New Delhi: Professor Projit Bihari Mukharji, a historian and Head of the History Department at Ashoka University, has been honored with the 2024 Pfizer Award by the History of Science Society (HSS).
His acclaimed book, Brown Skins, White Coats: Race Science in India, 1920–66, delves into the complex intersections of race, science, colonialism, and nationalism in India. The work provides a meticulous analysis of how scientific practices were deeply intertwined with racial ideologies during the colonial era.
The Pfizer Award, presented annually by HSS, recognises the book that significantly contributes to the understanding of the history of science. Professor Mukharji’s groundbreaking research has received widespread praise for its originality, depth, and critical exploration of historical narratives in genetic studies and healthcare systems in South Asia.
In this compelling study, Mukharji demonstrates how India appropriated and redefined race science within its national and regional contexts, positioning these adaptations as pivotal elements of postcolonial nation-building rather than mere footnotes to a Western-dominated history of science.
On receiving the prestigious award, Professor Mukharji expressed his gratitude, stating: “I am thrilled that my work has made a meaningful contribution to a broader understanding of global medical history.”
