How the conflict in Kashmir started between India and Pakistan (part 1 of 3)

When the British left India in 1947, they decided to leave one lasting impression - divide the lands between two factions that had different views of the world. The partition of India and Pakistan had a large impact on the hills and valleys of Jammu and Kashmir. The most recent massacre in Pahalgam in Apr 2025 has left many of us wondering - why a conflict that began in 1947 still remains unresolved? I went back to the pages of Ramachandra Guha's 'India after Gandhi' to find answers to some of my questions. This episode is part 1 of 3, where I narrate the story of how this conflict began in 1947.

Source material for my research

1. 'India after Gandhi' by Ramachandra Guha

2. Sarah Paine's lectures on the 'War for India'

3. William Dalrymple's piece 'The Great Divide'

4. Article in Awaz the Voice by Saquib Salim 'When brothers were pitted against each other'

5. Tarekh Fatah's 'The Bloody Partition seen through a Pakistani's eyes'

Read other pieces by Sangeetha on the 'Lighter Side' on Substack.

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