Department of History, Stockholm University

Postal address: Historiska institutionen, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Visiting adress: Universitetsvägen 10 D, plan 9
Web page: http://www.historia.su.se/english/

Contact person: PhD Candidate Ashok Nath

Research and education connected to South Asia

Mr. Ashok Nath works mainly as an independent researcher, but linked to the Dept. of History, Stockholm University. Till 2007, he was connected to Södertörn University College in Huddinge, first to the Dept. of Human Geography, and then the Tourism Studies Programme for several years, where he was working as a part-time external teacher. He usually lectured on Ecotourism and Sustainability (Turism och lokal påverkan), since he has previously studied the Zanskar region (”the highest mountain kingdom in the Himalayas”), dealing with how tourism has effected the area and how concepts of eco-tourism and sustainability apply to this region in India.
Currently and at least till the end of 2012, Ashok Nath lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh, his wife being posted to the Swedish Embassy. While in Bangladesh, he is busy involved in workshops on a regional South Asia level on counter terrorism and radicalisation, as well as capacity building in Dhaka. After returning to Sweden, he might develop some course on South Asia at the department in Stockholm. 

Nath’s main focus of research is South Asian Conflict History. In February 2004 he was awarded a Senior Fellowship for three years, upto 2007, at the United Services Institute of India (USI), New Delhi, India, and also a chair in Indian Military History (the Rana Partap Chair in Indian Military (Conflict) History). USI is India's premier Institute for Military Studies, besides being Asia's oldest Military institute of higher learning, founded in 1870. Amongst its other activities it educates officers of the United Nations Emergency Forces in Peace Keeping.

He is working on a major research project on ”Regimental Lineage, ethnic composition and regimental badges of the Indian Army 1750-2003”. The whole work will comprise a number of volumes and is being done for the USI and the Centre of Armed Forces Historical Research, located in Delhi. It is a study of the various regiments of the Armies of India from the time of the East India Company to Independence and after, also including armies of the Princely States of India prior to 1947 which were absorbed into the Indian and Pakistan Armies after 1947. The oldest of these being the Forces of Udaipur in Rajathan which date back to the 13th century. Specifically, the study concentrates on ethnic recruitment, evolution of the regimental insignia and lineage of the regiments. This study will be documented into a trilogy comprising Cavalry, Infantry, and other Arms and Services. In December 2008, the first volume was published in India. The title was ”Izzat – Historical Records and Iconography of Indian Cavalry Regiments 1750-2007”. More information about the book.
Ashok is now writing a companion volume on the History of Indian Infantry Regiments 1740-1921 as the first in a series of three volumes.