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan), where her father had been transferred from Lahore.
- Romila spent her childhood in three different places because her father, an army officer, was frequently transferred.
- Romila lived with her parents while her other older siblings grew up in boarding schools.
- She enjoyed horseback riding and swimming as a child.
- While studying at St. Mary’s School in Pune, Romila used to attend Mahatma Gandhi’s prayer meetings with her friends in the evenings at Dr. Mehta’s Natural Healing Clinic near Wadia College in Pune. Recalling the situation, Romila said she paid the mandatory amount of Rs. 5 (the number for a prince at that time) at a time to ask for Gandhi’s signature. As she left, Gandhi held the sleeve of her kurta and asked:
Yeah, Resham Hai? (Is this silk?)” he asked and she replied, “Jee haan (yes)!” “Resham kabhi nahi paheno. Kadipehenakaro! (Never wear silk. Wear khadi!)”
- It is said that it was her father who instilled in her a love of studying the past. When her father visited the museum in Madras (Chennai), he brought back many historical books and was impressed by the bronze statue of Chola preserved in the museum. It was readings and discussions between father and daughter on the subject that inspired Romila to study history.
- When she went to London for further studies, the lifestyle there changed her perspective on society.
Young Romila Thapar in conversation with Bertrand Russell (London, 1955)
- After she graduated from the University of London in 1955, her supervisor AL Basham (of “The Miracle of India” fame) suggested that she apply for a scholarship to study for a PhD at the University of London. After hesitating for a while, Romila finally applied.
- Romila has authored many chapters of NCERT history books.
Romila Thapar’s books in NCERT
- Romila Thapar has often been criticized by a section of people as a Marxist and anti-Hindu. In 2016, Romila joined other historians and writers in protests at Jinan University to denounce the sedition case against then-JNU president Kanhaiya Kumar.
- Despite receiving many titles and awards, she refused to accept the Padma Shri twice (first in 1992 and second in 2005). The reason she declined was that the awards were not really national but government awards and she would rather stay away from it.
- She is a bibliophile (a person with a great love for books) and can often be seen purchasing books from nearby bookstores.
Romila Thapar visits bookstore
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education