Indian-Origin Historian Sunil Amrith Wins Prestigious British Academy Book Prize For 'The Burning Earth'

New Delhi: Indian-origin historian Sunil Amrith has been awarded the prestigious British Academy Book Prize 2025 for his latest work, ‘The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years’. Amrith was honoured with the award at a ceremony held at the British Academy in London. His book was chosen from a shortlist of six exceptional entries and eventually made its way to the honour. 

Amrith's book explores the intricate relationships between human history and environmental transformation over the past five centuries, offering valuable insights into the current climate crisis. Notably, the £25,000 prize recognises outstanding non-fiction books that enhance the human understanding of the world. 

Amrith's Book Offers Vivid Account

A professor of History at Yale University, Amrith brings a unique global perspective to his research. Born in Kenya to South Indian parents, educated in Singapore and Cambridge, he weaves together centuries of human experience and environmental transformation. His book offers a vivid account of how colonisation, industrialisation, and shifting settlement patterns have fuelled today's climate crisis.

Judges praised ‘The Burning Earth' as a vital read, with Professor Rebecca Earle, chair of the judges, describing it as a magisterial account of the interconnections between human history and environmental transformation. Earle outlined Amrith's scholarship, stating, "He reveals the impact of the environment on human history, as well as our impact on the environment. In fact, as he shows, it's not really possible to separate these two."

Amrith's research spans continents and centuries, covering events from the conquest of the Americas to British gold mining in South Africa, the Black Death, and World War II. 

Sunil Amrith Sought More Hopeful Future

In his acceptance speech, Sunil Amrith acknowledged the book's portrayal of human and environmental harm but stressed his hope that readers would discover inspiration for a more sustainable and harmonious way of living on the planet. He encouraged readers to explore alternative paths and forgotten ideas, seeking a more hopeful future.

He said, "I've sometimes been asked whether 'The Burning Earth' is a bleak book. There's no doubt it details a great deal of harm and suffering, both human and environmental, and it shows that the two were almost always interlinked." However, he hopes readers will take away a sense of the many paths not taken and find inspiration for a more hopeful and sustainable way of living.

The British Academy commended Amrith's extensive research, showing how changing human settlement patterns contributed to the climate crisis. The experts suggested that Sunil Amrith's win of the prestigious award underlined the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing pressing global challenges like climate change. 

The British Academy Book Prize, established in 2013, recognises exceptional non-fiction writing in the humanities and social sciences.