Why in News?
Noted historian Sumit Sarkar passed away at the age of 87 at his residence in Delhi due to age-related health issues. He was known for his work on modern Indian history, nationalism and the freedom movement.
About
- Sumit Sarkar was born in 1939 and studied History at Presidency College, Kolkata, and the University of Calcutta.
- He taught at the University of Calcutta, University of Burdwan and University of Delhi and served as a professor of history at Delhi University.
- He was a founding member of the Subaltern Studies Collective, which focused on the role and experiences of ordinary and marginalised groups in history.
- His major works include The Swadeshi Movement in Bengal, Modern India: 1885–1947 and Writing Social History.
- His writings covered colonialism, nationalism and popular movements, with a focus on different social groups and their experiences.
- He received the Rabindra Puraskar in 2004 and returned it in 2007 to protest the treatment of farmers in West Bengal.
