Ashoka University announces the winners of the 2026 History Prizes

The Department annually awards three prizes named in memory of eminent scholars of Indian history, which have been endowed by Permanent Black, one of the country’s most well-known academic publishing imprints, and a donor who wishes to remain unnamed. While The Dharmanand Kosambi Memorial Book Prize is awarded to the best student in Ancient and Early Medieval Indian History, The Simon Digby Memorial Book Prize is given to the best student in Medieval and Early Modern Indian History, and The Sarvepalli Gopal Memorial Book Prize is awarded to the best student in Modern Indian History. The Dharmanand Kosambi Memorial Book Prize, which has been instituted by Permanent Black (along with The Sarvepalli Gopal Memorial Book Prize), is funded partially by a bequest from Kosambi’s granddaughter, the sociologist and historian Meera Kosambi. 

This year, the prize winners are:

1. The Dharmanand Kosambi Memorial Book Prize to Aneesh Sriram

2. The Simon Digby Memorial Book Prize to

a) Chitrakshi Siwach

b) Twisha Sangwan

c) Nikita Kapoor

3. The Simon Digby Memorial Book Prize to

a) Chandranshu Yadav

b) Neer Singhroha

c)  Ashaz Husain Mohammed