NEW DELHI: Research work on a series of projects sanctioned by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) in the recent past seems to have slowed down ever since the resignation of its chairman Y Sudarshan Rao two months back.
Though the Ministry is yet to accept his resignation, sources said the projects were held up because of lack of direction and absence of proper leadership. The projects include one on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army.
The ongoing declassification of files on Bose makes the research work all the more significant, but one of the members confided that uncertainly over the approval of funds has delayed the work.
Rao had resigned in November last year, just 16 months into his term, but the Ministry has not yet accepted his resignation, amid reports that some of the members had communicated to the Ministry their support for him.
“There is simply no funds for research scholars to work on the projects,” said one of the former officials of ICHR, referring to a number of projects during Rao’s term.
Notable projects include unravelling the history of princely states such as Cooch Behar, Baroda, Patiala, Mysore, Travancore and Cochin to highlight “accomplishments” of these rulers that have not been sufficiently documented. Besides, ICHR has sanctioned another project to study the rich legacy and historical significance of Lahore and Khulna along with Murshidabad.