Professor Projit Bihari Mukharji Receives 2024 Pfizer Award for Groundbreaking Book on Race Science in India

New Delhi:

Professor Projit Bihari Mukharji has received the 2024 Pfizer Award from the History of Science Society (HSS). He is a historian and Head of the History Department at Ashoka University.

Mukharji’s book, Brown Skins, White Coats: Race Science in India, 1920–66, explores the links between race, science, colonialism, and nationalism in India. It examines how scientific practices connected with racial ideas during the colonial period.

The Pfizer Award is given yearly to recognize a book that advances the history of science. Mukharji’s research is praised for its originality and in-depth analysis of historical narratives related to genetic studies and healthcare in South Asia.

In his study, Mukharji shows how India transformed race science within its own context, highlighting its role in postcolonial nation-building. This perspective contrasts with a Western-dominated view of science history.

After winning the award, Professor Mukharji expressed his gratitude. He stated, “I am thrilled that my work has made a meaningful contribution to a broader understanding of global medical history.”

Published on November 18, 2024.