This is the third volume in the Indian history series of books with the generic title, From Indus to Independence: A Trek Through Indian History. It takes up the narrative from the decline of Gupta power when the sub-continent was slipping into chaos, although the Vardhana dynasty stemmed the tide for a limited time. This volume, 'The Disintegration of Empires', examines the dynasties that ruled the Deccan with great aplomb-the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas. It elaborates the progression of the Pallavas and the Pandyas, Cheras and Cholas, who flourished in the Deep South-the Tamil Country. The book covers the glorious reign of the Chalukyas; the story of the gifted Chola kings and their cultural colonisation of the South-East Asian archipelago; the rivalry between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas that led to the decay of both the dynasties; the glory of the Pandyas; the struggle of the Cheras; and the manifestation of Kautilya's Mandala Theory.