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Sana Aiyar is a Professor of History at MIT, with a focus on regional and transnational history, particularly concerning South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. Her research delves into the colonial and postcolonial politics and societies of the Indian Ocean region. Aiyar is the author of the book, 'Indians in Kenya: Politics and the Diaspora,' published by Harvard University Press in 2015, which investigates the intersection of politics, migration, race, and anticolonial nationalism among South Asians in Kenya from 1895 to 1968. She is also working on a forthcoming book titled 'Burma’s South Asian Past: Sacred Geographies and Political Communities,' which aims to uncover the shared histories of Burma and India, particularly in the context of religious and political sovereignty during colonial rule and the rise of Hindu and Buddhist nationalism in the 1920s and 1930s. As the Research Director of the South Asia Institute at MIT, Aiyar oversees the public history exhibition 'Transformative Connections,' which highlights the historical ties between MIT and South Asia dating back to 1880. Her work has been prominently featured in various prestigious venues, including the Jaipur Literary Festival and Asia Society in New York. Aiyar holds degrees from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard University, and previously served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before joining MIT in 2013. In recognition of her contributions, she received the 2023 Great Dome Award from the MIT Alumni Society.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA
Teaching and researching South Asian history, migration, and transnational connections.
Johns Hopkins University •
Conducted research on South Asian histories.
University of Wisconsin-Madison •
Taught courses in South Asian History and conducted research.