Jacob Schmidt-Madsen

Jacob Schmidt-Madsen is an External Researcher and Postdoc at the University of Copenhagen, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities through the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies and Department of Political Science. His research bridges religious studies, game theory, and South Asian manuscript traditions, with a focus on historical games as vehicles for cultural and ritual knowledge.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Indology, University of Copenhagen (2019)
• M.A. in Indology, University of Copenhagen (2013)
• B.A. in Indology, University of Copenhagen (2011)

Research Focus: Schmidt-Madsen investigates the intersection of games, religion, and narrative traditions in South Asia. His work analyzes how games like phañjikā and caupaṛ encode cosmological concepts, ritual practices, and social dynamics in medieval India. He specializes in translating Sanskrit manuscripts (e.g., Mānasollāsa) and studying Jain/Vaiṣṇava game designs.

Publications: His recent articles explore board games as cultural artifacts—from Vedic dice rituals to 19th-century royal puzzles. Key themes include the use of games for spiritual enlightenment, erotic symbolism in courtly play, and the preservation of India's ludic heritage. His research employs philological and historical methods to trace game evolution across centuries.