Historian · Teacher · Author
Dr. Hukam Chand Jain
For nearly forty years he has written the history books that students across India study from: on the modern world, on India, and on his own Rajasthan. In Hindi, English and Marathi.
The words that come out come from the soul, and go straight into the reader’s heart.
- 1978began teaching history
- 1986his first book
- 20+books written
- 36editions of his Rajasthan history
- 3languages: Hindi, English, Marathi
- 10Ph.D. scholars guided
इतिहास में एक जीवन
A life in history
Hukam Chand Jain was born in Jaipur in 1955 and grew up in Jhalawar. He lost his father at seventeen, turned down a secure job to keep studying, and became one of the most widely read writers of history in Hindi. This is his life, chapter by chapter.
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1955
Born in Jaipur
The fifth child of a family with roots in Kota, where his grandfather served the princely state. He grew up and went to school in Jhalawar.
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At 17
Loses his father
His elder brother takes charge of his education, and he moves to Jaipur to study history.
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1978
A turning point
He completes his M.Phil. on the Jain community of Jaipur and begins teaching at Vijaynagar College, Ajmer. A close friend’s decision to become a Jain monk changes how he sees his own life.
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1982
First in merit
Selected by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission, first in merit, as a college lecturer in History. For eight years he cycles to college.
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1986
The first book
Written in Hindi, when the language had no serious book on modern world history. It soon found readers among civil-services aspirants in Delhi.
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1997
Head of History, Govt. College, Kota
He leads the department until 2013, and convenes the University of Kota’s Board of Studies in History for 13 years.
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2004
Ph.D.
On the work of ‘Itihas Martand’ Gaurishankar Hirachand Ojha, the great historian of Rajasthan. Later published in Hindi and English.
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2009
Maharana Kumbha Award
From the Maharana Mewar Foundation, Udaipur, for building public awareness through history writing.
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2015
Principal
He retires from government service and the same year becomes Principal of Aklank Girls PG College, Kota (2015–2019).
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2025
29th edition of his world history
A History of the Modern World, first written in the 1980s, reaches its 29th Hindi edition, alongside 18 in English. Civil-services aspirants are still reading it nearly forty years on.
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Today
Still writing
An English edition of his Rajasthan history appeared in 2025 and a new Desk Book in 2026. He serves on the Academic Council of the University of Rajasthan.
प्रमुख कृति
The world history book India’s civil-services aspirants grew up with
A History of the Modern World, 1500–2000 · with Dr. Krishna Chandra Mathur · Hindi, English and Marathi
First written in Hindi in the 1980s, when aspirants had no serious book on the subject in their own language, it has been revised for decades and is still on UPSC reading lists for General Studies Paper I and the History optional.
- 29Hindi editions
- 18English editions
- 733reader ratings on Amazon
- 4.3★average rating
Recommended by
- Testbook“Recommended by UPSC CSE toppers” for GS Paper I and the History optional
- Anantam IAS“Exhaustive and reliable”, with depth on revolutions and the World Wars
- CivilsdailyAmong the history books suggested by all-India rankers
- PW Only IASA standard choice for GS Paper I world history
What readers say
- ★★★★★
Covers the entire UPSC world-history syllabus systematically.
English edition · 2026 - ★★★★★
The best book for the UPSC History optional.
English edition, 18th ed. · 2024 - ★★★★★
Simple language, and very helpful for the UPSC optional.
Hindi edition · 2022 - ★★★★★
Very good for detailed world history; relevant for optional and honours students.
Hindi edition · 2023 - ★★★★☆
Helpful for postgraduate students too.
English edition · 2024 - ★★★★★
Extensive coverage of the period before the World Wars.
English edition · 2023
Reader comments from Amazon.in, summarised. Ratings as of November 2026: English edition 4.4★ from 471 ratings, Hindi edition 4.2★ from 262. Most booklists suggest pairing it with Norman Lowe for GS and using it as the detailed reference.
उनकी पुस्तकें
His books
More than twenty books, from UPSC preparation to the Class 10 classroom, many reprinted for decades.
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उनके अपने शब्दों में
In his own words
A 72-minute conversation in Hindi (2025) about his childhood, the choices that shaped him, and why he still writes by hand.
Jump to a moment
पीढ़ियों ने पढ़ा
Read by generations of students
Teachers and readers review his books on YouTube. More are in the video library.
सम्मान एवं पुरस्कार
Honours
- 2009Maharana Kumbha AwardMaharana Mewar Foundation, Udaipur
- 2009Honoured for his contribution to educationPandit Naval Kishore Sharma, former Governor of Gujarat
- 2013Works held in the US Library of CongressWashington DC
- 2022Jain Dharma Ratna InternationalJain World Mission, New Delhi