Harbans Mukhia was Professor of Medieval History and Rector at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. His previous publications include Historians and Historiography During the Reign of Akbar (1976), Perspectives on Medieval History (1993), The Feudalism Debate (editor, 1999), Feudalism and Non-European Societies, (co-editor, with T. J. Byres, 1985), French Studies in History (co-editor, with Maurice Aymard, vol. 1, 1988, vol. 2, 1990), and Religion, Religiosity and Communalism (co-editor with Praful Bidwai and Achin Vanaik, 1996). He is the founding editor of The Medieval History Journal.