South India’s Forgotten Decade of War

The Nawab of Arcot was a highly coveted title in the mid-eigthteenth century Deccan, resulting in a struggle known as the Carnatic Wars. This discussion will explore how it laid the foundations of the British empire and altered the political course of the Indian subcontinent. The Carnatic Wars ran for decades, between local factions backed by the French and English trading companies. The military lessons learned during the conflicts at Arcot, Cuddalore, Pondicherry and Trichy were then applied by the English in their campaigns across the Indian subcontinent. This eponymous book, published by HarperCollins, offers a unique take on reading history, sans judgement, with an open mind and compassion for the human beings behind the famous names. The discussion with be followed by a Q&A with the audience.