Nikhil Rao

• Assistant Professor
• Founders 204
• nrao@wellesley.edu
• (781) 283-2918

I joined Wellesley College in 2005 and previously taught at Dartmouth College. I studied at Stanford University (B.A.) and the University of Chicago (M. A. and PhD), where I focused on themes in modern south Asian history (today, the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka). I’m interested in transformations in urban society in 20th century south Asia and my current project investigates the formation of suburbs and suburban communities in late colonial Bombay. I’m also interested in the comparative study of cities, in social theory, and in ideas of economic development in 20th century south Asia. At Wellesley my teaching focuses on south Asian history and society – I teach courses on the political economy of development, the history of cities, and the formation of ethnic identities.

History Department