Taking Stock in India and Pakistan: A Review

Summary

This article, written by O. H. K. Spate, is a review of geographical works produced in India and Pakistan shortly after their independence. The author first traces the development of geography as a young discipline in India, noting its low academic status and uneven output, but acknowledging real progress. He then evaluates a series of books: Srivastava's survey reveals inadequate library resources and other academic problems; Nafis Ahmad's "The Basis of Pakistan" analyzes the geographical rationale for Pakistan's creation; Pithawalla's books on Karachi and Pakistan contain vivid details but occasional errors; Chakravarti's "Economic Geography of West Bengal" is poor, while Chatterjee's "Bengal in Maps" and Bose's "The Damodar Valley Project" are commended; Deshpande's "Western India" is a pioneering regional monograph; and Dr. Thomas's "India's Basic Industries" offers a detailed factual survey showing wartime industrial expansion and imbalance. The author concludes that Indian geography, though still immature, holds great promise, with vast uncharted research areas remaining, and these books collectively signify a promising beginning for geography in the newly independent states.