Teaching and Research on India in Pakistan - A Conspicuous Absence

Do you know how much academic research there is in india of pakistan? Probably not much. It seems that some sort of academic exchange is starting to happen. Hopefully this will kindle some mutual interest.

I agree with you soyasause, being a teacher myself I too am looking forward towards such exchanges between the two countries. A timely article Zaidi Sah`eb.

Yes, there is mutual lack of understanding. In order to cut the Gordian Knot, University Grants Commissions in the two countries need to institutionalize the sister studies in two top universities of both countries. These could consist of biannually cosponsored conferences on the areas limited to joint Indo-Pakistani studies. The first area of study should be the sources of systematic misunderstanding generated/aggravated by the British from 1800 to 1947. The detailed determination of the universe of FACTS instead of the political propaganda would lead to mutual understanding. Hopefully the climax of all this would be closer econo-political collaboration between two countries.

Good one.

From Indian side - the story is pretty much the same - there is hardly any serious research on Pakistan or any other country for that matter.

I remember a chat with a friend of mine. The topic somehow veered into Indo-Pak issues ..... and I mentioned that I regularly read Pakistani newspapers on net.....He was appalled - how can I do such a thing - how can I tolerate propaganda from the enemy country...... I told him how it is not just propaganda - it gives a glimpse into the ``enemy`s`` mindset, thinking process and also told him how there is no serious research on pakistan from Indian Academia, which is actually seriously hampering India`s effort to put effective counter-moves to keep pakistan restrained.

So -t he mindset is that knowing more about ``enemy`` somehow un-patriotic and useless.

That of course doesnot explain why there has been no serioud studies on other countries/cultures - China, Burma, Indo-China(SE Asia), SriLanka. I think this is because of lack of such a institutional culture, lack of vision and long term focus on part of the narrow-minded leadership that India has been beset with since Independence.

There is nothing to teach or learn by this effort so why bother. The only ``misunderstanding`` between two countries is Kashmir. Indians are oppressing Kashmir through force. If today free plebicite is held Kashmir will join Paksitan. This is a fact that no Indian can deny. Now please explain to me what is there for a mutual understanding. Will India share Paksitani text books which explains how Kasmir is under occupation or Paksitan will induct Indian curriculum that explains Kashmir as atoot ang? Unless India gives Kashmiris their right to life all such efforts are just self delusion (and American agenda to put Paksitan under Indias watch) and we will let that happen; yeah right.

I personally think the reason why India is avoided in any serious study in Pakistan is because, once ppl do serious studies of India, its culture and people, and our (Pakistani) history with an open mind, this will actually remove a lot of the propaganda that our state has tried so hard to make our ppl believe. It will de-demonise India and Indians, it will start to show them in more humane light, and God forbid, it will show our cultural/racial/religious connections, links and crossovers.

Pakistan still hasn`t come to terms with its identity, its history, what its culture `should` be, we are still searching, we will go anywhere so long as its not east, so long as its not towards India. Running, running, constantly running away from ourselves, trying to hide and trying to re-invent ourselves, at pains to differentiate ourselves from India.

The sooner we accept our history, our root culture, the outside influences, our spiritual present, our geography, our place within South Asia and the world, the sooner we will become more self assured, self confident, witness an increase in the national self esteem, and we will be able to move forward as a confident and modern nation, hand in hand with the rest of South Asia as an important socio-economic partner.

Urstruly:

Hhe is not talking about mutual understanding. He is talking about understanding the enemy. What are our dynamics etc?

If a referendum is held, a large part of Kashmir will opt to stay with India. Ladakh with a Buddhist majority and Jammu with a non Muslim majority and significant Shia population is pro-India.

Only problem is Valley. The Muslims of Valley did not think of Hindu Ummah before giving a Danda to the Hindus of Kashmir. Now the Hindu Ummah has been giving a danda to the Valley Muslims for past 15 years. We will give them such a danda that they will think of 19888 pre insuregency time under Indian rule as paradise. Then we will give them that paradise.

The best way to analyze Pakistani psyche is to draw an analogy with ABCDs (America Born Confused Desis) in USA. ABCDs are second generation desis who struggle with their desi genes and try to fit in desperately with the goras. They try to deny their roots, put on the airs of goras and look down on desi immigrants. However, they soon realize that no matter how hard they try, they just don`t fit in and are not accepted by the goras at a social level. Their desi genes just cannot be wished away. Then they try to rediscover their roots as they realize the hard way - ``Kauwa chala hans ki chaal`` i.e. the crow is pretending to be a swan.

In the same way, after 1947, Pakistanis were desperate to fit in with the Islamic world of Central Asia and Middle-east. They looked down on their own desi genes and tried to pretend that they are central asian, even though 99% Pakistanis have no central asian blood. They tried to deny their own roots based on conversion, they moved away from their own culture, they looked down on Indians and put on the airs of Mughals, Central Asians etc. as if they had arrived from outside and ruled India. What a delusion!! However, after a while Pakistanis realized that they are just not accepted by the muslims in the Middle-east of Central Asia as their equals. They are treated with the same racist indignation that Indians are treated to. Their desi genes just cannot be wished away. Now, finally Pakistanis are realizing the hard way - ``Kauwa chala hans ki chaal``. No matter how hard they try, to the rest of the world, they are nothing more than desis who practice Islam and live in the north-west corner of the subcontinent.

urstruly epitomizes the negative of Indian subcontinent. He represents the rabid wahabis. Till the likes of him are denounced and repudiated by sensible muslims like Ally in unmistakeable terms, the only fitting language for them is the one from Stuka.

A well researched article from S. Akbar Zaidi. There are two different but related issues:

1. The paucity of Indian studies in Pakistani academia
2. The defects in the way history is approached and taught in the country.

The importance of the former cannot be over-emphasized. For instance, one may refer to the detailed country profiles collected by CIA in the USA. One may understand that the publicised data will not even be 1% of the corpus and analysis available for the US government. Such strategic data will obviously be available for the governments of both India and Pakistan. There is no doubt about it. The complaint really is that serious studies have not been undertaken at the ``people`` level. This will help in bringing the two societies closer. (contrary to the govt intelligence which is meant for being detrimental to the other side). This article shall be an eye opener, hopefully.

The next thing is the way history is taught in the schools and universities in Pakistan. The basic problem is the identity crisis of the country. The author has dealt with it nicely. If Pakistan has to remain independent of the Indian shadow, the only way to achieve this is to severe the historical ties. Unfortunately, ``Pakistan`` is an artificial commodity in the world historical process. India, in contrast, is an idea, a part of the process itself. It doesn`t simply denote a country born in 1947. So, the severing of the ties is impossible. The Islamic foundations of Pakistan are not old enough to anchor its history.

So, what is the way out? I do not see any way out in the near future. The ``system`` needs an anti-India stance to perpetuate itself. If there is no such stance, obviously it doesn`t have a locus standi in the affairs of the nation. To keep such a stance afloat, history has to be meddled with in such a way as to show that Pakistan came out of the blues....which will not merely be a distortion, but rather invention of facts. The correction of this can come only with the salvation of the country from the clutches of the ``system``. This article can be a catalyst to such a change.

Having said that, the history lessons in Indian schools are not much better. How many of us know about, for instance, the southern dynasties....until we read ourselves out of interest? Our lessons usually create a sense of helplessness due to the continuous invasions through kyber and bolan passes and thereby kindle a subtle hatred towards the perpetrators (in effect, towards who are seen to be the flag bearers of those invaders today....Pakistan).

We do not read about Vijayanagara Empire and Krishnadeva Raya`s glorious rule, Rajendra Chola`s unique naval expeditions in the world history (The only one in Indian history), Chalukyan Empire etc... They are clubbed as ``South Indian`` history, where they find a fleeting mention. The northern conquests of Rajendra Chola, southern parellel of Samudra Gupta, Akbar`s golden era......These are the things which will instill a sense of confidence and glory in young minds.

Our school history is centred on Patna-Delhi axis. Only if we teach our children real ``Indian History``, instead of north Indian history masquerading as pan Indian, can we expect them to be self confident and informed. Otherwise, we will keep churning out pigeon-chested products with a hatred towards wrong people(Pak) for non-existent reasons(historical).

there is plenty of pakistani history taught and researched. its called indian history, mughal history, history of classical period etc and not pakistani history.

therein lies the problem..its hard for pakistan to do the same.

Ally # 6 & ponniyinselvan # 11

Good posts. Agree.

The basic knowledge about India is neither taught nor discussed in Pakistan. That creates a steorotype propagandist image of India in the eyes of generations that were born after partition. And now these generations are in the decision making levels with little knowledge about the indian society, culture, politics, even history... And due to the lack of travel between the two countries, it is not even observed or experienced unlike the other countries of the world. 99% of Pakistanis will not even know that a language called Kannada is spoken in India. That is not good.

NHK

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Nazarhayat

I would like to express a contrarian viewpoint. My previous post was for benefit of Urstruly and should not be taken seriously.

Honestly, I get scared when Indian liberals and Pakistani liberals start talking and learning about each other. The thing is, an unbiased research on history will tell you that the basis for partition, TNT etc were basically flimsy excuses for partition. Things are not great now and they would not have been great of partition had not taken place. Every alternative would have presented its own set of pros and cons. The point though is that Partition is here to stay and so the Un or Anti India provision of the Pak establishment does play a useful role if it provides much needed cohesiveness.

You know me as an individual and we have talked before. My issue is not with individual to individual contact. Neither do I have a problem with Pakistanis studying India as part of conflict strategy. But to change the national narratives of India and Pakistan, especially the latter, would be harmful beyond doubt.

What do you think?

While I like the article for adding to my knowledge, I would like to put forth my view that, going forward, current day traditions provide higher reasons for societies and nations and people to evolve and understand each other than do past histories.

As on today, for better or for worse, in my humble opinion, a form of ``Indian traditon``, symbolised by the best or worst of Bollywood, the best or worst of cricket, and the best or worst of military one-upmanship seems to have entered the ``mass`` Pakistani psyche.

In addition, of late, the best or worst of Indian consumerism seems to be fast catching up, with street level Pakistanis being aware of bikes and cars that cost one-third to half the price in India as the easiest ready reckoner.

Add to that the best or worst of healthcare and education on offer in India, now increasingly available to the middle-class in Pakistan, and you have a pair of socieities evolving which do seem to know about each other, somewhat.

As for history, frankly, raat gayee, baat gayee.

I mean, when was the last time anybody saw a ``historical`` movie, like, say, Gandhi, on a video bus in Pakistan?

The entire history of Pakistan is pretty much is the same as for India, give or take 50-odd years. Contrary to what most Pakistanis believe, Indian schools do not teach hatred towards Pakis, for the most part, they are ignored, or reduced to one chapter ``The Muslim League and emergence of Jinnah: 1940-47`` or some such. You shouldn`t forget that most of the history we studied (not so sure about the present generation) was written by those JNU pinkos Romila Thapar and friends, meaning which it was designed to evoke at most a hollow pride at the sacrifices of Congress leaders like Gandhi and Nehru. Even Bhagat Singh was sorta frowned upon, his martyrdom providing the legitimacy his life did not. No wonder such few people study History in India, they get turned off by the elaborate and admittedly elegant lies they are told from an early age. Chapter 1 of our Standard V History text was ``The Aryan Invasion`` featuring a pictorial representation of an army of bearded yogi-types carrying trishuls . It only gets better....