Why is it in the news?

• India-born author Nandini Das wins the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding for her book ‘Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire’.

More about the news

About the Book

• Depiction: True origin story of Britain and India during England’s first diplomatic mission to the Mughal courts.
• Focus: Arrival of the first English ambassador in India, Sir Thomas Roe, in the early 17th century.
• Unique approach: Uses sources from both Indian and British figures, capturing the early encounters and the associated misunderstandings.
• Main Themes: Emergence of mutual understanding despite challenges; contrast between Britain and the Mughal Empire.

British Academy Book Prize Details

• Formerly known as Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize.
• Established in 2013.