GB 0102 OA3 - Oral Archive: India: A People Partitioned

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0102 OA3

Title

Oral Archive: India: A People Partitioned

Date(s)

  • 1997, 2000 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

3 boxes (2 boxes of sound recordings, 1 box of transcripts)

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The radio series 'India: A People Partitioned' for the BBC World Service was compiled and presented by Andrew Whitehead and produced by Zina Rohan. It was among the programmes commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence and was broadcast in 1997. The interviews were largely conducted by Whitehead, but a few were carried out by Anuradha Awasthi. The series was broadcast again in 2000 and the fifth programme, 'Unfinished Business', was re-made, including further material on India-Pakistan relations. Andrew Whitehead was based in Delhi as BBC World Service correspondent for south Asia.

Archival history

GB 0102 OA3 1997, 2000 Collection (fonds) 3 boxes (2 boxes of sound recordings, 1 box of transcripts) Whitehead , Andrew , fl 1997-2000 , broadcaster

The radio series 'India: A People Partitioned' for the BBC World Service was compiled and presented by Andrew Whitehead and produced by Zina Rohan. It was among the programmes commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence and was broadcast in 1997. The interviews were largely conducted by Whitehead, but a few were carried out by Anuradha Awasthi. The series was broadcast again in 2000 and the fifth programme, 'Unfinished Business', was re-made, including further material on India-Pakistan relations. Andrew Whitehead was based in Delhi as BBC World Service correspondent for south Asia.

Deposited in 1998 and 2000.

Sound recordings and papers relating to the radio series 'India: A People Partitioned', 1997. Cassette tapes of interviews (83 tapes) and partial transcripts concern the social history of partition between India and Pakistan (1947) and its effect on people in south Asia. Interviewees included some prominent political and cultural figures, but also 'ordinary' people whose lives were affected by the events surrounding independence, including the large number of refugees created. The subjects discussed include Communism, politicians including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim League, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. Cassette tapes of the five broadcast programmes (3 tapes) are also included: 'The Gathering of the Storm', on the context of partition, disturbances in 1946, and Gandhi's attempts to broker peace; 'The Killing Fields of Punjab', examining partition violence; ' Tearing the Veil', on women's experiences, including abduction; 'Comers and Goers', concerning the experiences of Muslims in India and their dilemma as to whether to migrate to Pakistan or remain in India; 'Unfinished Business', on the Kashmir dispute and the continuing legacy of partition in regional politics, culture and diplomacy. The partial transcripts were made for working purposes and are an indication rather than a definitive record of the contents of the tapes. Appended to the transcripts are copies of an occasional series of articles written by Andrew Whitehead for the Indian Express based on the material he gathered. An additional deposit comprises a cassette tape of the revised programme, 'Unfinished Business', 2000, and six further interview tapes, the interviewees including key participants in India-Pakistan relations, with notes on the contents of the interviews compiled for working purposes.

Includes sections of recordings in Pakistan; at and around the border; Karachi; Indian Kashmir; Indian Punjab; Lucknow and Mahmudabad; Bangladesh; Calcutta.

Unrestricted.

The broadcast programmes are BBC copyright. The interview tapes are copyright of the BBC and Andrew Whitehead. They cannot be broadcast, but the material can be quoted or referred to in works of research if proper acknowledgement of the source is made.
Mainly English, but some Hindi, Urdu, Bengali or Punjabi (most with running translation)

Unpublished handlist by the depositor including names of interviewees and brief note of main topics.

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds sound recordings from the radio series 'Plain Tales from the Raj', on British India (Ref: OA1), and from the British in India Oral Archive Project (Ref: OA2).

Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Source: BBC World Service website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. May 2002 Bangladesh Boundaries British Broadcasting Corporation , World Service Broadcasting Broadcasting programmes Calcutta Collectivism Colonial countries Communism Decolonization Diplomacy Field work Foreign relations Gandhi , Mohandas Karamchand , 1869-1948 , Indian Nationalist Leader Hindus Historical methods History India Internal politics International conflicts International law International relations International tensions Interviews Jinnah , Muhammed Ali , 1876-1948 , Muslim politician and founder of Pakistan Karachi Kashmir Lucknow Magnetic tape recordings Mahmudabad Migrants Moslems Muslim League Nation building Nations Newly independent states Oral history Pakistan Peace Peacemaking Political doctrines Political leadership Political science Political systems Politicians Politics Programme content Punjab Radio Radio programmes Recordings Refugees Religious groups Research work Rights of special groups Rights of states Sex Sex distribution Sikhs Social systems Sound recordings South Asia Territorial rights Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Whitehead , Andrew , fl 1997-2000 , broadcaster Women Womens rights Womens status

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited in 1998 and 2000.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Sound recordings and papers relating to the radio series 'India: A People Partitioned', 1997. Cassette tapes of interviews (83 tapes) and partial transcripts concern the social history of partition between India and Pakistan (1947) and its effect on people in south Asia. Interviewees included some prominent political and cultural figures, but also 'ordinary' people whose lives were affected by the events surrounding independence, including the large number of refugees created. The subjects discussed include Communism, politicians including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim League, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. Cassette tapes of the five broadcast programmes (3 tapes) are also included: 'The Gathering of the Storm', on the context of partition, disturbances in 1946, and Gandhi's attempts to broker peace; 'The Killing Fields of Punjab', examining partition violence; ' Tearing the Veil', on women's experiences, including abduction; 'Comers and Goers', concerning the experiences of Muslims in India and their dilemma as to whether to migrate to Pakistan or remain in India; 'Unfinished Business', on the Kashmir dispute and the continuing legacy of partition in regional politics, culture and diplomacy. The partial transcripts were made for working purposes and are an indication rather than a definitive record of the contents of the tapes. Appended to the transcripts are copies of an occasional series of articles written by Andrew Whitehead for the Indian Express based on the material he gathered. An additional deposit comprises a cassette tape of the revised programme, 'Unfinished Business', 2000, and six further interview tapes, the interviewees including key participants in India-Pakistan relations, with notes on the contents of the interviews compiled for working purposes.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Includes sections of recordings in Pakistan; at and around the border; Karachi; Indian Kashmir; Indian Punjab; Lucknow and Mahmudabad; Bangladesh; Calcutta.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Unrestricted.

Conditions governing reproduction

The broadcast programmes are BBC copyright. The interview tapes are copyright of the BBC and Andrew Whitehead. They cannot be broadcast, but the material can be quoted or referred to in works of research if proper acknowledgement of the source is made.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

Mainly English, but some Hindi, Urdu, Bengali or Punjabi (most with running translation)

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds sound recordings from the radio series 'Plain Tales from the Raj', on British India (Ref: OA1), and from the British in India Oral Archive Project (Ref: OA2).

Finding aids

Unpublished handlist by the depositor including names of interviewees and brief note of main topics.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

School of Oriental and African Studies

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area