This course examines the history of what is today the world's largest democracy. It starts in roughly 1700 with a study of the Mughal Empire and its decline, followed by the rise of British India. We explore the East India Company and the impact of British imperialism on India. The 1857 rebellion, the beginning of direct British rule and the consequences of these major events are analyzed. We explore the development and role of the Indian National Congress, explore the emergence of Indian nationalism, and assess Gandhi and other Indian leaders, as well as the forces around independence in 1947. In the last part of the course we study India's identity from independence to today and the current issues and conflicts confronting this increasingly prominent nation.