New Archives and New Narratives : Sanskrit and Indo-Muslim Rule by Prof. Audrey Truschke

We are delighted to introduce Professor Audrey Truschke, a leading historian of South Asia and Professor of South Asian History at Rutgers University–Newark, New Jersey. Her scholarship has significantly reshaped the way we understand the cultural, intellectual, and political landscapes of the Indian subcontinent. She is the author of four acclaimed books, including Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court (2016), Aurangzeb: The Man and the Myth (2017), and The Language of History: Sanskrit Narratives of Indo-Muslim Rule (2021). Her most ambitious work to date, India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent, was published by Princeton University Press in June 2025, written with the support of a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars grant. When she isn’t delving into the world of Mughals, Sanskrit texts, and Hindu–Muslim interactions, Professor Truschke is a powerful public voice calling attention to the misuse of history and ongoing human rights issues in contemporary South Asia. She is also a tireless advocate for academic freedom, and a vocal critic of sexism and Islamophobia. Through her rigorous scholarship, public engagement, and fearless commentary, Professor Audrey Truschke has become one of the most dynamic and influential historians of our time. Disclaimer: The views and arguments presented by the invited speaker in this lecture are their own scholarly and intellectual positions. These perspectives do not, in any way, reflect or represent the official views, ideological positions, or institutional commitments of the organising body. The organisation upholds the principles of academic freedom and free expression, and provides a platform for rigorous debate, dissent, and the exchange of ideas — without endorsing any specific political or ideological position expressed by individual speakers. The organisation strongly condemns any form of trolling, misrepresentation, or targeted personal attacks against speakers. Disagreements, if any, should be expressed through informed, respectful, and scholarly engagement — not through harassment or intimidation, online or offline.