An Outstanding National Atlas

Summary

This review examines the Preliminary Hindi Edition of the National Atlas of India (1957), edited by S. P. Chatterjee, a pioneering cartographic project initiated under India’s Second Five‑Year Plan to provide an essential resource inventory for national planning. Produced in just twelve months under severe constraints of trained personnel, the atlas leveraged the printing facilities of the Survey of India. Its 26 large‑format color sheets (30 × 26 inches) are drawn at a uniform scale of 1:5,000,000 and anticipate the national conversion to the metric system by adopting metres, kilometres, hectares and metric tons. While all maps are in Hindi to promote the national language, English translations of map keys and an English‑labelled outline map are provided to ensure international usability. Thematic coverage spans administrative divisions (over 3,000 units), physical relief with flood‑prone areas, climate based on 3,000 station records, geology, forests, cash crops linked to associated industries, livestock related to population density and arable land, transport networks with passenger‑flow and accessibility data, and social features such as literacy and higher‑education sites. The plates often integrate related phenomena innovatively, demonstrating advanced cartographic techniques. Although designated preliminary, the atlas constitutes a clear national overview that complements ongoing detailed land‑use surveys. A larger atlas of over 300 plates is already in preparation. This work stands as a milestone in thematic mapping, successfully blending national aspirations with scientific rigour and practical international utility.