The idea of Akhand Bharat — a united subcontinent — evokes both nostalgia for a shared past and controversy over its modern-day feasibility, rooted in ancient Bharatavarsh and revived during the freedom struggle as a counter to the two-nation theory

The idea of Akhand Bharat, or “United India,” is one of the most evocative and contested concepts in South Asia. Rooted in ancient history and rekindled during the anti-colonial struggle, it envisions a subcontinental nation encompassing the territories of modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Tibet, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. For some, it symbolises cultural continuity and civilisational grandeur; for others, it is a utopian dream with little chance of becoming reality. Between nostalgia and controversy lies a debate that blends history, politics, and geopolitics in equal measure. The concept of a unified cultural space called Bharatavarsh can be traced back to ancient Indian texts.

This vision was not always political in nature but rather civilisational — an acknowledgement of shared traditions, religions, and exchanges across the subcontinent. The Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta and Ashoka came closest to achieving political unity in the 3rd century BCE. Ashoka’s reign, marked by both conquest and the spread of Buddhism, is often invoked as an early precedent for Akhand Bharat. Centuries later, during India’s freedom struggle, the notion resurfaced in response to the demand for Partition. Leaders like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar articulated Akhand Bharat as a counter-idea, rejecting the two-nation theory that........

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