Synopsis Princes and Polity in ancient India is the first book which deals with this subject in detail and in an authoritative manner. Despite the importance of the subject for the study of ancient Indian political institutions, no significant work covering all its main aspects has been produced by any one so far. The present work seeks to fill up this lacuna. It has been acclaimed as a significant contribution to the fund of knowledge of ancient Indian political institutions and history. In this work the author has presented a systematic and comprehensive picture of the whole gamut of problems concerning the place of princes in political life. The author has not only discussed the pattern of education for the royal princes, their role in state administration and theory and practice of royal succession. The book carries two appendices followed by a comprehensive bibliography. The approach of the author is everywhere critical and analytical, and not merely descriptive. Thus, he provides a complete picture of the role of princes in ancient Indian polity – both in theory and practice.