Who were the Aryans? Where did they come from? Did they always live in India? The Aryan problem has been attracting fresh attention in academic, social and political arenas. This book identifies the main traits of Aryan culture and follows the spread of their cultural markers. Using the latest archaeological evidence and the earliest known Indo-European inscriptions on the social and economic features of Aryan society, the distinguished historian, R. S. Sharma, throws fresh light on the current debate on whether or not the Aryans were the indigenous inhabitants of India. This book is essential reading for those interested in the history of India and its culture.

Professor R S Sharma (1919–2011) was Professor and Head, Department of History, Delhi University and Emeritus Professor of History, Patna University. Earlier, he taught at the University of Toronto. He was also the founding Chairperson of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), New Delhi.

Professor Sharma, who wrote in both Hindi and English, published about 80 books, several of which have been translated into different languages. His important works include: Sudras in Ancient India, Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India, Aspects of Political ideas and Institutions in Ancient India, Indian Feudalism, Advent of the Aryans in India, and Early Medieval Indian Society: A Study in Feudalisation.

Professor Sharma received the V K Rajwade Lifetime Award for his research and contribution to History.