DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

Biography

Jaivardhan Surana is a doctoral student in South Asian History, studying the Persianization of administration, political culture, and ideals of refinement in early modern North India. Drawing on Persian, Hindi, and Rajasthani sources, his research examines how Persianate models of governance, legitimacy, and courtly culture within the Mughal Empire were negotiated, adapted, and reimagined in the Rajput courts.

His broader interests include Mughal and Rajput history, Indo-Persian political thought, vernacular historical traditions, cultural exchange, and the history of ideas in early modern South Asia. He completed his M.A. in History at SOAS University of London, where his dissertation explored Rajasthan’s environmental influence on Mughal warfare, highlighting ecological adaptability and strategic flexibility over military superiority. Beyond academia, he has conducted research on illustrated manuscripts, visual culture, and South Asian intellectual history.