This journal contains a compilation of talks delivered at the annual conference 2025 'On History and Literature' in Calcutta. Historians face the daunting task of weaving narratives from scattered fragments, crumbling ruins, dusty archives and bulky manuscripts. Does their craft make them storytellers? The sources they consult—be they archival or oral—often contain narratives of their own, refracted through the motivations of their authors. As Hannah Arendt noted, the ability to tell stories...

This journal contains a compilation of talks delivered at the History for Peace regional conference on 'What is History' at Vidyagyan School, Bulandshahr in 2024 and St Kabir Public School, Chandigarh in 2025 What is History? Is it a collection of dates and facts? Is it the study of human experiences, actions and their consequences across time? Is it a vital tool for understanding the present and shaping the future? By studying history, do we gain a deeper appreciation of our collective...

I am not a scholar. What I wish to share with you here are some reflections around the work I do. I will begin with briefly revisiting my personal history to make connections between stories, memories and identity, followed by insights into the socio political realities that led to our work and finally I will speak to how our work informs counter memory as an individual act of resistance. But first, sincere and heart felt gratitude to Prof Angana Chatterji and the Berkeley Centre for Race and...