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{{short description|Indian historian}}
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'''Yellapragada Sudershan Rao''' is an Indian historian, who was appointed as the chairperson of the [[Indian Council of Historical Research]] (ICHR) by the Government of India, serving from July 2014 to July 2017. He was formerly a professor of [[history]] at [[Kakatiya University]] in [[Telangana]], and had previously served as a member of the ICHR. He was a member of the [[Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana]], an affiliate of the [[Hindutva|Hindu-nationalist]] [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS), and the head of its [[Andhra Pradesh]] branch.

His appointment to the ICHR was controversial. It was criticized by historians and seen as an effort by the administration of [[Narendra Modi]] to fill government institutions with individuals ideologically aligned with the RSS. Rao holds the belief that the Hindu epics, the [[Ramayana]] and the [[Mahabharata]], are accurate accounts of Indian history and when appointed he promised to prove the historicity of those epics. He has also spoken out in defense of the caste system.

== Career ==

=== Academia ===
Rao was a professor of [[history]] at [[Kakatiya University]] in [[Telangana]], where he also served as the head of the Department of History and Tourism Management, and as the dean of the school of Social Sciences.<ref name="Bailey 2014">{{Cite journal|last=Bailey|first=Greg|title=Indology after Hindutva|journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies|volume=37|issue=4|pages=700–707|doi=10.1080/00856401.2014.959241|issn=0085-6401}}</ref> He studied only ancient Indian culture and history of Hinduism.<ref name="TOI 2014">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-man-will-head-historical-research-body/articleshow/37673645.cms|title=RSS man will head historical research body|author1=Akshaya Mukul|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=17 September 2014}}</ref> A report in ''[[The Hindu]]'' stated that he has published over forty research papers in various journals and contributed to the Andhra Pradesh History Congress besides guiding eight PhD students.<ref>{{cite news |title=He aims to present history in a new perspective |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=20 August 2014 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/he-aims-to-present-history-in-a-new-perspective/article6151994.ece}}</ref> Prior to his appointment as ICHR chairperson in 2014, Rao was a relatively unknown historian, who had not published articles in [[Academic journal|peer-reviewed journal]]s.<ref name="Maiorano 2015">{{Cite journal|last=Maiorano|first=Diego|title=Early Trends and Prospects for Modi's Prime Ministership|journal=The International Spectator|volume=50|issue=2|pages=75–92|doi=10.1080/03932729.2015.1024511|issn=0393-2729}}</ref> His publications were pieces in the popular media about the historicity of Indian epics.<ref name="Maiorano 2015"/>

=== ICHR ===
Rao was a member of the [[Indian Council of Historical Research]] (ICHR) during the [[Premiership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee|first NDA government]] led by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref name="Telegraph 2014">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/mahabharat-historian-gets-research-reins/cid/163520|title=Mahabharat historian gets research reins|website=www.telegraphindia.com|language=en|access-date=22 October 2019}}</ref> In July 2014, the [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] government re-inducted Rao into ICHR and appointed him chairperson.<ref name="TOI 2014" /> After serving as chairperson for 16 months, Rao was reported to have submitted a resignation from his position on 24 November 2015, citing personal reasons.<ref name="Chopra 2015">{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/no-honorarium-ichr-chief-yellapragada-sudershan-rao-quits/|title=No honorarium, ICHR chief Sudershan Rao quits|last1=Chopra|first1=Ritika|work=[[Indian Express]]|access-date=28 November 2015}}</ref> However, the government did not accept the resignation.<ref>[http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/hrd-smriti-irani-may-ask-y-sudershan-rao-to-remain-ichr-chief/ HRD may ask Y Sudershan Rao to remain ICHR chief], The Indian Express, 2 April 2016.</ref> The ICHR describes him as having been chairperson from July 2014 to July 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ichr.ac.in/Chairman_list.html|title=List of Chairpersons of Indian Council of Historical Research|website=ichr.ac.in|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=15 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115113422/http://ichr.ac.in/Chairman_list.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Rao also served as head of the [[Andhra Pradesh]] chapter of [[Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana]] (ABISY), a subsidiary organisation of [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]].<ref name="TOI 2014" /> In March 2015, three other ABISY-affiliated historians were nominated as members to the Council at the recommendation of Rao.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-01-14/news/58066167_1_ichr-chief-historical-research-council-chief |title=ICHR chief Sudershan Rao recommends 3 RSS historians to top panel |newspaper=Economic Times }}</ref><ref name="Hindu">{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/saffron-hue-in-revamped-ichr/article6949814.ece |title=Saffron hue in revamped ICHR |newspaper=The Hindu }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ichr-chief-sudershan-rao-recommends-3-rss-historians-to-top-panel/articleshow/45878508.cms|title=ICHR chief Sudershan Rao recommends 3 RSS historians to top panel|last=Chopra|first=Ritika|work=The Economic Times|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref> The appointments, as well as Rao's, were described by commentators as an effort by the Modi administration to fill government institutions with individuals ideologically aligned with the RSS,<ref name="Firstpost">{{cite news | last=Iyer |first=Kavitha | title=Coming soon from Modi sarkar: RSS takeover of top research, cultural bodies |newspaper=Firstpost |url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/righting-india-modi-will-post-rss-men-lead-top-research-cultural-bodies-1602761.html}}</ref><ref name="Hindu"/><ref name="Maiorano 2015" /><ref name="Bailey 2014" /> as part of an effort at [[saffronisation]].<ref name="Tharimangalam 2016">{{Cite journal|last=Tharamangalam|first=Joseph|title=Moditva in India: a threat to inclusive growth and democracy|journal=Canadian Journal of Development Studies |volume=37|issue=3|pages=298–315|doi=10.1080/02255189.2016.1196656|issn=0225-5189}}</ref>

Rao's tenure at the ICHR was subject to sharp criticism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/a-quiet-invasion/article9748263.ece|title=A quiet invasion|last=RAJALAKSHMI|first=T. K.|website=Frontline|language=en|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref> Prior to his appointment, he was a relatively unknown historian with no history of publishing research in [[Academic journals|peer-reviewed publications]], and his appointment was seen as an effort by the administration of [[Narendra Modi]] to fill government institutions with individuals ideologically aligned with the RSS.<ref name="Bailey 2014" /><ref name="Hindu" /><ref name="Maiorano 2015" /><ref name="Tharimangalam 2016" /> Under Rao, the council chose to dissolve the advisory committee for the journal it published, that had been composed of several well-known historians.<ref name="ET 2015"/> Gopinath Ravindran, another ICHR member, resigned from the committee in 2015, stating that Rao was running it in an autocratic manner, and stating that most of the committee had no scholarly credentials.<ref name="Hindu 2015">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ichr-member-secretary-resigns/article7332723.ece|title=ICHR member secretary resigns|work=The Hindu|access-date=23 October 2019|others=PTI|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref name="ET 2015">{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/i-wouldnt-have-80-of-current-ichr-members-says-dissenter-gopinath-ravindran/articleshow/47793155.cms|title=I wouldn't have 80% of current ICHR members, says dissenter Gopinath Ravindran|last=Chopra|first=Ritika|work=The Economic Times|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref> Rao also announced plans to study whether [[Adam's Bridge]] was a man-made structure, but Arvind Jamkhedkar, his successor as ICHR chairperson, stated that they would not be pursued.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/no-ram-setu-study-ichr/cid/1341308|title=No Ram Setu study: ICHR|website=www.telegraphindia.com|language=en|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>

== Views and reception ==
Rao holds the belief that the Hindu epics, the [[Ramayana]] and the [[Mahabharata]], are accurate accounts of Indian history.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kinnvall|first=Catarina|title=Populism, ontological insecurity and Hindutva: Modi and the masculinization of Indian politics|journal=Cambridge Review of International Affairs|volume=32|issue=3|pages=283–302|doi=10.1080/09557571.2019.1588851|issn=0955-7571|doi-access=free}}</ref> Following his appointment to the ICHR, he promised to prove the historicity of those epics.<ref name="Maiorano 2015"/> He rejects the [[Indo-Aryan migrations|Indo-Aryan migration theory]] as a colonial construct.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|last=Sreedathan|first=G.|title=Vedic studies are not a recent phenomenon: Yellapragada Sudershan Rao|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/vedic-studies-are-not-a-recent-phenomenon-yellapragada-sudershan-rao-115100300854_1.html}}</ref> In 2007, Rao stated that the Indian [[Caste system in India|caste system]] worked well and was not a discriminatory institution.<ref name="Hindu 2014"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mukul |first1=Akshaya |title=Ancient Caste System Worked Well, ICHR Head Says |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ancient-caste-system-worked-well-ICHR-head-says/articleshow/38401312.cms |access-date=17 September 2020 |work=Times of India }}</ref>

His appointment as ICHR chairperson was also criticized by other eminent historians including [[D. N. Jha]], and by former members of the ICHR, including from right-wing historians.<ref name="Hindu 2014">{{cite news |title=Choice of ICHR chief reignites saffronisation debate |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=20 August 2014 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/choice-of-ichr-chief-reignites-saffronisation-debate/article6214483.ece}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Right-wingers question ICHR chief selection |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=20 August 2014 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Right-wingers-question-ICHR-chief-selection/articleshow/38581467.cms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Saint-Mézard|first=Isabelle|title=L'Inde de Narendra Modi : Des tendances préoccupantes aux plans culturels et confessionnels|url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-etudes-2016-2-page-7.htm?contenu=article|journal=[[Études (journal)|Études]]|volume=2|pages=7–18}}</ref> [[Romila Thapar]] questioned the academic rigor of Rao's work, and stated that Rao's lack of peer-reviewed publications meant his work had little visibility to historians.<ref name="FP 2014">{{cite news|title=Historians raise questions about ICHR's new boss Prof Y Sudershan Rao|newspaper=[[Firstpost]]|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/historians-raise-questions-about-ichrs-new-boss-prof-y-sudershan-rao-1617971.html|access-date=20 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Thapar 2014">{{Cite web|last=Thapar|first=Romila|title=The appointment of a historian whose work is unfamiliar to most historians shows scant regard for the impressive scholarship that now characterises the study of Indian History and this disregard may stultify future academic research|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/guest-column/story/20140721-romila-thapar-smriti-irani-old-history-baiters-of-bjp-804410-2014-07-11|access-date=22 October 2019|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> Thapar went on to describe Rao's intentions to of ascribing historicity about the Hindu epics as a futile endeavor. She wrote that Rao, like many other Hindutva ideologues, did not understand what Marxist historiography was, and called any research that ran contrary to the goals of Hindu nationalism "Marxist".<ref name="Thapar 2014"/>

An Outlook article noted that he was a scarcely cited scholar with no established track-record and that his blog-posts on different aspects of the subject, which frequently delineated the boundaries between myth and history and ran on a course of faith alone, have only caused concern among academics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/ram-where-art-thou/291362|title=Ram, Where Art Thou?|last=Raman|first=Anuradha|website=Outlook India|access-date=22 October 2019}}</ref> The historian [[Ramachandra Guha]] described him as a right wing ideologue, who did not recognize the difference between history and myth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/absentia-ramachandra-guha-indian-conservatives|title=Where are India's conservative intellectuals?|last=Guha|first=Ramachandra|website=The Caravan|language=en|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Yellapragada Sudershan}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sangh Parivar]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian historians]]
[[Category:1945 births]]

Yellapragada Sudershan Rao - Revision history

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