This textbook, History of Ancient India, is meticulously written for students of the BA First Semester under the NEP-aligned FYUGP (Four-Year Undergraduate Programme) curriculum. It caters to the MINHIS1 – History Minor Paper, designed for History majors and minors alike. Authored by renowned historians Dr. Suprity Barua Bhuyan and Dr. R.K. Sharma, this book offers a comprehensive and student-friendly approach to ancient Indian history.

The content spans from prehistoric times to the early historic period, covering political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of Ancient India. It aligns with the latest NEP guidelines issued by Dibrugarh University and is also useful for students of other Indian universities offering a similar curriculum.

Each chapter is enriched with MCQs, short-answer, and long-answer questions to facilitate deep learning and exam readiness. A must-have companion for students beginning their journey into Indian historical studies.

?️ Course Content:

Unit I: Introduction to Ancient Indian History

• Meaning and Scope of Ancient Indian History

• Sources of Ancient Indian History: Literary, Archaeological, Epigraphic, and Numismatic

• Importance of Studying Ancient History

Unit II: Prehistoric and Protohistoric Periods

• Stone Age Cultures: Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic

• Chalcolithic Cultures

• Harappan Civilization: Origin, Features, Decline

Unit III: Vedic Period and Later Vedic Period

• Early Vedic Society, Economy, Polity, and Religion

• Later Vedic Period: Changes in Social and Economic Life

• Emergence of Mahajanapadas

Unit IV: Mauryan Empire

• Rise of the Mauryas: Chandragupta Maurya and Kautilya

• Ashoka and the Spread of Buddhism

• Mauryan Administration and Economy

• Decline of the Mauryan Empire

Unit V: Post-Mauryan Developments

• Indo-Greeks, Shakas, Kushanas

• Satavahanas and their Contribution

• Sangam Age: Society and Literature

• Gupta Period (Brief Introduction)