Aparajith Ramnath, Associate Professor, Ahmedabad University awarded the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards 2026
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India: Aparajith Ramnath, Associate Professor at Ahmedabad University’s School of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards 2026 in the Books (Non-Fiction) category for Engineering a Nation: The Life and Career of M. Visvesvaraya. In a moment that highlights the growing relevance of research-led storytelling, the recognition indicates the importance of rigorous scholarship in shaping public discourse.
The award recognises Professor Ramnath’s work in illuminating the life and legacy of one of India’s most influential engineers and situating it within the broader historical and social context of nation-building. The jury acknowledged the book for its depth of research and its ability to expand public understanding of India’s institutional and technological history, an area often overlooked in mainstream discourse.
In this biography, Professor Ramnath examines the life and legacy of engineer, administrator, and statesman M. Visvesvaraya, whose enduring influence is reflected in the celebration of his birth anniversary as Engineers’ Day. The book explores how Visvesvaraya rose to prominence through his engineering accomplishments and broader contributions to governance, policy, and nation-building.
Situating his life within a wider historical and social context, the book traces the aptitudes, experiences, and historical contexts that shaped an individual whose influence extended well beyond engineering. It presents a layered understanding of how technical expertise, administrative vision, and historical circumstance converged to shape one of modern India’s most influential figures.
Built on over seven years of meticulous archival research, the book draws on letters, technical papers, newspapers, and institutional records from India and abroad. It shows how M. Visvesvaraya helped shape not just physical infrastructure, but also the administrative and intellectual frameworks of a young nation. It places his work within the political and economic changes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This approach provides readers with a nuanced understanding of how technical expertise and governance intersect.
The Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards honour the literary and scholarly strength of Engineering a Nation and its contribution to understanding the intersections of engineering, governance, and modern Indian history. The timing of the recognition is particularly significant. As India sharpens its focus on infrastructure, innovation, and state capacity, revisiting the legacy of M. Visvesvaraya offers a valuable perspective.
Professor Ramnath’s win stands as a reminder that deeply researched non-fiction continues to play a critical role in shaping how India understands its past and imagines its future. For Ahmedabad University, the award means more than an individual achievement. It reflects the University’s broader vision towards enabling interdisciplinary scholarship that speaks beyond academia and contributes meaningfully to public conversations.
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