New Book Revisits Partition on its 78th Anniversary: A Look Beyond Borders
As South Asia marks the 78th anniversary of the Partition of British India, a powerful new book urges us to rethink what was truly divided in 1947. Titled Partition After 75 Years: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the volume has just been published by Routledge. Co-edited by Farooq Sulehria and Amit Ranjan, the book delves deep into how Partition’s legacy continues to shape—and fracture—the region.
Farooq Sulehria, a frequent contributor to Alternative Viewpoint, teaches at Beaconhouse National University in Lahore and edits the online socialist journal Daily Jeddojehad, brings a critical media and political lens to the volume. His co-editor, Amit Ranjan, is a postdoctoral researcher at the National University of Singapore, contributing scholarly depth from the field of South Asian studies.
Endorsing the book, leading South Asia historian Ian Talbot (Emeritus Professor, University of Southampton) writes:
“The edited volume provides a valuable guide for understanding how narratives and representations of the division of British India have contributed to majoritarian nationalism in South Asia. As such, it is a timely contribution to the field of Partition studies and deserves a wide readership.”
The book features nine chapters that examine how the Partition didn’t just divide land—it created lasting cultural, linguistic, and religious ruptures across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It argues that the British colonial strategy of “divide and rule” sowed the seeds of division, which have only deepened in the decades since.
Even 75 years later, cultural segregation—especially between Hindus and Muslims—remains a powerful force. The authors explore how films, textbooks, TV, and newspapers have helped sustain these divisions. With the rise of majoritarian nationalism in both India and Pakistan, these cultural platforms have become even more politically charged.
The book illustrates how unresolved historical questions, from the communalisation of Hindi and Urdu to the contrasting narratives in school textbooks across the three countries and cinematic portrayals of Partition, continue to influence identity, politics, and memory in the subcontinent.
Originally published as a special issue of India Review, this volume is essential reading for anyone interested in postcolonial South Asia, cultural politics, and the long shadow of Partition.
Explore the book:
Partition After 75 Years: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – 1st Edition, Routledge.
