One of the most authentic depictions of South Asian history. I am a Poli Sci & IDS major so History isn't my strongest suit, but I loved this class and found it very easy to follow despite not having a history background. Professor is incredibly funny and his lectures are fun and engaging. Would love to take a class with him again before graduating.

I am a grad student who attended this class on the recommendation of a friend and enrolled immediately after the first lecture. I admit to generally being uninterested in history, yet this class is one of the best that I have taken hands down. The lectures were always engaging, often challenged/changed my opinion on beliefs I previously held, and every argument made by prof. Lal held solid ground. I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in South Asia or is of South Asian descent as the class sheds light on a lot of intertwined history and culture that makes the region, and its people, what it is today.

I am shocked that people are not lining up to take Prof. Lal's classes! (I took his 175c, which for some reason is not listed here.) He is a celebrity in the Indian history arena, and a FANTASTIC professor everyone should take at UCLA, regardless of their major. The class requirements are very reasonable, and the lectures are incredibly engaging. He maintains eye contact with students and explains things multiple times so those who don't have much background in Indian history can understand. He has many lectures and writings on his YT channel & blog, which are resources I would definitely utilize if you are interested in Indian history beyond the class material. He is also available outside of class and is willing to chat with you on political/historical/economic topics you're interested in. Prof. Lal has a deep understanding of world history that is rare to find. Even if you don't care about history, after this class you will start finding it interesting. I cannot say enough good things about his lectures, you have to take the class to understand. If you want to sample his lectures, look up Vinay Lal on YouTube and watch his lectures online. If you like them, they're a hundred times better in person. TAKE HIS CLASS!!!! We're lucky to be attending UCLA at a time he's teaching here!!!

I took 175-C with Professor Vinay Lal and it was one of the more interesting classes I have taken at UCLA. I had no understanding of India's history and the relations between Hindu's and Muslims, but the readings that were provided - while difficult to understand sometimes - were super insightful and informative. The workload was fairly easy in the sense that it was four 2 page papers discussing the reading(s) that we were assigned. The part of these assignments I found difficult was the actual writing aspect of it. Professor Lal challenges a students way of thinking and wants you to question what the reading is talking about, while furthering the analysis of the paper. While I found this aspect challenging, some students may not and if you are like me, he is very generous and will meet up to discuss strategies to better a students writing and understand. This is a prime example of a class that is you get out what you put in. Walking out of this class understanding a topic I had no prior knowledge of and a new way of thinking, not only about History but all academic topics, is rewarding. I would recommend to take this class if you are ready to put in the work.

I took HIST175C: Hindu-Muslim Interactions in Pre-modern and Modern India with Professor Lal this quarter, and I had an incredible experience. Professor Lal is the most engaging lecturer I've had during my time at UCLA; he doesn't use slides, but his energy, speaking style, and diversity of content made class very engrossing. I never felt bored or distracted during lecture. His passion and depth of knowledge for the subject matter was clear in every class, and I always feel I learn better when an instructor's care is so evident.

The course covers several centuries of Hindu-Muslim relations, from the pre-modern period, through the colonial era, through present-day. Though I'm not a History major, I felt grounded in the material, and I particularly appreciated how the professor connected historical events to India's current political climate. This course feels very relevant and important to understanding the rise of Hindu nationalism in India today.

The workload is manageable: weekly readings, 3-4 short written responses over the course of the quarter, a group project, and an 8-10 page final paper. No exams, which I appreciated. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in Indian history!

Professor Vinay Lal is hands down one of the greatest lecturers at UCLA. He'll keep you engaged with great stories, and is very welcoming to students who are brand new to learning about India's vast history. He's incredibly passionate about his own material, and it was infectious. I was skeptical about taking a class on India having not known much about it prior -- but after taking 175C with Lal -- I'm now fascinated by the country.

He also relates everything going on in India politically and culturally to contemporary issues in America -- making it easy to understand and highly relatable. Took 175C for my final quarter before graduating -- and it was an awesome way to finish my education. To anyone on the fence about this class, if you see Lal is teaching the course -- or any course for that matter -- JUMP AT IT! He's the type of professor you'll remember for years to come. And he's written multiple books and op-eds -- so it's great to get one-on-one time learning from an academic superstar.

For some reason, 175C isn't listed on Bruinwalk -- but if Lal is teaching the class, I recommend, 10/10.

Teacher is completely unhelpful in creating and turning in assignments. His grading was completely arbitrary and he only gives good grades for those who agree with his personal beliefs, which is not what a professional professor should do. So if you want a good grade in his class find out whatever his personal beliefs are stuck to that!! His readings were all over the spectrum and often full of opinions backed by little evidence. He even assigns you his own personal book for you to buy, which I think is unethical! Long story short I’m so happy to never take any of this teachers classes again. Good luck!

Professor Vinay Lal is a genius! His class was so interesting! It was honestly one of my favorite courses that ive taken at UCLA. He is a truly gifted teacher and i attended all of his classes and many of his office hours. dont get me wrong, his class is challenging...he assigns about 100-125 pages of reading per week...however, the information is engaging. i ended up getting an A in his class, so my advice to you is to do the readings and attend the lectures, and some office hours if you can, and u'll do fine. p.s. he was listed as one of the most dangerous academics in the united states in a book written by a guy named dan horowitz...c'mon, how much more baller can u get?!