Will Eliminate All Attempts To Distort History, Says New ICHR Chairman Arvind Jamkhedkar

Arvind Jamkhedkar, who is set to take over as the head of the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) on 5 March, has said in an interview with the Mumbai Mirror that he would try and eliminate all attempts to distort Indian history.

Talking to the daily, Jamkhedkar said historians with Marxist orientation headed the ICHR for decades, hinting towards the dominant role of left-leaning historians in the country in shaping the way India looks at its past.

“ For several decades, historians with Marxist orientations headed the ICHR. ICHR hands out fellowships and major research projects among others, which are funded by the government. So, in a way, ICHR sets the tone for historical research in the country,” Jamkhedkar told Alka Dhupkar of the Mumbai Mirror.

“The objective of an institution such as the ICHR is to promote objective history. If there are attempts to distort it, we will try and eliminate them,” he said.

The 78-year-old archaeologist and cultural historian, who is at present the chancellor of Pune’s Deccan College and the director at K J Somaiya Centre for South and South East Asian Studies, said he would “help people look at history in an objective manner” rather than teaching history to the country. He also noted the importance of welcoming divergent opinions.

“I am not going to teach History. We at ICHR are going to help people look at history in an objective manner,” he said, adding, “Divergent opinions, including those from political leaders, should be welcome in any democracy”.

Jamkhedkar dismissed the assertion that former ICHR head K Sudershan Rao was appointed at the behest of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“I don’t agree with the ‘RSS’ bit, though such appointments are usually made when the appointee has a view that aligns with the ruling party’s,” he said.

Following his appointment, Rao was attacked by left-wing politicians and activists for being associated with the RSS. He quit the post just 16 months into his term.