A detailed study of sports' arrival, spread and advance in colonial and post-colonial South Asia. A selection of articles addresses critical issues of nationalism, communalism, commercialism and gender through the lens of sport. This book makes the point that the social histories of South Asian sport cannot be understood by simply looking at the history of the game in one province or region. Furthermore, it demonstrates that it would be wrong to understand sport in terms of the exigencies of the colonial state. Drawing inspiration from C.L.R. James' well-known epigram, 'What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?' the findings suggest that South Asian sport makes sense only when it is placed within the broader colonial and post-colonial context. The book demonstrates that sport not only influences politics and vice versa, but that the two are inseparable. Sport is not only political, it is politics, intrigue, culture and art. To deny this is to denigrate the position of sport in modern South Asian society. This volume was previously published as a special issue of The International Journal of the History of Sport.

The over-the-top musicals of Bollywood may be the most familiar aspect of Indian popular culture, but there are many more, all explored in this fascinating volume. Pop Culture India! Media, Arts, and Lifestyle follows the rise of modern India's pop culture world, especially since the 1980s, when relaxed censorship and economic liberalization led to an explosion in movies, music, mass media, consumerism, spiritual practices, and more. It is a captivating introduction to a diverse nation whose appetite for entertainment has led to some surprising twists and turns in recent history. How did a popular Indian television series spark a change in government and the rise of Hindu nationalism? Are some Bollywood film companies laundering money for organized crime, or even al Qaeda? What accounts for the overwhelming popularity of that quaint vestige of colonialism, cricket? The answers, and many more intriguing insights, await the reader in Pop Culture India!

First-Class Cricket In India Is Over Forty Years Old. During This Period It Has Developed In Various Ways In Technique, Personality And Popularity. For Long Years Indian Cricket Was Unable To Hold Its Own In International Competition. It Had To Be Satisfied With Occasional Victories. But It Asserted Itself I 1971. Though Its Record After 1973 Has Been Chequered, It Can No Longer Be Despised. This Book Traces The Development Of Indian Cricket, Confining Itself To The First-Class Game, Season By Season According To The Category Of Competition. It Also Pays Some Attention To The Aesthetics Of The Game.

This book delves into varied aspects of the history of Bengal and North east situated within a time frame of more than a hundred years, from the colonial times to the present. The individual essays deal with ideas, literary texts, politics, gender, industries, culture, health, sports and tribal issues relevant to these regions. Probing health issues in the colonial period the volume also explains the development of the modern coal industry on the one hand and the survival of the traditional potter’s craft on the other. The significance of traditional healing practices is dwelt upon as also the question of female health and dissemination of knowledge. The pen-picture of the happenings at the bathing ghat reveals the vibrant rural social life of the times. The modernization of the theatre gives a glimpse into the cultural ethos. The institutionalization of sports is examined. Analysis of contemporary cinema throws light on the perception of a woman’s position in society. As the reader travels from Bengal to the North-East, the impact of missionary activities on tribal life is revealed. The tribals’ search for identity is explored. The issues of peace, security and the interests of independent India are also dissected. This volume would be indispensable for scholars of literature, history, film studies, political science and contemporary studies in South Asia. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

An Indian Cricket Century Is A Collection Of The Best Essays Written By Dr Sujit Mukherjee, Over Four Decades. The Essays Range From Portraits Of Great Cricketers Like Vijay Merchant And Sunil Gavaskar To Wonderfully Witty Recollections Of Cricket As Played In Locations Like Patna And Philadelphia. This Book, In Sum, Presents The Distilled Reflections On Our National Obsession Of Our Finest Writer On The Sport.