Stories written by

Manu S Pillai

From Manu S Pillai’s new book: How the Portuguese responded to the complexities of Hinduism

An excerpt from ‘Gods, Guns, and Missionaries: The Making Of The Modern Hindu Identity’, by Manu S Pillai.

Manu S Pillai
· Dec 16, 2024 · 08:30 am
Manu S Pillai on how maharajah Sayaji Rao of Baroda (temporarily) defied the British government

An excerpt from ‘False Allies: India’s Maharajahs in the Age of Ravi Varma’, by Manu S Pillai.

Manu S Pillai
· Sep 27, 2021 · 08:30 am
‘You suddenly realise the great British conquest of India was a corporate event’: William Dalrymple

The author of ‘The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, And The Pillage Of An Empire’ spoke to writer Manu Pillai.

Manu S Pillai
· Sep 14, 2019 · 08:30 am

Hindutva as a vision of nationalism was an idea on the fringes when India became independent

The view that India’s strength is in its ‘breathtaking heterogeneity’ had originally triumphed over the advocacy of homogeneity, writes historian Manu S Pillai.

Manu S Pillai
· Jun 27, 2019 · 05:30 pm
Kerala floods: The 2018 disaster brings back stories of destruction (and rehabilitation) from 1924

‘That year became a landmark in local history, and grandmothers would for long tell grim tales of the collective sufferings.’

Manu S Pillai
· Aug 21, 2018 · 08:30 am
Hindus versus Muslims: Deccan history has been inaccurately reduced to a battle of religions

The Vijaynagar empire was more interested in practicalities than being a ‘Hindu bulwark against Islamic bigotry’, writes Manu S Pillai in ‘Rebel Sultans’.

Manu S Pillai
· Jun 28, 2018 · 08:30 am

Video

See all

Interview: Why Bangladesh army is angry with Yunus and his interim government

Yesterday · 07:30 pm
Eco India: Could happy and healthy hens make eggs taste better?

May 25, 2025 · 08:55 am
Eco India, Episode 289: Why animal welfare is the missing key to environmental health

May 24, 2025 · 03:25 pm
Video: Is Ali Khan Mahmudabad’s peace appeal seditious?

May 21, 2025 · 02:00 pm
Watch: Why workers at an Adani power plant in Jharkhand went on a strike

May 20, 2025 · 06:05 pm

The forgotten history of the African slaves who were brought to the Deccan and rose to great power

The legendary Malik Ambar was not the only ‘habshi’ to rise to astonishing prominence, writes Manu Pillai, the author of a new book on Deccan history.

Manu S Pillai
· Jun 19, 2018 · 05:30 pm
What really happened when Vasco Da Gama set foot in India

The Portuguese explorer came in search of gold and spices, but ended up unleashing political fury.

Manu S Pillai
· Dec 05, 2015 · 05:00 pm

Manu S Pillai

From Manu S Pillai’s new book: How the Portuguese responded to the complexities of Hinduism

An excerpt from ‘Gods, Guns, and Missionaries: The Making Of The Modern Hindu Identity’, by Manu S Pillai.

Manu S Pillai · Dec 16, 2024 · 08:30 am

Manu S Pillai on how maharajah Sayaji Rao of Baroda (temporarily) defied the British government

An excerpt from ‘False Allies: India’s Maharajahs in the Age of Ravi Varma’, by Manu S Pillai.

Manu S Pillai · Sep 27, 2021 · 08:30 am

‘You suddenly realise the great British conquest of India was a corporate event’: William Dalrymple

The author of ‘The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, And The Pillage Of An Empire’ spoke to writer Manu Pillai.

Manu S Pillai · Sep 14, 2019 · 08:30 am

Trending

Meeting diaspora, watching garba, speaking to ANI: What anti-terror MP delegations are doing abroad

An hour ago

‘Sister Midnight’ review: Radhika Apte is a blast as a rebellious housewife with a dark side

An hour ago

YouTuber Mohak Mangal agrees to remove ‘objectionable’ parts of video about ANI

Yesterday · 06:50 pm

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (1938–2025): Five things to know about one of Africa’s greatest ever writers

Yesterday · 03:30 pm

Mumbai Commuter Rail division: Some ideas on fixing the commercial capital’s lifeline

Yesterday · 09:00 am

Hindutva as a vision of nationalism was an idea on the fringes when India became independent

The view that India’s strength is in its ‘breathtaking heterogeneity’ had originally triumphed over the advocacy of homogeneity, writes historian Manu S Pillai.

Manu S Pillai · Jun 27, 2019 · 05:30 pm

Kerala floods: The 2018 disaster brings back stories of destruction (and rehabilitation) from 1924

‘That year became a landmark in local history, and grandmothers would for long tell grim tales of the collective sufferings.’

Manu S Pillai · Aug 21, 2018 · 08:30 am

Hindus versus Muslims: Deccan history has been inaccurately reduced to a battle of religions

The Vijaynagar empire was more interested in practicalities than being a ‘Hindu bulwark against Islamic bigotry’, writes Manu S Pillai in ‘Rebel Sultans’.

Manu S Pillai · Jun 28, 2018 · 08:30 am

Video

Interview: Why Bangladesh army is angry with Yunus and his interim government

Yesterday · 07:30 pm

Eco India: Could happy and healthy hens make eggs taste better?

May 25, 2025 · 08:55 am

Eco India, Episode 289: Why animal welfare is the missing key to environmental health

May 24, 2025 · 03:25 pm

Video: Is Ali Khan Mahmudabad’s peace appeal seditious?

May 21, 2025 · 02:00 pm

Watch: Why workers at an Adani power plant in Jharkhand went on a strike

May 20, 2025 · 06:05 pm

The forgotten history of the African slaves who were brought to the Deccan and rose to great power

The legendary Malik Ambar was not the only ‘habshi’ to rise to astonishing prominence, writes Manu Pillai, the author of a new book on Deccan history.

Manu S Pillai · Jun 19, 2018 · 05:30 pm

What really happened when Vasco Da Gama set foot in India

The Portuguese explorer came in search of gold and spices, but ended up unleashing political fury.

Manu S Pillai · Dec 05, 2015 · 05:00 pm

Take Scroll With You

Manu S Pillai
· Dec 16, 2024 · 08:30 am

Manu S Pillai
· Sep 27, 2021 · 08:30 am

Manu S Pillai
· Sep 14, 2019 · 08:30 am

Manu S Pillai
· Jun 27, 2019 · 05:30 pm

Manu S Pillai
· Aug 21, 2018 · 08:30 am

Manu S Pillai
· Jun 28, 2018 · 08:30 am

Manu S Pillai
· Jun 19, 2018 · 05:30 pm

Manu S Pillai
· Dec 05, 2015 · 05:00 pm