HarperCollins India Is thrilled to announce: ROYALS AND REBELS:The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire by Priya Atwal, Publishing March 2021

‘A new history that marvelously expands the horizons of our knowledge.’ — Shashi Tharoor, author of An Era of Darkness 

‘Gripping! A dramatic tale of the Sikh Empire taking on the British, especially its forgotten but influential queens and princes. A new history that marvelously expands the horizons of our knowledge.’ — Shashi Tharoor, author of An Era of Darkness

‘A wonderfully vivid appraisal of a fascinating period of Indian history. Atwal’s work is serious and captivating. A welcome new voice, with much to teach us.’ — Anita Anand, author of The Patient Assassin and Koh-i-Noor 

‘A path-breaking, thought-provoking and highly original study that will reign supreme over literature on the Sikh Kingdom. This ambitious and compelling book will inspire both scholars and general audiences even fifty years from now.’ — Pashaura Singh, Distinguished Professor and J.S. Saini Chair in Sikh Studies, University of California, Riverside

‘Priya Atwal’s lyrical and authoritative retelling will ensure that this fascinating bit of history commands the attention it deserves.’ — Dan Snow, historian and broadcaster

‘I wish all histories were written like this one. Priya Atwal blasts through centuries of Orientalist and misogynist history to shed brilliant new light on women in the high politics of empire. A thrilling, richly detailed and important book.’ — Hannah Jewell, pop culture host, The Washington Post

‘A wonderfully engaging, intimate history of India’s Sikh Empire, accompanied by previously unseen images of the Sikh court. We meet the extraordinary women and men who shaped its culture, and established their own remarkable relationships with Britain’s royal family.’ — Rosalind O’Hanlon, Professor of Indian History and Culture, University of Oxford

‘A clear-eyed account … Atwal charts all of this history with flair and economy.’ — The Wall Street Journal

‘A brilliant book [that] is full of surprising stories … Atwal has managed to craft a very fresh and page-turning history of the origins and demise of the Sikh Kingdom.’ — BBC History Magazine

‘Priya Atwal’s regal history combines academic finesse with lucid prose to examine the role women played in the Sukerchakia dynasty. … Atwal brilliantly combines cultural analysis with an intricate dissection of Orientalist gender stereotypes.’ — The Wire

A dazzling history of the powerful women and men who forged a dynasty to rival the Mughals and the British.

In late eighteenth-century India, the glory of the Mughal emperors was fading, and ambitious newcomers seized power, changing the political map forever. Enter the legendary Maharajah

About the author:

Priya Atwal is a historian of empire, monarchy and cultural politics across Britain and South Asia. She has taught History at King’s College London and Oxford, where she obtained her doctorate. Her research has been featured in collaborative projects with Historic Royal Palaces, among others; and she makes regular broadcast appearances, most recently presenting the BBC Radio 4 series, Lies My Teacher Told Me. She tweets @priyaatwal.

 

‘I am thrilled to be working with HarperCollins India to bring my first book, Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire, to Indian readers. I have been researching the history of this powerful Punjabi kingdom since I was nineteen  when I first became captivated by the myth-making around the Sher-e-Punjab, Maharajah Ranjit Singh and the “rebel queen” Maharani Jind Kaur. By delving deeper into their stories and the wonderfully rich records still remaining from their long-lost empire; it became clear that their entire dynasty was a dynamic force to be reckoned with, yet whose creativity and ambition has been overlooked and misunderstood for well over a century. The nineteenth-century Sikh Empire and its ruling men, women and children were key players in the competitive politics of the Indian subcontinent, and in Royals and Rebels, I have attempted to resurrect their lives in all their grandeur and complexity. I cannot wait for these stories to reach Indian readers, and for them to join me on a journey of exciting historical discovery – for there is still so much to be learnt about this fascinating era!’ Priya Atwal- Author

‘It is astounding really that so many stories about the Sikh empire, which ruled northwest India a bare two hundred years ago, have become obliterated from public memory. This was truly a golden era of Indian history: the empire founded by Maharajah Ranjit Singh was known for its stability in a turbulent time, and for its ideals of freedom, and of tolerance. Priya Atwal’s remarkable book brings the incredible story of the Sikh empire, and the royal family that built it, gloriously to life. Royals and Rebels has found many appreciative readers around the world already; we at HarperCollins India are truly delighted to be able to bring this wonderful book to readers in India next month’- Udayan Mitra- Publisher Literary, HarperCollins

About HarperCollins Publishers India:

HarperCollins Publishers India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers. HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Prabha Khaitan Woman’s Voice Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and the Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India has been awarded the Publisher of the Year Award three times: at Publishing Next in 2015, and at Tata Literature Live! in 2016 and 2018. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Egmont, Oneworld, Harvard University Press, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover and Lonely Planet.

For more information please write to

jaseya.fazili@harpercollins.co.in