Umar Khalid’s book ‘Fractured Communities’ to be available free on Kindle

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader and UAPA undertrial prisoner Umar Khalid’s first book, ‘Fractured Communities’, has been made available for free on Kindle for a limited time, allowing readers access to his doctoral research conducted during years marked by legal challenges and imprisonment.

Published by Juggernaut Books, the book is based on Khalid’s PhD thesis submitted at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The work explores the history of Adivasi communities in Singhbhum and questions broad portrayals of indigenous groups as a single, unified force resisting colonial rule, Maktoob Media reported.

The book features a foreword by historian Ramachandra Guha and an afterword by sociologist Nandini Sundar.

The Kindle edition can be accessed free of charge from June 20 to June 27 through Amazon. Supporters of Khalid have encouraged readers to share the book and engage with his academic work.

Khalid continues to remain in prison as an undertrial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, where his bail pleas have not been granted.

He completed his doctoral research at JNU after facing sedition allegations and disciplinary proceedings during his student years, a period that coincided with the development of the research behind the book.