Famous Indian Historians

Ramachandra Guha is an Indian historian, environmentalist, writer, and public intellectual known for his expertise in social, political, contemporary, environmental, and cricket history, as well as economics. He has held prestigious visiting positions at institutions such as the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Indian Institute of Science. Guha is recognized internationally, with honors like the American Historical Association's Honorary Foreign Member prize. He is a prolific author of major works on modern India, including acclaimed biographies of Mahatma Gandhi and a trustee of the New India Foundation fellowship programme.

Ram Sharan Sharma was an eminent Indian historian and Indologist specializing in the history of Ancient and early Medieval India. He taught at Patna University and Delhi University, served as visiting faculty at the University of Toronto, and was a senior fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Sharma played key roles in expanding the History Department at Delhi University, founding the Indian Council of Historical Research, and influencing historical research in India through various leadership positions and prolific scholarly contributions.

Ziauddin Barani, an Islamic historian, is renowned for his work on medieval India, Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi. Serving as a nadim to Muḥammad ibn Tughluq for 17 years, he was exiled following Tughlaq's deposition, ultimately succumbing to poverty. Barani's writing was influenced by Sufi mysticism, interpreting events as divine interventions. His professional life was characterized by scholarship, historical documentation, and insights into the socio-political landscape of medieval India, leaving a lasting impact on the understanding of the era.

Romila Thapar is an esteemed Indian historian specializing in ancient India, particularly focusing on the mid-first millennium BCE in northern India. She is a Professor Emerita of Ancient History at Jawaharlal Nehru University in South West Delhi. Thapar is renowned for her use of social-historical methods to analyze the transition of Indo-Aryan pastoral groups into caste-based states in the Gangetic Plain. With significant contributions to the field through publications like "From Lineage to State" and "Early India: From Origins to AD 1300," Thapar has been honored with numerous prestigious awards and honorary doctorates for her exceptional scholarship and expertise.

Sugata Bose is an Indian historian specializing in South Asian and Indian Ocean history. He has taught at universities in the United States, including Tufts University and Harvard University. Bose is also the director of the Netaji Research Bureau in Kolkata, India, dedicated to the life of his great uncle, Indian nationalist Subhas Chandra Bose. He is the author of several books, such as "His Majesty's Opponent" and "A Hundred Horizons." Additionally, Bose served as a Member of India's Parliament representing the Jadavpur Constituency in West Bengal from 2014 to 2019 with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Dipesh Chakrabarty is an Indian historian and prominent figure in postcolonial theory and subaltern studies. He holds the position of Lawrence A. Kimpton Distinguished Service Professor in history at the University of Chicago. Chakrabarty was honored with the 2014 Toynbee Prize for his notable academic and public contributions to humanity. He is renowned for his influential work "Provincializing Europe: Postcolonial Thought and Historical Difference" (2000), which has made a significant impact in the field.

Rajmohan Gandhi is an accomplished Indian biographer, historian, and politician. He serves as a research professor at the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Additionally, he is a scholar in residence at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. Over the years, he has been actively involved in politics, having joined Janata Dal in 1989 and later the Aam Aadmi Party in 2014. He has contested in various elections, including a notable run in the East Delhi constituency.

Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, author, journalist, political commentator, and Marxist intellectual. He serves as the executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, Editor of LeftWord Books, and Chief Correspondent at Globetrotter. Prashad is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has held academic positions at Trinity College and is known for his critiques of capitalism, neocolonialism, American exceptionalism, and Western imperialism, while advocating for communism and the global south. Additionally, he is affiliated with organizations like the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and co-founded the Forum of Indian Leftists.

Jadunath Sarkar, a renowned Indian historian specializing in the Mughal dynasty, transitioned from teaching English literature to focusing on historical research and writing. With a deep understanding of the Persian language, he authored numerous books in English. Serving as the vice-chancellor of the University of Calcutta from 1926 to 1928 and as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1929 to 1932, Sarkar was knighted by the British in 1929 for his significant contributions to the field of history.

Hari Shankar Vasudevan was an accomplished Indian historian, writer, and emeritus professor known for his significant contributions to the history of Europe, India-Russia relations, and Russian and Central Asian history. He served as the president of the Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata and was a prolific author, with his last publication focusing on the nationalist revolutionaries, Bolshevik power, and Lord Curzon's Nightmare in relation to the October Revolution. His work has been published in multiple parts and volumes, showcasing the global impact of Russia's Great War and Revolution.

Abul A'la al-Maududi was a prominent Islamic scholar and activist known for his extensive contributions to various disciplines such as Qur'anic exegesis, hadith, law, philosophy, and history. He founded the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami and played a key role in opposing the partition of India during the independence movement. Maududi focused on reviving and propagating what he believed to be "true Islam," advocating for the institution of sharia and the preservation of Islamic culture. He influenced General Zia-ul-Haq to introduce Islamization in Pakistan and received the King Faisal International Award for his service to Islam.

Minhaj al-Siraj Juzjani was a 13th-century Persian historian known for his work during the Mamluk Sultanate of Delhi in northern India. He immigrated to Ucch and Delhi in 1227, where he became the principal historian. Juzjani's writings included accounts of the Ghurid dynasty, and he notably authored the Tabaqat-i Nasiri for Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah of Delhi in 1260 CE. His professional life was dedicated to documenting historical events and dynastic histories, contributing valuable insights to the understanding of the time period.

Bhai Gurdas was a prominent Sikh writer, historian, and preacher known for his service as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht. He played a crucial role in the compilation of the early version of Guru Granth Sahib, serving as the original scribe under Guru Arjan's guidance. His professional life was dedicated to preserving and disseminating Sikh teachings through his writings and preaching. Bhai Gurdas contributed significantly to the Sikh community's spiritual and historical legacy, leaving a lasting impact on Sikh literature and religious practices.

William Dalrymple is an India-based Scottish historian and art historian, known for his work as an activist, curator, broadcaster, and critic. He is a co-founder of the Jaipur Literature Festival and has received numerous awards for his books, including prestigious prizes like the Wolfson Prize for History and the Duff Cooper Memorial Prize. Dalrymple has curated major exhibitions, such as "Princes and Painters in Mughal Delhi," and has been recognized with honors like the President's Medal of the British Academy. He is highly regarded in the academic and literary world for his contributions to history and the arts.

Irfan Habib is an Indian historian specializing in ancient and medieval India, known for his Marxist approach to economic history. He has written several influential books, including "Agrarian System of Mughal India, 1556–1707" and "Atlas of the Mughal Empire." Habib is recognized for his opposition to Hindutva and Islamic fundamentalism. He is the driving force behind the "A People's History of India" series as its general editor, with ongoing releases. Collaborating with Faiz Habib, he has also co-authored works like "Atlas of Ancient Indian History."

Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was a prolific Hindi novelist, literary historian, essayist, critic, and scholar. He delved into various subjects, including medieval religious movements in India, particularly Kabir and Natha Sampradaya. Proficient in multiple languages such as Sanskrit, Bengali, Punjabi, and Gujarati, he possessed deep knowledge of traditional languages like Pali, Prakrit, and Apabhramsa. Dwivedi's expertise in Sanskrit literature allowed him to bridge the gap between the past and present, offering insightful commentary on Indian literary traditions. His notable achievements include receiving the Padma Bhushan in 1957 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1973.

Abdul Qadir Badayuni was a prominent Indian writer, historian, and translator who lived during the Mughal Empire. His professional life was marked by his significant contributions to Persian literature through the translation of Hindu works such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata (known as Razmnama). Badayuni played a crucial role in bridging cultural and literary gaps between the Hindu and Persian traditions, showcasing his expertise in translation and his deep understanding of both cultures. His work continues to be studied and appreciated for its historical and literary value.