Mahesh Rangarajan
Encyclopedia
Mahesh Rangarajan is a researcher, author and historian
with a special interest in environmental history and colonial history of British India. He appears frequently on India
n television
as a political analyst. He is also a columnist
in the print media writing on wildlife conservation
, political and environmental issues. In 2010, he led the Elephant task force (Gajah) of the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests. The task force was formed to formulate measures for the protection of elephants in India.
and ISC
from St. Columba's School, Delhi. He then did a Bachelor of Arts
(Honours) from Hindu College
, Delhi University. He received the Rhodes scholarship
in 1986 to do a BA in modern history
from Balliol College at Oxford, which he finished in 1988. He received an M.A.
in modern history from the same college and a DPhil from Nuffield College, Oxford in 1993 on Forest policy in the Central Provinces
.
for a year.
of history at Delhi University. He has taught courses in environmental history and conservation
at several institutions. From 2001 to 2004, he was a visiting faculty at the Department of History, hosted with the Mario Einaudi Centre for International Relations, Cornell University
, where he taught South Asian Environmental History. He has been a Visitor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science
several times where he researched and wrote some of his books. He has helped design courses in wildlife conservation at the National Centre for Biological Sciences and is one of the core faculties in that course and also the syllabus for environmental studies at Delhi University.
He has written several books and articles on politics and history of wildlife conservation, forest rights and environmental history. In the book, Battles over Nature, he analyses present-day conservation conflicts and finds their roots in India’s colonial past and in the governance
system that was adopted as an independent nation state. He was a member of the founding team and corresponding editor of the Cambridge-based journal Environment and History headed by Richard Grove. He is a member of the executive board of the Association of South Asian Environmental Historians.
.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
with a special interest in environmental history and colonial history of British India. He appears frequently on India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
as a political analyst. He is also a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
in the print media writing on wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
, political and environmental issues. In 2010, he led the Elephant task force (Gajah) of the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests. The task force was formed to formulate measures for the protection of elephants in India.
Early life
Mahesh Rangarajan was born in New Delhi and finished his ICSEIndian Certificate of Secondary Education
The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education or ICSE examination is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private, non-governmental board of school education in India, for class 10, i.e., grade 10...
and ISC
Indian School Certificate
The Indian School Certificate is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations for Grade 11, i.e., year 11, until 1976....
from St. Columba's School, Delhi. He then did a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Honours) from Hindu College
Hindu College
-India:*DRBCC Hindu College, Chennai*Gobardanga Hindu College, West Bengal State University, Gobardanga Dist., West Bengal*Gokul Das Hindu Girls College, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh*Hindu College, University of Delhi...
, Delhi University. He received the Rhodes scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
in 1986 to do a BA in modern history
Modern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
from Balliol College at Oxford, which he finished in 1988. He received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in modern history from the same college and a DPhil from Nuffield College, Oxford in 1993 on Forest policy in the Central Provinces
Central Provinces
The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur....
.
Career
Mahesh Rangarajan taught and lectured at Oxford and moved as the Assistant Editor of the The Telegraph (Kolkata)The Telegraph (Kolkata)
The Telegraph is an Indian daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Kolkata since 1982. It is published by the ABP Group and the newspaper vies with the Times of India for the position of having the widest widest circulation of any newspaper in Eastern India.According to the Audit...
for a year.
Teaching and research
He is presently Director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, while on long-leave from his position as ProfessorProfessor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of history at Delhi University. He has taught courses in environmental history and conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
at several institutions. From 2001 to 2004, he was a visiting faculty at the Department of History, hosted with the Mario Einaudi Centre for International Relations, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, where he taught South Asian Environmental History. He has been a Visitor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Science is a research institution of higher learning located in Bangalore, India. It was established in 1909.-History:After a chance meeting between Jamsetji N...
several times where he researched and wrote some of his books. He has helped design courses in wildlife conservation at the National Centre for Biological Sciences and is one of the core faculties in that course and also the syllabus for environmental studies at Delhi University.
He has written several books and articles on politics and history of wildlife conservation, forest rights and environmental history. In the book, Battles over Nature, he analyses present-day conservation conflicts and finds their roots in India’s colonial past and in the governance
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
system that was adopted as an independent nation state. He was a member of the founding team and corresponding editor of the Cambridge-based journal Environment and History headed by Richard Grove. He is a member of the executive board of the Association of South Asian Environmental Historians.
Political commentary
He is a columnist and essayist and writes frequently in the newspapers and magazines. He also appears on television as a political analyst during elections. He is known for his bold and frank commentary on issues and writes analytical articles for Indian and international media.Awards
In 1988, he was awarded the Martin Wright Prize at Balliol College and the Charles Wallace Scholar and Beit Scholar at Nuffield College, Oxford University in 1991. He is a fellow of the Nehru Memorial Museum & LibraryNehru Memorial Museum & Library
The Nehru Memorial Museum & Library is a library in New Delhi, India, which aims to preserve and reconstruct the history of the Indian independence movement. Housed within the Teen Murti House complex, it is an autonomous institution under the Indian Ministry of Culture, and was founded in 1964...
.