Professor Rajan Gurukkal is a prominent Indian historian and social scientist, noted for his interdisciplinary scholarship in history, social theory, and knowledge production. He obtained his M.A. in History from the University of Calicut in 1972, graduating with top honours. He later pursued advanced research at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, earning his M.Phil. in 1978 and Ph.D. in 1985, both focused on historical socio-economics.

Professor Gurukkal began his academic career at Union Christian College, Aluva, and subsequently joined the Centre for Historical Studies at JNU. In 1988, he became Professor and Director of the School of Social Sciences at Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam, Kerala. He later served as the Vice-Chancellor of MGU from 2008 to 2012. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council.

His research spans early South Indian history, historical human ecology, caste and social formations, and the philosophy of science. He has authored over eleven books—many published by Oxford University Press—and more than 160 scholarly articles. Notable works include Rethinking Classical Indo-Roman Trade (2015) and History and Theory of Knowledge Production (2019).

Professor Gurukkal has held visiting positions at leading institutions, including Humboldt University (Germany), École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (France), and the Indian Institute of Science, and has delivered lectures at universities worldwide. He is also a long-time member of national academic bodies, such as the Indian Council of Historical Research and the Indian National Science Academy.