Research Focus

MHS seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge across the Maritime Dimension with a focus on History and Heritage. Existing and emerging areas of research include maritime heritage of India Series, Kutchi Navigational Diaries, Coastal & Island Forts, Nautical practices in coastal communities and built maritime heritage among a range of segments

ONGOING RESEARCH BY MHS TEAM MANTHAN

MHS has four full time Research Associates who form Team Manthan. They work on two minor research projects and culminate a two year effort into a major research project. The RAs share their work progress

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN COLLABORATION

MHS is collaborating with Other Research Scholars & Agencies on few Projects

  1. Two editions of an eight part Maritime Heritage of India Series are under process. Prof Ranabir Chakravarti is working on Maritime Heritage of Bengal, while Cdr Kalesh Mohanan and Dr Nazia Hasan are undertaking Maritime Heritage of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
  2. Dr Ashok Rajeshirke has translated the Malam-ni-Pothis a compilation of Pre-Modern Kutchi Navigational Diaries
  3. A joint project with Naval Headquarters in underway to chronicle the Navika Sagar Parikrama, the circumnavigation of the globe under sail by six Indian Navy Women Officers
  4. An overview of Indian Maritime History is being undertaken in two approaches. One is a comic book in collaboration with Amar Chitra Katha. The other is a collaborative compilation on Indian Maritime Journey
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From the Scholars’ Files

  1. Amruta Talawadekar while working on the Coastal and Island Batteries in Mumbai Harbour: “Mumbai has been a maritime city with a rich built heritage existing today as an evidence of the city’s evolution across centuries.”
  2. Dennard D’Souza from his work on Sopara an ancient port town: “Sopara was an ancient inland port town located on a nodal point between the maritime and continental trade routes. Buddhist Text like Theragatha Apadana and Saratthappakasini refer to sopara as the hometown of the Merchants Punna and Culla Punna.”
  3. Janhavi Lokegaonkar from her work on Sassoon Docks: “A Sassoons’ maritime enterprise was a prelude to the modern maritime economy of Bombay.”