Peter Bisschop

Peter Bisschop is a Professor of Sanskrit and Ancient Cultures of South Asia at Leiden University’s Institute for Area Studies. His research focuses on the historical development of Hindu religious traditions, particularly Śaivism, through philological analysis of Sanskrit texts and material culture. He leads major projects like the ERC-funded PURANA and Asia Beyond Boundaries. His supervision includes PhD candidates working on South Asian religious and cultural topics.

Education: MA Philosophy and Indology (Groningen, 1998), PhD (Groningen, 2004), postdoctoral fellowships at Oxford and Edinburgh. Awards include an ERC Advanced Grant (2022) and leadership in multiple research initiatives.

Research emphasizes Purāṇa literature, Skandapurāṇa editions, and the intersection of mythology with religious agency. He edits Indo-Iranian Journal and contributes to critical editions of Sanskrit texts.