© Picador Mishra was a 2014 recipient of the Windham Campbell prize for his non-fiction writing. The committee praised his “new narratives about the evolution of modern Asia.” In 2011, Mishra clashed memorably with the historian Niall Ferguson; reviewing Ferguson’s book Civilisation, Mishra described him as a “retailer of emollient tales about the glorious past.” Ferguson demanded an apology.

Further reading:Pankaj Mishra's official siteThe last EnglishmanThe celebrations to mark 50 years of Indian independence revealed the cultural poverty of the Indo-British encounter. Indians now look to American global culture, writes Pankaj Mishra.New Book in Battle Over East vs. WestJennifer Schuessler discusses Mishra's 2012 work on 19th Century Asia. Pankaj Mishra InterviewExtended Q&A on Mishra's life and work.