Dwijendra Narayan Jha Biography 
Dwijendra Narayan Jha, shortly called D. N. Jha is an Indian historian. He specialises in ancient and medieval India. He is a renowned professor who is retired now. He taught history at Delhi University and was a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research. He authored the book, The Myth of the Holy Cow, which invited controversies. The practice of eating beef in ancient India was described in the book which caught controversies. He also faced criticism from leading journalist Arun Shourie who accused him of distorting facts behind the destruction of Nalanda University by Islamic invaders in 12th Century. He has authored 7 books and edited a few more.
D. N. Jha was born in 1940. He completed his graduation in history from Presidency College of the University of Calcutta, and PG studies from Patna University. He was a student of renowned Professor R.S. Sharma while studying at Patna. He taught at Delhi University for many years. As a researcher and historian he has published many research papers and books, and a few of them drew controversies for hurting Hindu religious sentiments. His position against Hindu nationalist ideology, often told as "communalism" and "saffronisation" has irked many, though he belongs to Maithil Brahmin community.
He published his first book, Studies in early Indian economic history in 1980. After authoring his controversial book, Myth of the Holy Cow in 2009, he has drawn fire from Hindu nationalists for writing that Hinduism hasn’t always regarded beef-eating as an offense. He also received death threats ever since the book - Holy Cow: Beef in Indian Dietary Traditions was published in 2002. Early India: A Concise History, Society and Ideology in India, Economy and Society in Early India: Issues and Paradigms and Ancient India: In Historical Outline are his other published books.
Published: January 17, 2019
Updated: January 17, 2019
