BROWN HISTORY
Admin Ahsun Zafar believes his page is a conversation with himself
The why: “It is simple. I wanted to learn more about my roots, my origins, how I came to be. A part of “loving yourself” is knowing yourself, and your history and heritage are a part of that. As I tried to better understand myself, I created an IG page and posted what I’ve learned.”
The verification process: “I ask questions and then I cross check for myself. I cite the books and papers after every post. It is all there for anyone to investigate. To be honest, the comment section lets you have it if you made any kind of mistake.”
The goal: “I want the page to run on its own. I want it to be a fully communitydriven page, like people having conversations with each other. I don’t know how exactly I’m going to do that, but right now, I try to give the platform to others as much as I can.”
LGBTQIAP PLUS HISTORY OF INDIA
Dr. Anandya Kar, admin of the page, wants to familiarise today’s queer youth with their history
The why: “I remember seeing a page on LGBT history, which didn’t mention anything about the LGBT history of South Asia. Nevertheless, South Asian countries like India have a significant role in sexuality. India is the first country that decoded sex and sexuality as a science through the Kama Sutra. The contemporary history is also significant. I was disheartened, and as Rabindranath Tagore said, “Open thy mind walk alone. Be not afraid, walk alone”, I decided to start this page by myself.
The verification process: “I try to archive from reputable sources, which are mostly books that were published, and research them for more details. Moreover, if you have the Internet, you don’t need to work very hard to find old magazines, journals, and blogs. But you need to be passionate. I think you will get one story after an extensive research of even an hour.”
The goal: “To make people aware of what it was like before, and not to take things for granted. People, in the age of Grindr and Tinder, are really not aware that 20 years back if you were gay, and want to meet someone, you have to go through a series of struggles just to talk to a person.
ITIHASOLOGY
Admin Eric Chopra wants people to realise is that our understanding of the past is based on our interpretations
The why: “I tend to view everything historically; be it paintings, cuisines, fashion, or books. This awe and fascination that history provided me with, was something I wished I could give everyone access to and thus, I came up with itihasology — a platform striving to make people realise that history is not merely a strict-narrative of names, dates, and places.”
The verification process: “To verify the veracity, the very first step is to rid ourselves of any sort of certainty. What people need to realise is that our understanding of the past is based on our interpretations. At itihasology, each post is made up of multiple-sources to ensure that it is as accurate as it can be. This year, we set up a team of passionate volunteers and advisors. The contents and resources of each post get verified at least thrice before it is made public.”
The goal: “As an 18-year-old student of history whose idea of fun is to talk to sculptures at a museum, I am striving to create a youth-driven platform which piques the curiosity of an audience that feels they are far removed from the Indian past. To make the past more interactive, we hold musical workshops and walks at museums, art galleries and heritage sites.”
INDIAN HISTORY PICTURES
Admin Shashank Singh pursued his passion for stories from his school books, and wants millennials to take interest in history
The why: “I’ve been interested in history since childhood. In 2017-18, I thought about having a page related to history. The intention was to have a collection of pictures and historical events, and sharing it with like-minded people. Initially, it was only my family and a few friends who had access to the page. Later, my family and friends suggested me to go public.”
The verification process: “I generally post about facts and pictures that have a link to what is happening currently in the country. Thus, it makes the posts relatable to the followers. The research for the posts is generally from the Internet. The reference and source of the pictures are given the due credit in my posts.”
The goal: “Earlier, my goal was to make my page the largest collection of historical pictures and facts available on any social media platform. But since this page is one of the biggest pages on Instagram related to history, my ambitions are a little different now. Now I aim to make people (especially the millennials) interested in history, and to show them pictures as well as facts that are authentic and verified.”
THE HYDERABAD HISTORY PROJECT
Admin Yunus Yacoob Lasania’s journalism career led him to disseminating authentic history in the city of Nizams.
The why: “I was covering crime and politics, but under one of my bosses at The Hindu, I really came to understand Hyderabad’s history and heritage. It was one beat that I had not covered, and I remember vividly having an animated discussion on some heritage sites that won the INTACH award in 2015. In 2017, I wrote a story on Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, which made me realise the importance of oral history, and also got an overwhelming response. I started The Hyderabad created the Instagram handle later in February 2018.”
The verification process: “Once I want to write about something, I collect related material, either online or in libraries, or I just buy them. I must have spent thousands of rupees purchasing old (and outof-print) books over the past few years, from a place that specifically sells old things. The second aspect of my work concerns oral history, which I think is equally important and powerful. I click all the images myself, mostly. I got myself an expensive smartphone for that purpose, and also for light editing on the go.”
The goal: “The basic goal is to educate people about Hyderabad’s rich history, its people, food, places, and heritage. I want to give a wider and different perspective on things.”
