William Dalrymple wins 2026 Mark Lynton History Prize for The Golden Road

In a moment of pride for the literary and historical community, Bloomsbury India has announced that acclaimed historian and author William Dalrymple has been awarded the prestigious Mark Lynton History Prize for 2026. The honour recognises his widely celebrated book, The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World, for its exceptional blend of “literary grace, commitment to serious research and social concern.”

The Mark Lynton History Prize, carrying a cash award of $10,000, is presented annually to a work of history that combines scholarly distinction with elegance of expression. It forms part of the larger J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, administered jointly by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Columbia University School of Journalism.

Named after Mark Lynton - author of Accidental Journey: A Cambridge Internee’s Memoir of World War II - the prize celebrates excellence in historical writing. Lynton was a passionate advocate for the craft of history, and his family has supported the Lukas Prize Project since its inception. Over the years, the award has honoured distinguished historians such as Adam Hochschild, Jill Lepore, and Robert Caro.

This year’s shortlist reflected a diverse and competitive field, featuring notable works by Nicholas Boggs (Baldwin: A Love Story), Sven Beckert (Capitalism: A Global History), Siddharth Kara (The Zorg: Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery), and Martha A. Sandweiss (The Girl in the Middle: A Recovered History of the American West).

Expressing his delight, William Dalrymple said,“I am completely thrilled to win this wonderful prize, not least because previous winners include some of the historians I most admire: Adam Hochschild, Rebecca Solnit, Pekka Hämäläinen, Jill Lepore, Kathleen Duval and Robert Caro. I am honoured to join their ranks. With warmest thanks to the Lynton family and the Harvard & Columbia Universities”.

Commenting on the achievement, Rahul Srivastava, Managing Director of Bloomsbury India, praised Dalrymple’s work as a benchmark in historical writing. He said,"We are immensely proud of William Dalrymple on this outstanding recognition. The Golden Road exemplifies the very best of historical writing—deeply researched, compellingly told, and globally relevant. This award is a testament not only to William’s scholarship but also to the enduring significance of India’s civilisational legacy in shaping the world”.

Dalrymple’s win marks yet another milestone in his illustrious career, reinforcing his position as one of the foremost interpreters of India’s past for a global audience.