First published 1946

The Discovery of India

by Jawaharlal Nehru

The Discovery of India is Jawaharlal Nehru's book on India's past, written in Ahmednagar Fort prison from 1942 to 1945 and first published by Signet Press in Calcutta in 1946. John Day (US) and Meridian Books (UK) also published it, and it inspired the 1988 TV series Bharat Ek Khoj.

Editions tracked
1
First edition
Meridian Books, 1946
First published
Signet Press, Calcutta, 1946
First UK edition
Meridian Books, 1946

The first edition of The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru was published in London by Meridian Books in 1946. We track 1 edition.

Editions

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First edition

  1. 1st Meridian Books1946 Hardback Sold £36 · Oct 2026 I own The Discovery of India, Meridian Books 1946 Log in to want this

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About the book

Awards, adaptations and setting

In print

Editions recorded
44 on Open Library, 31 in English

From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.

Same author

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Frequently asked questions

Who published the first edition of The Discovery of India?

The first edition of The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru was published in London by Meridian Books in 1946.

How many editions of The Discovery of India are there?

We track 1 edition of The Discovery of India, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.

Sources

Where these facts come from

Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 10 November 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.

More pictures

Title page of The Discovery of India in calligraphic lettering, with Jawaharlal Nehru's handwritten signature
A 1946 copy of The Discovery of India, its title page signed by Jawaharlal Nehru.Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain