Less than a century ago, a vast stretch of Asia – from India to Yemen – was bound together under the British Empire. Then, in just 50 years, five partitions tore it apart, creating new nations, displacing millions, and igniting conflicts that still shape the region today.

Sam Dalrymple, historian, journalist, and co-founder of Project Dastaan, has spent years tracing the untold stories of these partitions. With deep archival research and first-hand interviews across South Asia, he uncovers the political manoeuvring, forgotten battles, and human costs behind the largest unmaking of an empire in modern history.

From Kashmir to the Rohingya crisis, the echoes of these partitions still define borders, identities, and conflicts today. Join us for a timely discussion on colonial legacies, migration, and how history continues to shape the world we live in.

Event Schedule

6:00pm: Pre-event socialising and networking

A cash bar will be available for refreshments.

6:15pm: Event begins

7:30pm: Event ends

Speakers:

Sam Dalrymple is a Delhi-raised Scottish historian, filmmaker and multimedia producer. He graduated from Oxford University as a Persian and Sanskrit scholar. In 2018, he co-founded Project Dastaan, a peace-building initiative that reconnects refugees displaced by the 1947 Partition of India. His debut film, Child of Empire, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022 and his animated series Lost Migrations sold out at the BFI the same year. His work has been published in The New York Times, Spectator and featured in TIME, the New Yorker and Economist. He is a columnist for Architectural Digest and in 2025, Travel & Leisure named him ‘Champion of the Travel Narrative’. Shattered Lands is his first book.