External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday characterized Tipu Sultan as a “very complex figure in history” while launching historian Vikram Sampath’s book, Tipu Sultan: The Saga of the Mysore Interregnum, at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi. The event focused on reassessing the legacy of the 18th-century ruler of Mysore.
“Tipu Sultan is actually a very, very complex figure in history,” said Jaishankar. He acknowledged Tipu’s role as a key resistor to British colonial control, describing his defeat and death as a turning point for peninsular India. At the same time, the minister highlighted the controversies surrounding Tipu’s reign, noting, “He evokes strong adverse sentiments even today in many regions, some in Mysore itself.”
Jaishankar critiqued what he termed the “cherry-picking of facts” in historical narratives about Tipu Sultan. He argued that Indian history often focuses on his battles against the British while underplaying or neglecting other aspects of his rule. “This was not an accident,” he asserted, adding that the “Tipu-English binary” had advanced a particular political narrative over the years.
The minister linked this selective storytelling to broader political motivations. “History, in all societies, is complicated, and politics indulges in cherry-picking the facts,” he said. Jaishankar further noted that in the past decade, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, alternative perspectives have gained prominence. “We are no longer prisoners of a vote bank, nor is it politically incorrect to bring out inconvenient truths,” he remarked.
Reflecting on the book, Jaishankar praised its detailed account of Tipu Sultan’s interactions with international powers like the French and English, calling it “fascinating” from a diplomatic standpoint. He also highlighted the broader historical insights provided, which explore India’s pre-independence foreign policy initiatives.
The event underscores the ongoing debates around Tipu Sultan’s legacy, with Sampath’s book offering a nuanced perspective on the ruler’s reign, achievements, and controversies.
