Are you among those who applied for the UPSC examination and don’t know which history book to start reading from? Worry less, we’ve done the job for you. In this article, there are five ancient Indian history books to help you prepare better for the upcoming exams.
UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission examination; it’s an exam for individuals who want to become IPS and IAS officers in India. UPSC is one of the most competitive civil service exams in India that focuses more on Ancient History.
If you want to write the UPSC exams, your primary focus should be studying ancient history books. History plays a vital role in the UPSC exams, and it’s part of the main, prelims, and optional syllabus.
A significant amount of UPSC questions fall under the following topics;
- Indian Culture
- Modern Indian History
- Indian Art
- Medieval Indian History
- Ancient Indian History
- Contemporary World History Events
Aside from acquiring ancient history books to prepare for the UPSC exam, you must include NCERT history textbooks focusing on medieval times in India. Let’s explore the best ancient history books for UPSC based on recommendations from UPSC toppers.
Best Ancient History Book For UPSC
Preparing for the upcoming UPSC examination entails understanding the difference in the syllabus’s scope and choosing ancient history books wisely. To make it much easier for you, below are the books to prepare you for the difficult sections of the history syllabus;
1. History Of Medieval India. By Satish Chandra.
- Easy to read text
- It comes in a secure Package
- It ensures you get the best usage for a longer period
- Satish Chandra (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 415 Pages – 07/08/2007 (Publication Date) – Orient Blackswan (Publisher)
For those preparing for the UPSC examination, this book should be your buddy- it will give you an accurate and detailed account of medieval India. This book is a complete overview of the ancient history of the Indian sub-continent during the 8th & 18th centuries.
This book focuses on the Bhakti and Sufism religious movements, exerted influence by the Mughals, Lodis, Surs, and the Delhi Sultanate, the ever-changing agricultural, economic, and political scene, and the histories of the Vijayanagar, Bahmani, and Chola kingdoms.
2. India’s Struggle For Independence. By Bipan Chandra.
- Ideal for Gifting
- Great one for reading
- Comes in Good condition
- Chandra, Bipan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 600 Pages – 01/01/1989 (Publication Date) – India Penguin (Publisher)
If you need an in-depth understanding of the Indian independence movement, this Bipan Chandra history book is your go-to. This book comes with a detailed overview of one of the most integral aspects of Indian history, which is – The Indian independence.
A lot has been said and written about the ancient Indian civilizations, but there’s always a void, and this book seals that void. It gives a detailed narration of the independence movement’s impact on Indians, especially the history of India’s independence struggle against British rule.
Bipan Chandra painstakingly wrote this accurate book after thorough and intense research based on valid, legal, written, and verbal sources.
This book maps the first independence war that kickstarted with Mangal Pandey’s mutiny and the brave effort of Sri Rani Laxmi Bai.
Significant chapters of this world-class book emphasize Mahatma Gandhi’s lack of cooperation and the civil noncompliance movements. It also contains detailed explanations of Subash Chandra Bose’s weapon tactics and his charm. It’s the perfect book if you’re preparing for the UPSC examination.
3. The Wonder That Was India. Al Basham.
- A.L. Basham (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 572 Pages – 07/08/2014 (Publication Date) – Picador (Publisher)
This brilliantly written book explains in detail the early history of one of the first Indian civilizations. This book was first published in 1954 in the UK, and it became a hit immediately, even up till this moment.
This book has constantly found a dedicated readership worldwide; it has entertained and educated generations of readers worldwide, tourists to India, students, and UPSC toppers.
4. India’s Ancient Past. By RS Sharma.
- Language published: english
- Binding: paperback
- Language: english
- Sharma, R.S. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages – 02/15/2007 (Publication Date) – Oxford University Press (Publisher)
This book offers deep insights and a detailed explanation of the history of the early Indians. It begins by discussing the progress and origins of empires, civilizations, and empires.
RS Sharma further discusses the ecological, linguistic, and geographical backgrounds in India; he also writes about the Harappan civilization and cultures of the Chalcolithic, Neolithic, and Vedic eras.
The author also talks about the rise of Buddhism, Jainism, and Magadha; he further writes about the following- the start of the territorial states, the time of Central Asian countries, Guptas, Satvahanas, Harshavardhana, and Mauryas.
This book also stresses urbanism, the varna system, cultural legacy, trade and commerce, and much more.
5. Indian Art And Culture. By Nitin Singhania.
- Nitin Singhania (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 632 Pages – 01/01/2017 (Publication Date) – McGraw Hill Education (Publisher)
This author provides vast knowledge of Indian art, music, architecture, and paintings because he believes it will attract the reader’s interest. This excellent book comes with a plethora of questions to help students who are preparing for competitive exams like UPSC.
On A Final Note;
These books mentioned in this article are your best bet if you want to be among UPSC’s successful candidates. Most of the best history books listed here offer detailed and accurate information on the ancient history of India and its fight for independence. Carefully study these books before writing any upcoming exam like UPSC.
