Nandini Das, an Indian-born author, has won the British Academy Book Prize for 2023

Nandini Das, an Indian-born novelist, has won the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding for her debut novel, ‘Courting India: England, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire

Nandini Das, an India-born author, has won the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, a major international non-fiction prize, for her debut book, ‘Courting India: England, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire.’ This magnificent production, heralded as the “true origin story of Britain and India told through England’s first diplomatic mission to the Mughal courts,” took first place this year at the British Academy in London.

Nandini Das: A New Look at the Origins of Empire

Nandini Das, a 49-year-old academic and Professor of English at the University of Oxford, has ventured to offer a new viewpoint on the British Empire’s beginnings. Her work looks into the historical story of the entrance of Sir Thomas Roe, the first English envoy in India, in the early 17th century. In doing so, Das offers a new perspective on the complicated interactions between England and Mughal India, creating the framework for the empire that would eventually emerge.

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Fostering Cultural Understanding Through the British Academy Book Prize

The British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding was founded in 2013, replacing the Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize. Its purpose is to recognise and honour outstanding works of nonfiction that demonstrate academic rigour and originality while also advancing public understanding of diverse world cultures and their interactions. This prize, now in its 11th year, continues to recognise works that promote global cultural understanding at a time when cross-cultural understanding is more important than ever.

Recognising and Rewarding Excellence

As the winner of the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, Nandini Das will receive GBP 25,000. However, the honours do not stop there. Kris Manjapra, Tania Branigan, Daniel Foliard, Irene Vallejo, and Dimitris Xygalatas are among the shortlisted authors, and each will receive GBP 1,000 for their outstanding contributions to nonfiction literature.