Lands of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain by Donna Amey Bhatt

Dive into the unique exploration of the rich and complicated history of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain.

From the impact of the British rule, from the foundation of the East India Company, to India’s involvement in supporting Britian during both World Wars, all the way to the fight for independence and decision to Partition the country in 1947. This book aims to piece together the interesting, surprising, and sometimes very sad story of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain, and how these countries have shaped one another over the centuries.

There are many ways of telling the same story, and how you tell it depends on your point of view. Some stories are so complicated, or difficult to explain, that they're not often told at all. Like the story of how a company ended up running a country, or how one man drawing a line on a map could change the lives of millions of people forever.

From exploring the vast empires and amazing inventions of ancient India, to revealing the challenges faced by South Asian migrants to Britain - or celebrating the amazing culture, innovations, inventions, and achievements of British people of South Asian heritage today - this book shows how the past, present and future of these four countries will always be intertwined.

Written by Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt who were inspired to write this book for their two young sons, with consultancy by Rajbir Hazelwood, historian of South Asia and Modern Britain, Lands of Belonging explores the impact and consequence of this period on the people that lived through it and those that left the region following the partition of India.

Published for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of India in August 2022, this book captures beautifully the unique exploration of the rich and complicated history of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain.

2024 UKLA Book Awards Shortlist in the Information 3-14+ Category!