Historian delves into Asia’s 5 key partitions

The department of English, Punjabi University, on Wednesday hosted the Annual Professor BR Rao Memorial Lecture.

This year’s lecture was delivered by Sam Dalrymple, historian and author of ‘Shattered Lands’.

Dr Dharamjeet Singh, Head of Department (English), welcomed the gathering and introduced the speaker.

In his talk, Dalrymple delved into the five major partitions that shaped modern Asia.

He reflected on how these partitions — including the 1947 division of India — redefined political boundaries, displaced millions, and continue to influence contemporary identities and regional dynamics.

Delivering his presidential remarks, Jagdeep Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, said the lecture underlined how deeply interconnected the histories of the subcontinent were, and how understanding them was crucial to comprehending present realities.