NCERT drops ‘Great’ from Akbar, Tipu Sultan: RSS leader urges students to learn their 'cruel deeds'

Ambekar noted that the changes to textbooks for Classes 1 to 15 are being implemented in phases, with textbooks for Classes 9, 10, and 12 set to reflect revisions next year.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has reportedly removed the honorific “Great” from Mughal emperor Akbar and Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan in school history textbooks. The latest move has triggered mixed reactions from political and social leaders.

Addressing the Orange City Literature Festival in Nagpur, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Sunil Ambekar welcomed the changes, saying the updated textbooks reflect a more accurate historical narrative.

“Many positive changes have been introduced in the history books. Now, they do not have ‘Akbar the Great’ or ‘Tipu Sultan the Great,’ but nobody has been removed entirely. Students should know both their achievements and cruel deeds,” he said.

Ambekar stated that India’s ancient knowledge, including the curriculum of Nalanda University, which covered a wide range of subjects from governance to mechanisation, should be better appreciated and taught to the next generation. He also highlighted the broader cultural context, linking it to the campaign around the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying, “It was not just about building the temple. It was about understanding our relationship with the culture of Lord Ram and preserving our heritage.”

Meanwhile, in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly endorsed the NCERT decision. Speaking at an event in Bongaigaon, he said, “Very well done. Tipu-Ipu ko maro ekdum. Jahan bhejna hai, udhar hi bhej do. Samundar mein phek do. (Beat up that Tipu. Send him wherever you want. Throw him in the sea.)” Sarma added that the move was long overdue and thanked NCERT for making the historical corrections.

Further supporting the NCERT changes, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson Vinod Bansal said that historical narratives in India had long been distorted. “How can Akbar be called ‘great’ when Maharana Pratap is hailed for his courage? The glorification of Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Aurangzeb cannot continue unchallenged,” he stated, welcoming the textbook revisions.

Ambekar noted that the changes to textbooks for Classes 1 to 15 are being implemented in phases, with textbooks for Classes 9, 10, and 12 set to reflect revisions next year. He said the updates were a step toward fostering a generation aware of both India’s rich heritage and its historical struggles.