There are two ways the truth issue references in this case can be viewed: 

1. 'Itihasa' as a category by itself not translated as myth or legend or any such thing:

The recent one I remember is this article in the lines of itihasa versus history debate:

https://www.academia.edu/9462514/What_Do_Indians_Need_a_History_or_the_Past_A_challenge_or_two_to_Indian_historians_Parts_I_and_II

2. The 'truth' aspect for 'myth'  discussed in Kant and Kantian works may also be useful as a theoretical/philosophical starting point. 

-N



--
Nagaraj Paturi
 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
 
Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies
 
FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,
 
(Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )