Scarecrow Press, 1996. — 511 pp. — (Asian Historical Dictionaries; No. 20). — ISBN: 0810830787.
Few countries are as vast and varied as India. Few possess as large a population and as strategic a location. And few can boast as glorious a past as well as a promising future. As many observers have realized, India is a very special place and one which is extremely difficult to sum up within a single book. Nonetheless, this Historical Dictionary of India is an excellent introduction to India, touching on its size and variety, its population and position, its past history, present situation, and future prospects. This is done with considerable insight and almost palpable love.
Obviously, one volume however large cannot cover all the relevant aspects. But this volume does include an amazingly broad range of entries on significant persons, places, and events, important branches of government, the economy, and notable facets of culture and religion. There is also a useful glossary, comprising key vernacular terms that will be encountered here and elsewhere. A broad chronology and an extensive introduction pave the way. For those who want to read more, a comprehensive if selective bibliography suggests many other works of interest.