Decolonizing the Indian Mind: A Book Review of Rajiv Malhotra’s The Battle for Sanskrit

The Battle for Sanskrit contains proof that colonization is an ongoing project of the White Empire.

During the pandemic, I found solace in reading. The first book I read in lockdown was “New Age of Empire” by Kehinde Andrews, which introduced me to the word “decolonization”. I am a fourth generation South African with Indian heritage, so colonialism has deeply impacted my family for generations, from British rule in India to apartheid in South Africa.

For many years I was influenced by Western propaganda and colonial narratives ingrained in me by the apartheid schooling system in South Africa. Discovering literature from the Global South, including the works of Kehinde Andrews, Indi Samarajiva, J Sai Deepak and Rajiv Malhotra, were a refreshing change and sparked a renewed curiosity in my own history and heritage.

As my quest for decolonization deepened, so did the realization that colonialism and mental slavery are an ongoing project of the White Empire (the West). The Battle for Sanskrit by Rajiv Malhotra is a book that delves deeper into how the White Empire continues to maintain its stranglehold on our culture nearly a century after the McCauleys and Risleys left India.

The book is a thought-provoking exploration of the complex interplay between Western academia and Indian cultural heritage, particularly focusing on Sanskrit and Hinduism. Malhotra presents a compelling argument that Western scholars, like Sheldon Pollock, have been instrumental in shaping the discourse on Sanskrit and Hinduism, often with political and ideological motives that threaten the integrity of India’s ancient traditions.

Malhotra’s book is meticulously researched, drawing on a wide range of sources from both Western and Indian scholarship. He traces the historical development of Sanskrit studies in the West, highlighting the ways in which Western scholars have appropriated Sanskrit texts and interpreted them through a lens shaped by colonial prejudices and agendas. He argues that this appropriation has led to a distortion of the true meaning and significance of Sanskrit and Hinduism, perpetuating stereotypes and misconceptions that serve to undermine India’s cultural heritage.

One of the key figures in Malhotra’s critique is Sheldon Pollock, a prominent scholar of Sanskrit and Indian intellectual history. Malhotra argues that Pollock’s work is marked by a Eurocentric bias that seeks to marginalize and delegitimize traditional Indian perspectives. He accuses Pollock of using his academic position to advance a political and ideological agenda that is hostile to Hinduism and seeks to dismantle India’s ancient Vedic culture.

Malhotra’s analysis of Pollock’s work is incisive and meticulously documented. He highlights instances where Pollock’s interpretations of Sanskrit texts diverge from traditional Indian understandings, and he exposes the underlying assumptions and biases that inform Pollock’s scholarship. Malhotra also examines the institutional structures that support and perpetuate this Western-centric approach to Sanskrit studies, arguing that Indian scholars have been marginalized and silenced within the academic establishment.

In addition to critiquing Western scholarship on Sanskrit and Hinduism, Malhotra also offers a vision for reclaiming and revitalizing India’s cultural heritage. He calls for a decolonization of the Indian mind, urging Indians to reject Western paradigms and reclaim their own intellectual traditions. He argues for a more inclusive and pluralistic approach to Sanskrit studies, one that embraces the diversity of perspectives within the Indian tradition and recognizes the ongoing relevance of Sanskrit and Hinduism in the modern world.

Overall, “The Battle for Sanskrit” is a powerful and timely intervention in the ongoing debate over the interpretation and appropriation of India’s cultural heritage. Malhotra’s critique of Western scholarship on Sanskrit and Hinduism is both rigorous and persuasive, and his call for a decolonization of the Indian mind is compelling. Whether or not one agrees with all of Malhotra’s arguments, his book is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of academia, politics, and culture in the contemporary world.