Professor Aditya Mukherjee is a distinguished historian known for his extensive work on modern and contemporary Indian history, particularly the political economy of colonialism and post-colonial development. He served at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, for over four decades, where he taught at the Centre for Historical Studies and held numerous leadership positions. He retired in 2018 but remains active in academic and public discourse.

Professor Mukherjee completed his early education at St. Xavier’s School, Delhi, and went on to study economics at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. He later shifted his academic focus to history, earning an M.A. in Modern History from JNU. His exceptional performance at the M.Phil. level, securing the highest possible grade, led to a direct promotion to the Ph.D. program, which he completed at the same university.

Throughout his academic career, Professor Mukherjee took on several administrative roles. He served as the Chairperson of the Centre for Historical Studies (2004–2006), Director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advanced Study (2006–2012), Dean of the School of Social Sciences (2013–2015), and Director of the Academic Staff College (1997–2004). He was also appointed Editor of the Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru and was a member of the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) from 2009 to 2015.

His research focuses on the development of Indian capitalism, the impact of imperialism, and the ideological currents shaping post-independence India. His widely read books include India’s Struggle for Independence and India After Independence (both co-authored), Imperialism, Nationalism and the Making of the Indian Capitalist Class 1927–1947, and RSS, School Texts and The Murder of Mahatma Gandhi: The Hindu Communal Project. He has also edited and contributed to major volumes such as A Centenary History of the Indian National Congress, 1964–1984.

Professor Mukherjee has published over 50 scholarly articles and delivered more than 75 lectures and seminars around the world. He has held visiting positions and fellowships at international institutions including Duke University (USA), the University of Tokyo (Japan), Lancaster University (UK), and the Institute of Advanced Study in Nantes (France) and São Paulo (Brazil). He has also served on editorial boards such as those of International Review of Sociology, International Journal of Asian Studies, and Studies in People’s History. In recognition of his scholarly contributions, he was elected General President of the Indian History Congress for the term 2023–2024.