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Gods, Guns and Missionaries: The Making of Modern Hindu Identity


Join historian and author, Manu S. Pillai and Saeed Khan, for an illuminating talk on his latest book, Gods, Guns and Missionaries.

Drawing on rich historical research, Pillai explores the complex interplay of religion, colonial power, and armed conflict in shaping the Indian subcontinent’s past. Through compelling narratives, he reveals how faith, force, and imperial ambition intertwined to influence culture, politics, and society.

About the Author

Manu S. Pillai

Manu S. Pillai

Manu S. Pillai is an Indian historian and the author of five books, most recently Gods, Guns & Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity . A newspaper columnist and an award-winning writer, Manu holds a PhD in history from King’s College London. His other books are The Ivory Throne , Rebel Sultans, The Courtesan, the Mahatma & the Italian, and False Allies. Manu lives and works in India.

About the Chair

Saeed Khan

Saeed Khan is a cultural historian and commentator based at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he teaches in the departments of History and Global Studies. His academic expertise includes Islamic and Middle Eastern history, Islamic political thought, and transnational identities. Alongside his academic work, he is a frequent analyst for international media outlets. Saeed is the founder of the Center for the Study of Trans-Atlantic Diasporas, a policy institute focused on ethnic and immigrant communities in North America and Europe.