In an era of rising nationalism and revisionist history, "The Story of India" is a staunch defender of India's diversity. Wood consistently emphasizes the contributions of Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Parsis to "Indian" culture, arguing that to be Indian is to be multicultural.
| Episode | Title | Focus | |---------|-------|-------| | 1 | Beginnings | Prehistory, Indus Valley Civilization (Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro), arrival of the Aryans, and the Vedas. | | 2 | The Power of Ideas | The age of the Buddha, Mahavira (Jainism), Ashoka the Great, and the spread of Indian thought across Asia. | | 3 | Spice Routes and Silk Roads | The Chola dynasty’s maritime empire, trade with Rome and China, and the golden age of the Gupta Empire. | | 4 | The Meeting of Two Oceans | The arrival of Islam, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire (Akbar, Taj Mahal), and the blending of Hindu and Muslim cultures. | | 5 | The British Episode | The East India Company, the British Raj, the 1857 uprising, and the rise of Indian nationalism. | | 6 | Freedom | Gandhi, Partition, independence (1947), and modern India’s challenges and achievements. | The Story of India BBC
Due to licensing agreements, the series has occasionally been difficult to find. As of 2025, the status is as follows: In an era of rising nationalism and revisionist