This is the second volume of the Indian history series, From Indus to Independence. This volume covers the period considered the Classical Age to around 600 A.D. It was during this period that the Imperial Gupta dynasty created what can only be described as a Golden Age. The volume also investigates the developments in the fields of art, architecture, literature and philosophy while also examining the immense influence that the Indian kingdoms exercised over South-East Asia. It also examines the lesser known dynasties that ruled smaller kingdoms for brief periods of time, but exerted a great deal of influence on the flow of history. There is also direct reference to the events that were taking place in Peninsular India, a part of Indian history that is often neglected in the broader analysis. This volume stands out for its careful and consistent recounting of the lesser known parts of Indian history in a holistic manner.

Dr Sanu Kainikara is an ex-fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force and currently a practising Military Strategist residing in Canberra, Australia. His PhD in International Politics was awarded by the University of Adelaide in Australia. Sanu has been a long-term student of Indian history and for the past few years been in the process of writing the history of India as part of a Blog that he maintains as 'Musings on Politics and History. An edited version of some essays from the Blog has already been published as the first Volume of the series on Indian history.Sanu is the author of 11 books on national security and strategy, and the employment of military forces with a focus on air power. He has also published a number of papers on national security strategy in reputed international journals and also presented numerous papers, on invitation, in International Conferences around the world.