Actor R Madhavan has voiced his concerns over the ongoing NCERT syllabus revision, questioning the long-standing imbalance in the representation of Indian history in school textbooks. His remarks come amid controversy surrounding the NCERT’s decision to remove all chapters related to the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate from Class 7 history books.
Speaking in an interview with News18, Madhavan said the past curriculum heavily favoured certain periods while neglecting others of equal or greater historical importance. “When I studied history, we had eight chapters on the Mughals, a couple on Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, four on British rule and the freedom struggle, and just one chapter on the southern kingdoms — Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and Cheras,” he said.
Madhavan emphasized that the Chola Empire, which dates back 2,400 years, was a pioneer in sea travel, naval power, and trade, extending its influence as far as Rome and Southeast Asia. “Where is that part of our history?” he asked. “We spread Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism to China. People in Korea speak half Tamil — that’s how far our culture reached. Yet all of this got crammed into a single chapter.”
The actor, who recently starred in Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, said his latest film is part of an effort to correct historical narratives. He defended taking creative liberties in such portrayals, stating that creators should only be held accountable if they distort historical truths.
The NCERT revision has sparked widespread debate, with critics accusing the body of erasing important chapters from India’s medieval past. The updated curriculum reportedly aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the 2023 National Curriculum Framework, which aim to incorporate Indian traditions, philosophies, and regional perspectives more prominently into education.
This marks the first time that content on the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate — including the Tughlaqs, Khaljis, Mamluks, and Lodis — has been fully removed from NCERT Class 7 textbooks.
