Irfan Habib Is One of the Great Marxist Historians

At the age of ninety-three, Irfan Habib’s status as one of India’s most important historians is assured. It is simply impossible to understand any aspect of the Indian economy, society, and history without engaging with the work of Habib.

Habib’s book The Agrarian System of Mughal India, first published in 1963, has become essential reading for students of medieval and early modern Indian history. His contribution to developing our knowledge of that period in Indian history is immense, and he is still a trailblazing figure in the field.

Apart from his areas of expertise, Habib is well known as an avowed Marxist and an ardent critic of the attempts at “saffronization” of Indian history by supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Hindutva chauvinist agenda. Throughout his life, Habib has fought against communalism and religious fundamentalism.

Habib was born into an affluent Muslim family in Baroda in 1931. His father, Mohammad Habib, was also a historian and worked in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). His family was involved in the Indian freedom movement, and his father had strong ties with Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

At the age of ninety-three, Irfan Habib’s status as one of India’s most important historians is assured.

Habib’s family background nurtured his interest in history during his childhood. His father was interested in Marxism and subscribed to the weekly publication of the Communist Party of India (CPI), People’s War. From childhood, he was exposed to Marxism because of his father’s interest and the…