Gyan Prakash

Gyan Prakash is the Dayton-Stockton Professor of History at Princeton University, where he holds an office in Dickinson Hall. He is currently on leave until 2025–26. His academic career bridges India and the U.S., with expertise in modern Indian history, colonial modernity, postcolonial thought, and urban studies. He directed the Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies from 2003 to 2008, leading programs on urban history, utopia/dystopia, and fear. His research spans colonialism, science, and global historiography, with a focus on South Asia.

Education:

• B.A. (Honors) in History, University of Delhi
• M.A. in History, Jawaharlal Nehru University
• Ph.D. in History, University of Pennsylvania

Research Interests: Colonialism/postcolonialism, urban modernity, global historiography, science in colonial contexts, and intellectual history. He explores how colonial legacies shape modern South Asian societies and global frameworks.

Publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, including *Emergency Chronicles* (winner of the Ramnath Goenka Award), *Mumbai Fables* (adapted into the film *Bombay Velvet*), and works on dystopian urban imagery.

Awards: Recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award for Best Non-Fiction Book (2019). His scholarship appears in academic journals and mainstream media like *The Nation*, *Times of India*, and *India Today*.

Advising and Leadership: Advised numerous graduate students in modern South Asian history and colonial/postcolonial theory. Directed the Davis Center’s influential programs and contributed to Subaltern Studies Collective until its 2008 dissolution. Collaborated on global history projects and edited key volumes in the field.

Labs/Teams: Central figures in the Davis Center’s initiatives and Subaltern Studies Collective. His work often intersects with interdisciplinary teams in history, urban studies, and cultural theory.