The Samadhi of Ranjit Singh

The Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1799-1839) died ten years before the British annexation of the Punjab in 1849. his funerary monument or samadhi is located next to the Lahore fort, where the Maharaja lived. The structure is the last state funded project of the Lahore Darbar and represents a high point of nineteenth-century Sikh architecture, second only to the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Dr Nadhra Kahn

Professor Kim Wagner, an historian of Global and Imperial History from Queen Mary's University of London, speaks about his book ‘Amritsar 1919: An Empire of Fear & the Making of a Massacre’ This talk was given at the first UKPHA Virtual Bookclub meeting on 20 April 2020

Nadhra Khan's primary area of research and interest is 19th Century Sikh Art and Architectural Ornament in the Punjab, but she also focuses on Mughal Art and Architecture (16th to 18th century). Her work emphasizes the significance of the Sikh period as the last episode of centuries old indigenous art and architectural tradition before annexation of the Punjab by the British in 1849 that changed, among other things, the visual culture of the Punjab forever. A research project that started with one Sikh funerary monument or samadhi built to honor Maharaja Ranjit Singh has led her to study almost all major monuments dateable to this period, including the Golden Temple Amritsar, Sikh period havelis and various other samadhis.

Buy The Samadhi of Ranjit Singh here >>

Pav Singh

Author, Pav Singh joins bookclub to present the definitive account based on harrowing victim testimonies and official accounts reveals how the largest mass crime against humanity in India's modern history was perpetrated by politicians and covered up with the help of the police, judiciary and media.

Anam Zakaria

Using the oral narratives of four generations of people - mainly Pakistanis but also some Indians - attempts to understand how the perception of Partition and the 'other' has evolved over the years.

Dr Shashi Tharoor

Former UN under-Secretary General and politician, Dr Shashi Tharoor discusses his international bestseller ‘The Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India. Shashi is In conversation with BBC journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri,

Dr Radha Kapuria

How both music and dance played a vital role in state craft and deeply influenced the Indo-European diplomatic relationship even though it is often overlooked by historians. From performances of the legendary corps of ‘Amazons’ acting as “gifts” to European visitors, to striking a coin in Moran’s name, music and dance played an intrinsic role in the Court.

See All Events

UKPHA VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB