MGS Narayanan: The bold historian who called force-fed nationalism 'stupidity'

MGS Narayanan, a respected historian and former chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), passed away on Saturday.

Known for his bold views on Indian history and culture, Narayanan's work has had a lasting impact on the academic and public discourse of India. 

His outspoken critique of mainstream narratives, particularly concerning Tamil identity, language, and nationalism, made him one of the most influential and provocative scholars in the field.

Defending Tamil identity against Aryanisation

Narayanan strongly rejected the use of terms like Aryanisation and Sanskritisation to describe the historical evolution of Tamil culture. For him, these terms oversimplified and misrepresented the resilience of Tamil society.

He argued that the Tamils never underwent Aryanisation in the complete sense, as they preserved their original language, traditions, and national personality despite outside influences.

"Tamils are the only people in India, other than the tribal Adivasis, to have retained their original language and national personality," he said.

Malayalam, a classical language?

In 2010, when a dossier was submitted to the Indian government seeking to recognise Malayalam as a classical language, Narayanan took a stand that challenged this popular claim. He questioned the evidence presented in the dossier, which argued that Malayalam had ancient roots predating the 9th century. 

He pointed out that similar linguistic evidence could be found in Tamil, which had long been regarded as the oldest of the South Indian languages. His skepticism about the claims surrounding Malayalam’s classical status prompted reflection on the intellectual rigor behind such movements.

“If they are confident about it, why is it not published?” he asked, casting doubt on the foundation of the argument. 

Forced nationalism or stupidity?

Perhaps one of Narayanan’s most widely discussed positions was his criticism of the Supreme Court ruling that made it mandatory to play the national anthem before movie screenings.

Narayanan dismissed the order as “stupidity,” calling it an example of judicial overreach and arguing that nationalism cannot be imposed by force.

In an interview, he stated, "People who come to cinemas for entertainment don’t need to be force-fed nationalism. This move to impose nationalism won’t succeed. In fact, it will fail.” 

Narayanan believed that India, as a civilisation made up of diverse cultures and traditions, did not conform to the conventional concept of a nation. 

For him, nationalism could not be coerced; it had to emerge naturally. His criticism resonated with many who felt that such impositions were contrary to the country’s democratic ethos.

MGS Narayanan’s passing marks the end of an era for those who valued his bold and independent thought.

His legacy is a reminder that intellectual independence is crucial for the progress of any society.