Rebel Bastar

“Senior journalist and author Shantanu Nandan Sharma’s book is masterful for its research on the history and society of Bastar. It draws on years of field reporting, archival records, and colonial accounts to paint a rich tapestry of a slice of India most Indians know nothing about.”

“[Rebel Bastar] contributes meaningfully to contemporary conversations on India's internal security, democratic evolution and regional histories, making it an insightful read for policymakers, academics, journalists and anyone interested in understanding the forces that have shaped India's heartland.”

“Shantanu Sharma has spent the better part of two decades as one of the most dedicated Bastar-watchers among India's journalists. While covering the Maoist conflict in the region as a feature writer for his newspaper, he was quietly building something more ambitious: a meticulously researched historical account of the many rebellions that have shaped this corner of Central India over the last two centuries.”

“Deeply researched, the book offers a strong overview of a region shaped by history, geography and politics.”

“Rebel Bastar is therefore more than a book about Maoism. Its real value lies in showing that the roots of a conflict cannot always be understood by looking only at the years in which violence was most visible. By connecting history, tribal society, governance, resources and development, Sharma offers a useful perspective on Bastar and the forces that have shaped it.”

“Drawing on more than three decades of journalism, extensive field reporting and historical research, Sharma moves beyond the familiar narrative of encounters and counterinsurgency to trace the forces that shaped Bastar across centuries.”

“Having authored feature stories from every single Indian state, Sharma applies a unique dual lens to his craft: combining the rigorous, source-critical precision of a historian with the empathetic, sharp-eyed observation of a veteran investigative journalist. His latest creation Rebel Bastar is an eloquent testimony to the above contention.”