Central University of Punjab organized a Webinar on ‘Deindustrialization in 19th Century Indian Economy: Myth or Reality?’

Bathinda: The Department of History, Central University of Punjab Bathinda (CUPB), under the patronage of Vice Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari organized a Webinar on ‘Deindustrialization in the 19th century Indian Economy: Myth or Reality?’. The Keynote Speaker of this programme was Dr. Rachna Singh, Department of History, Hindu College, University of Delhi.

While addressing the participants, Dr. Rachna told the audience about how different historians have understood the Indian economy of the 19th century in different perspectives. She put a light on how economic history of Colonial India has been studied, and raised the question of whether the data and sources available to historians are sufficient to draw meaningful conclusions in this regard. In her lecture, Dr. Rachna described how socio-cultural life and economy are linked to each other. She stated that Economic History was a theme on which a lot of research was done till the 1990s but over the last two decades this field has become less important. She emphasized that young researchers need to know whether the state policy or the free market could independently shape the economy of a country.

At the beginning of the webinar, Prof. Kuldip Singh, Chair Professor, Satguru Ram Singh Chair and HoD Dept. of History, delivered a welcome address. Towards the end Dr. Vikas Rathee proposed vote of thanks. The webinar was attended by students, research scholars and faculty members of the university.