'Indian-British Connections' extends the public remit and international impact of the AHRC-funded collaborative research project 'Making Britain: South Asian Visions of Home and Abroad 1870-1950'. Drawing on the proven success of the UK exhibition (touring 2010-11), the new project proposes a diverse range of new activities to generate further dissemination of Making Britain's findings in India and Britain. Featuring rich visual evidence as a powerful conduit to provoke dialogue on a history that has largely existed outside orthodox frames, it will swivel the perspective to examine India's role within Britain (rather than Britain's well documented imperial influence in India) creating in particular a display reconfigured for Indian audiences. This exhibition will trace a transverse lineage of Indian-British interactions across the race, class, gender divide and draw public attention to the complex realities of both countries' intertwined histories. The impact of the 12-panel display will be enhanced by a catalogue, talks, workshops and learning materials. These activities will direct attention to the depth of research underpinning the project and the many stories of political, social & cultural consequence underlying it. Simultaneously, in the UK, the BL will add new online content(microsite/timeline) to the BL Learning website. A photographic history drawing on UK/India collections will expand the visual narrative and further enhance public understanding of the mixed heritage of present-day Britain. These activities respond directly to major national and international demand generated by the project's many substantive, path-breaking outputs (interactive database, academic publications, workshops, conference, UK exhibition) and by academic and public audiences during Making Britain's final phase. In June 2010, India and Britain signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote cultural exchange. This timely agreement directly involved several major museums in Britain, including the BL, which highlighted the project in a joint press statement released by the Dept. for Culture, Media and Sport. In June 2010, the British Council requested 4 preview panels to display at a reception in Delhi for the UK government delegation's visit. Subsequently 'Making Britain' benefited from considerable public and media interest evidenced by the Guardian's commissioning of an interactive timeline on South Asian Britain for their World News webpage (Sept. 2010). The proposed follow-on public engagement activities are directly encouraged by this response and the BC's keen interest to co-ordinate the exhibition tour in India. Led by the OU (Nasta, PI Making Britain), the project will continue its successful working relationship with the BL and pioneering historian Dr Visram (senior consultant; original project). In addition, it will develop productive new networks and knowledge exchange partnerships across the cultural, heritage, museum and education sectors. The timing is auspicious, given the keen support from museum partners as well as RCUK's 'India strategy' which aims to promote Arts and Humanities research links between India and Britain. Professional affiliations with the British Museum, British Council (India), National Archives of India, RCUK (India), and Southbank Centre (London) are established and link a large network of internationally distinguished scholars, educationalists and curators, bringing new perspectives and value. By its focus on specific Indian British interactions which illustrate how these early South Asians shaped Britain's cultural, political and economic life, 'Indian British Connections' will complicate and add graphic depth to contemporary understandings of 'diaspora' and 'migration'. This will fill a major gap in public knowledge of the significant contributions this population made to the formation of the UK's long multicultural history and the makings of present-day post-colonial India and Britain.