I am Dr Y H Nayakwadi Professor and Chairman in the Department of Studies in History. Ihave been working in the Department since 1994. I am very happy to introduce the Department of History, one of the oldest departments in the University of Mysore.
The Department of Studies in History is one of the oldest in the institutions and wasestablished much before the birth of the University of Mysore. It came into existence acentury and three decades ago in 1894 when the Maharaja’s First Grade College wasestablished with History and Mathematics as main subjects. The Department of History, sinceits inception had edge over other departments that the Maharaja’s College itself came to bepopularly known as the History College. Incidentally, the History, the History Society, theoldest academic forum of erstwhile Mysore State, also started functioning more than acentury ago.
The discipline of history marched ahead and made its own history due to its faculty whichcomprised of scholars who would rub shoulders with their own counter-parts at theinternational level. Right from Thomas Denham, who was not only the Professor of History,but was the Principal of Maharaja’s college, and the first Registrar of University of Mysore,great luminaries such as RadhaKumud Mukherjee, C.R. Reddy, S.V. Venkateswara, M.H.Krishna, K.N. Subbasastri, Srikantasastry and B. Sheik Ali headed the Department and raisedit to a high level of excellence in scholarship and intellectual output. ShamaShashri’sdiscovery of the manuscript of Kautilya’sArthasastra and its editing and publication broughtgreat name and fame to the Mysore historians. The Oriental Research Institute of Mysore, thegreat centre of excellence, was nurtured and guided over the years by the faculty of theHistory Department.
UGC Special Assistance Programme (SAP)
The Department of History was the first Centre in South India to be identified for the Special Assistance Programme under the leadership of Prof B Sheik Ali. Under the SAP, specialemphasis was given to archival research for the period from 1757 onwards. The main focus was socio-economic history, agrarian relations, micro-history etc., Extensive research workon Modern Mysore and History of Hyderabad Karnataka,Socio- Economic History of Vijayanagara period, Land Relations and Social Structure in Hyderabad Karnataka,and WestAsian Studies by the department has contributed to the creation of knowledge in History.
Collaboration
The Department has been collaborating with American Studies Research Centre in Hyderabad. It was almost a regular feature that any American Professor or dignitary, visiting India would visit this department for lecture programme. Two professors of USA, Prof Edwin Bingham of Oregan University and Prof James Hitchman spend two years in the Department of organize the teaching of American history on a collaborative basis. Prof A V Venkataratnam and Prof B Sheik Ali visited USA on a reciprocal basis to organize the Indian Studies programme. After that Prof Y. H. Nayakwadi visited UK in 2010 and 2011, on Commonwealth Post-Doctoral Fellowship, U.K., 2010-2011, worked with Professor C.A. Baylyat University of Cambridge. Research Project topic, ‘The British Impact on Hyderabad State: Karnataka Region (1776-1947)’.In the eighties, well known historian Prof Burton Stein Collaborated with the Department while carrying on his research on South Indian History. In the early nineteen, Prof Immanuel Geiss of Bremen University, Germany, Prof Peterson of Saginaw Valley University (USA) were associated with Department.
Library
In addition to the University Library, the Department has a separate departmental library with 7000 books and back volumes of the journals.
Journals
The Department of History publishes two annual journals. The Journal of Historical Studies in English and Ithihasa in Kannada for the benefit of students and research scholars.
Courses Offered
• M.A. in History
• M.Phil. in History
• Ph.D. in History
• P.G. Diploma Course in Heritage Tourism and Travel Management
• M.A. in West Asian Studies
• M.Phil. in West Asian Studies
• Ph.D. in West Asian Studies
1. Late Dr M H Krishna Memorial Gold Medal
2. Prof. B. Sheik Ali Endowment Gold Medal
3. Professor M.S. NarayanaSwamy Gold Medal
4. Dr T Venkanna Gudda Gold Medal
5. M.H. Gopal Gold Medal
6. His Highness the Maharaja Sri JayachamarajendraWodeyer G.C.S.I.Gold Medal
7. B S Raghunathaiah Memorial Gold Medal
8. T. AnandaRao Gold Medal
9. Tippu Sultan Gold Medal for Arabic
10. DS AchutaRao Endowment Rs. 10 lakhs
Chairs
The Department has instituted two Chairs to promote research and advanced studies on
1. Tipu Sultan
2. NalwadiKrishnarajaWodeyar
Future Plan
The department proposes to undertake Research initiatives on the following areas;
Socio-Economic History of India.
Urbanization of South India.
State and Society in Medieval South India.
Peasantry in Karnataka History.
Marginalized communities of Karnataka.
History of Legacy Chitradurga.
Socio Economic Conditions of Hyderabad-Karnataka Under the Nizams-1724-1948.
A study in Criminal Tribes of Colonial Mysore.
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The department is located at Manasagangotri postgraduate campus of the university. Click on the image below for a detailed map of the campus and the city.
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