Sunil Amrith Appointed Director Of Yale’s Macmillan Center

Photo: Mara Lavitt

India-West News Desk

NEW HAVEN, CT – Sunil Amrith, an Indian historian specializing in South and Southeast Asia, has been appointed the Henry R. Luce Director of Yale University’s Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies. He will assume the role on March 1.

Amrith is the Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and also a professor at the Yale School of Environment. Since 2020, he has been deeply involved in Yale’s MacMillan Center, where he chaired the Council on South Asian Studies. Under his leadership, the center focused on a wide range of topics relevant to South Asia, including climate change, sustainability, and regional literature, reinforcing its global reputation.

Amrith’s work has had significant recognition. His book, The Burning Earth: A History, was named one of The New Yorker’s essential reads of 2024. He has also been the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the 2017 MacArthur Fellowship and the 2022 Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for History.

In his new role, Amrith plans to enhance the MacMillan Center’s global programs and foster interdisciplinary collaborations, with a special emphasis on South Asia’s role in global environmental and academic discussions.

Before joining Yale, Amrith had an impactful academic career at Harvard University. He co-directed the Joint Center for History and Economics, a collaboration between economists, political scientists, and historians. He also served as interim director of the Mahindra Humanities Center at Harvard, navigating challenges such as staffing and leadership transitions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: Mara Lavitt