Indian-Origin Historian Sunil Amrith Wins British Academy Book Prize 2025

Professor Rebecca Earle, a British historian and chair of the judging panel, announced the award and praised Sunil Amrith’s book “The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years” as a brilliant account of the interconnections between human history and environmental change.

Indian-origin historian Sunil Amrith has been declared the winner of the British Academy Book Prize for his book “The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years.” The award includes a prize of £25,000 and is presented to recognize the world’s best works of non-fiction writing.

Currently a Professor of History at Yale University, USA, Sunil Amrith was born in Kenya, raised in Singapore, and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Cambridge, England. At 46, his work was described by the British Academy judges as an essential reading on the issue of climate crisis.

The award ceremony took place at the British Academy in London on Wednesday evening, where Sunil Amrith accepted the prestigious award via live video link from the United States. In his remarks, he said, “There is no doubt that this book speaks in great detail about both human and environmental loss and suffering.”