In this episode I get the chance to talk to Dr. Priya Atwal. We speak about Priya's upbringing and background, studying Sikh history at university, her journey from dissertation to the publication of her amazing book Royals and Rebels (if you wanted to, I've written a book review on it, which you can acess here - bit.ly/BookReview06)

We go on to talk about the machinations of Raja Gulab Singh and others in the Lahore Durbar, the contrast between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharani Jind Kaur, accessing Persian sources and what they tell us and finally, we discuss plans for a part two!

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As always here's a time stamped breakdown of the conversation:

00:00 - Teaser
00:23 - Introduction
01:13 - Meet our guest
02:38 - Who is Priya Atwal?
08:28 - What were your initial impressions when introduced to the Sikh Empire?
11:29 - What did the journey entail when turning your dissertation into a book?
15:09 - What is a PhD really like?
24:00 - What is Raja Gulab Singh Dogra really up to? Is Raja Gulab Singh Dogra really a traitor?
27:53 - The Secret Enclosures & the truth about Rani Jindan
32:19 - Is Gulab Singh Dogra the only puppet master or are there also other factions?
35:25 - Why does the popular narrative lay the blame for the Anglo-Sikh Wars on the shoulders of Rani Jindan?
37:12 - The Real Ranjit? Does the popular narrative over-estimate Ranjit’s ability due to its contrast against the false narrative of Rani Jindan being a weak Queen?
44:18 - What did you discover when researching Persian sources?
51:58 - Are Sher Singh and Tara Singh legitimate children of Ranjit Singh?
56:11 - Who is Rani Jindan? Punjabi Boudica or a Weak & Feeble Queen?
01:02:00 - What can we expect from Dr. Priya Atwal in 2022?
01:05:00 - Conclusion

The Truth About The Sikh Empire Will Shock You | Dr. Priya Atwal