Gauranganath Banerjee's India as Known is a brief history book exploring the development of India and the tremendous influence other nations and peoples have exerted on this proud country. Banerjee, a former lecturer in ancient history at the University of Calcutta, endeavors to present a basic picture of India through the give and take relationship it has had with its neighbors.
Rather than arrange his work thematically, the author has opted to subdivide his book into chapters focused solely on individual countries and their relationship with India. Thus, you will find sections of this book devoted to Western Asia, China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Indonesia, Sumatra, Bali, Borneo and a few others. Each section examines the contact between Indians and other peoples, whether for reasons of trade, colonization, war, or religion. The division of India as Known in this manner makes this work easily readable.
The book ultimately focuses primarily on trade, highlighting the wealth of desirable resources India has had available to it throughout history. "In more than one epoch," Banerjee states, "The resources of India, natural and industrial, as well as intellectual, have made the wealth of great empires." The author argues that is thus trade that has been India's greatest legacy throughout time.
The brevity of this work keeps it from being a definitive early history of India. Banerjee was clearly aiming to create a focused history of India, and in that regard he has succeeded. India as Known is an enjoyable and illuminating book.
