A study of history requires gathering evidence relating to a nation’s or society’s past and analysing it. Specialised areas in the study of history are archaeology, museology and archival studies

And the rest, as they say, is history! But the study of history doesn’t necessarily mean researching dust-heaps of the past. The study of history equips you to carve out a rewarding career, as history shapes the political, economic and cultural life of a nation or society.

“Until a few years ago history as a subject didn’t attract youngsters, except those intent upon careers in academia. But now a growing number of young people are opting for the study of this liberal arts subject which is being recognised as a useful qualification for a whole range of careers,” says Dr. Kalpana Desai, director of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghrahalaya (better known as the Prince of Wales Museum), Mumbai, one of the most well-administered museums in the country.

The study of history requires gathering evidence relating to a nation’s or society’s past and analysing it. Specialised areas in the study of history are archaeology, museology and archival studies.

Essentially, archaeologists attempt to understand and reconstruct the past from the study of ancient coins, weaponry, sculpture, deciphering of inscriptions etc. Museologists work in museums and much of their work is a combination of research, administration and public relations.

Archivists deal with the selection, preservation, arrangement and description of documents. They assess the value and historical significance of current research papers produced by various bodies and individuals and prepare and document records for reference purposes.

History study programmes at the graduate and postgraduate levels are conducted in various specialised disciplines such as ancient Indian history and culture; medieval history (Indian); modern Indian history; and Western history. Most Indian universities offer bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in history. However all specialisations are not available at all universities. Archaeology courses are offered by about 25 universities mostly at the postgraduate level. They include the universities of Calcutta, Pune, Allahabad, Gujarat, Mysore and Nagpur; Benaras Hindu University (BHU); M.S. University, Baroda; and the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi.

Museology courses are conducted by University of Ajmer; Kurukshetra University; BHU; M.S. University, Baroda; Aligarh Muslim University; Osmania University, Hyderabad; Bhopal Vishwavidyalaya; Vikram University, Ujjain and National Museum, New Delhi.

Archival postgrad study programmes are offered by Ajmer, Annamalai and Pondicherry universities; Gujarat Vidyapeeth and National Archives of India, New Delhi.

Employment opportunities for historians are fast expanding. Generally, qualified historians tend to be employed in educational institutions or in research organisations, such as the Indian Council of Historical Research, state departments of archaeology; Archaeological Survey of India, National Archives of India, state archives and in numerous museums across the country. Salaries are on a par with UGC scales. A fresher with a Master’s starts off with Rs.13,000 per month.

“In a museum which reflects the material culture of the past through its exhibits, you are surrounded by history. The study of a society’s culture reflects its thought processes and often leads to development of new ideas. A job in a museum, or any other field of history, has its own satisfaction and fulfilment as you are contributing to the study and preservation of cultural archives and antiquities. Young people entering this field develop self-confidence — a museum is not unlike a university and informs and educates people. Moreover, in this era of globalisation historians have an advantage. They have a deeper knowledge of their culture and roots,” avers Desai, who has been working with the Prince of Wales Museum since 1983.

Dr. Desai has impeccable credentials as a trained historian. After acquiring a Master’s in ancient Indian culture from Bombay University, she wrote her doctoral thesis on the ‘Origin and Evolution of the Iconography of Vishnu’ in 1969, which was later published and is a useful reference work on the subject. Appointed curator of the Heras Institute in 1974, her most notable achievement was curating the Heras collection at the Gulbenkian Institute in Lisbon in 1981, one of the first cultural exchanges between India and Portugal after Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1962. Desai has also participated in international exhibitions in Sweden, Japan and Mauritius.

Author of several books and articles on subjects related to Indian culture and curator of theme exhibitions at the museum, Desai believes that the PoW Museum has acquired an international reputation. “We are known globally for our miniature paintings collection. We also have an excellent collection of Nepali and Tibetan art and oriental antiquities,” she says.

Job opportunities in museology, Desai believes, will multiply as the nation becomes culturally confident and aware of its rich heritage. “Formerly a museum was a storehouse of antiquities and natural history. Now it’s seamless — anything of human interest including textiles, shoes, films can be exhibited. Moreover there are specialist philatelic, textiles, numismatic and other musea, and the number is growing. Currently there are 657 museums, big and small around the country and a faster growth is predicted in the next few years. Standby for university, bank and corporate and currency museums as this field is expanding fast. The work is stimulating, challenging and keeps your mind alert,” she asserts.

Indra Gidwani (Mumbai)