Manu Bhagavan

Manu Bhagavan is a Professor of History at Hunter College, CUNY, affiliated with the School of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on modern India, international affairs, and the interplay of human rights, nationalism, and sovereignty. He holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.

• Education: PhD in History, University of Texas at Austin

He specializes in 20th-century late-colonial and post-colonial India, with notable works including a definitive biography of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (forthcoming 2025) and The Peacemakers (2012), which examines India’s role in shaping global human rights frameworks. His research integrates archival materials from seven countries and five languages.

His publications span edited volumes on Cold War dynamics, subaltern studies, and decolonization, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. Bhagavan has received prestigious awards, including the ACLS Fellowship (2006) and Hunter’s Presidential Scholarship Award (2023).

• Media Contributions: Commentator on CNN, BBC, NPR, and Al Jazeera; viral Quartz essay on authoritarianism (2016)
• Leadership Roles: Chair of Roosevelt House Human Rights Program, President of Society for Advancing South Asian History

He advises organizations like WGRN (global governance) and One World or None (democracy advocacy), demonstrating commitment to academic-policy intersections.