Combining factual information with a critical approach which probes the nature of culture and identity, this concise yet authoritative account paints a graphic picture of an area stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Himalayan mountains. With coverage not only of India, but also of Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, this book surveys nearly 5000 years, from the early settlers of prehistory to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the Tamil Tiger conflicts. Particular emphasis is placed on the last 200 years, while the key theme of shifting regional identities underpins the author's insights in to the social, economic and spiritual past of the region. In the world of globalization that we now inhabit, no world region is understood as being composed simply of enclosed national territories of politics, economy, society, and culture. South Asia is a global phenomenon, and working that idea into our understanding of South Asian history is a challenge that this new edition fully embraces.