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Putting the Story Back into History
Narratives of Mughal Lives
Speakers
A little over five hundred years ago, in a green valley surrounded by tall mountains, a Timurid prince named Babur was born. Babur’s tumultuous life led him to India, where he laid the foundations of what would become one of the wealthiest empires in the world.
Babur’s descendants would reshape the cuisine, music, art and landscape of their new home, creating a vibrant, syncretic culture of intellectual curiosity and an openness to new influences. Yet, from its zenith in the seventeenth century, the empire would decline swiftly, and end in tragedy three hundred years after it began.
Who were the men and women who peopled this empire? How did their choices influence the course of history? From Humayun, the emperor who looked to the stars for guidance, to Jahangir, the ever-curious traveller, to the tragic figure of Shah Alam II, this session will focus on the triumphs and tragedies of the Timurids, and why their stories still matter.
A talk by the author will be followed by a discussion with Meera Iyer, INTACH and a Q&A session with the audience.
In collaboration with:
Speakers
Ashwitha Jayakumar
Ashwitha Jayakumar is a writer and editor who has written and adapted over a dozen books for readers of all ages. She holds an MSc in Literature and Society: 1688–1900 from the University of Edinburgh and an MA in Medieval Studies from the University of Leeds.
Since starting out in academic publishing over a decade ago, Ashwitha has worn many different hats, from high school English teacher, to research consultant and editor. She is passionate about making history appealing to readers of all ages through nuanced storytelling; her first work of nonfiction was an anthology of biographies, Incredible Indians: 75 People Who Shaped Modern India, published by HarperCollins in 2022.
Her other works include a bestselling series of board books on Indian mythology and culture published by Puffin Books and picture books on science published by Pratham. The Book of Emperors: An Illustrated History of the Mughals is her second work of narrative nonfiction for a general audience.
Meera Iyer
Meera Iyer is a writer, independent researcher, and the Convenor of the Bengaluru Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). She is the author of the popular book Discovering Bengaluru: History. Neighbourhoods. Walks; and the editor of Eleven Stops to the Present, an anthology of children’s historical fiction set in Bengaluru. Meera co-authored the Nomination Dossier to have the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. She is a columnist with the Deccan Herald and has numerous articles on history, heritage and culture in this and other publications, including Seminar, The Hindu, Indian Express, Mind and HIMAL. Meera has a PhD in Forest Ecology from Michigan State University. She loves forests, chocolate and potsherds.
