Gautam Gupta

Gautam Gupta (born Dec 8, 1941) was educated in Delhi and Allahabad and holds a first class master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Allahabad, one of the oldest universities of the country. He cleared his M Sc exam in the 1st position and joined the Indian Posts and Telegraphs department (as it was then called) in 1965. Though a student of science, his first love has always been history. He was deeply influenced by his grandfather, a well known historian and litterateur of Bengal whose historical tales fired his imagination, as a kid, and kindled his love of the subject. It was during his growing up years in Delhi that he got interested in exploring the archaeological remains, he saw scattered all around him and he began recording his observations. Gupta strongly believes that India has the most glorious galaxy of monuments anywhere in the world and during his extensive travels all over the country, he has documented the plunder and spoliation of this priceless heritage. His articles have appeared in India Magazine (now defunct), Outlook Traveller and many other journals.

During the last many years, his main area of study has been the great revolt of 1857. In course of his postings in Allahabad and Jhansi, two of the principal centres of the revolt of 1857, he got interested in the events of 1857-58 and became a life long student on the subject. He was subsequently commissioned by the Government of India to write a book on the Revolt to coincide with the 150th year of the uprising. The book, 1857, The Uprising, was well received by the students, scholars and academicians and is shortly going into its second edition.

His two other area of his historical research include the i) the British Raj period and ii) World War II and the growth of Nazi Germany. He visited Germany twice to find answers to many questions that plagued him.

At present he is busy writing a book about the renaissance in British India and its impact.