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The vogue for economic history has increased in the post-Independence decades. But economic history is an exceedingly difficult discipline. The historian often gets lost in producing an inventory of static facts or else is committed to confirm a conceptual and interpretational framework copied from western history. The present monograph, approved for the Ph.D. degree of the University of London, is among the pioneering studies which have helped determine the scope, nature, methods and ideals for economic history. It delineates the details of economic life in a developmental manner taking due notice of the complex of terms and concepts in the sastric texts. In selecting the early medieval period as its subject of study the present work has inspired many other studies, and, by illuminating a much neglected period, has shed light alike on the ancient and medieval periods. It places the period in the total span of Indian history and hence has been the model for students of economic history and is recognised by historians in general as one of the most significant contributions on the socio-economic history of India.

Economic History Of Early Medieval Northern India Is An Attempt To Present The Picture Of Agrarian Formation And Economic Changing Which Early Medieval India Had Experienced. This Book Is A Comprehensive And Systematic Study Of The Economic Institutions Such As Agriculture, Types Of Crops, Nature Of Peasantry, Land Grants, Internal And Domestic Trade, Urban Concept, Forced Labour And Paucity Of Coins Etc.The Book Does Not Claim To Present A General Economic History Of Early Medieval India In The Traditional Manner. The Distinctive Characteristic Of This Book Lies In The Fact That It Present The Thesis Of Economic Development And Changes Which Took Place During The Period Of Study. An Attempt Has Been Made To Make An Evolution Of The One Of The Most Critical Periods Of Indian History With Main Focus On Agrarian Structure And Economic Institutions. The Study Has Been Based Both On The Literary And Epigraphical Sources. The Book, Therefore, Present A Deteriorating Grim Scenario About The Agricultural And Economic Condition Of The Historical Period Spanning From 8Th Century To 10Th Century A.D. It Also Traces The Causal Complexities Which Forced The Peasant To Accept Their Fate Passively And Without A Murmur.

Contributed seminar papers.

North-East India, comprising the seven contiguous states around Assam, the principal state of the region, is a relatively unknown, yet very fascinating region. The forest clad peripheral mountains, home to indigenous peoples like the Nagas, Mizos and the Khasis, the densely populated Brahmaputra valley with its lush green tea gardens and the golden rice fields, the moderately populated hill regions and plateaus, and the sparsely inhabited Himalayas, form a unique mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes and human interactions, with unparalleled diversity. The book provides a glimpse into the region’s past and gives a comprehensive picture of its physical environment, people, resources and its economy. The physical environment takes into account not only the structural base of the region, its physical characteristics and natural vegetation but also offers an impression of the region’s biodiversity and the measures undertaken to preserve it. The people of the region, especially the indigenous population, inhabiting contrasting environments and speaking a variety of regional and local dialects, have received special attention, bringing into focus the role of migration that has influenced the traditional societies, for centuries. The book acquaints the readers with spatial distribution, life style and culture of the indigenous people, outlining the unique features of each tribe. The economy of the region, depending originally on primitive farming and cottage industries, like silkworm rearing, but now greatly transformed with the emergence of modern industries, power resources and expanding trade, is reviewed based on authentic data and actual field observations. The epilogue, the last chapter in the book, summarizes the authors’ perception of the region and its future.