Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)

Indian Council of Historical Research is an autonomous organization which was established in 1972. The ICHR was formed as a literary and charitable society with the historians R.S. Sharma the then Head Department of History, Delhi University as its first chairman. Satish Chandra, J.S. Garewal and M.N. Prasad, were at the helm of affairs. The organization of the ICHR is headed by the Honorary Chairman with the Member Secretary functions as the Secretary of the Governing Council of ICHR during its General Body and specially called for meetings. The Member Secretary, ICHR is functions as the day to day Head of the Department in ICHR. The current Chairman of ICHR, Professor Y. Sudershan Rao, is an eminent historian.

Some of the notable historian members associated with the Indian Council have been Irfan Habib, Sushil Kumar, Tapan Raychaudhuri, and Barun De.

Objectives of ICHR

The objectives of the Indian Council of Historical Research as laid down in the Memorandum of Association are as follows:

Bring historians together and provide a forum for exchange of views between them;
Give a national direction to an objective and scientific writing of history and to have rational presentation and interpretation of history;
To Promote, accelerate and coordinate research in history with special emphasis on areas which have not received adequate attention so far;
To coordinate a balanced distribution of research effort over different areas;
To elicit support and recognition for historical research from all concerned and ensure the necessary dissemination and use of results.

Funding of Research Projects in ICHR

ICHR disburses funds for carrying out research to Indian as well as foreign scholars on their applications for fellowships, grants, and symposia, made to the Indian Council of Historical Research or through the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Supporting historical research is one of the main functions of the ICHR. The following are the grants awarded by the Council: