Five partitions that shaped South Asia
Sam Dalrymple explains how, in just a few decades, the British Raj shattered along five partitions – from Burma’s separation in 1937 to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971
If you were to look down at South Asia from space at night, you would see a bright scar stretching more than 2,000 miles. This is the border between India and Pakistan – a division established within living memory. Speaking with Danny Bird, Sam Dalrymple explains how, in just a few decades, the British Raj shattered along five partitions, from Burma’s separation in 1937 to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, and uncovers stories of migration, memory and resilience that continue to echo through South Asia today.
Sam Dalrymple is the author of Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia (William Collins, 2025).
Authors
Danny Bird is Content Producer for BBC History Magazine and was previously staff writer for BBC History Revealed. He joined the History team in 2022. Fascinated with the past since childhood, Danny completed his History BA at the University of Sheffield, developing a special interest in the Spanish Civil War and the Paris Commune. He subsequently gained his History MA from University College London, studying at its School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES)