♦ William Dalrymple was awarded the prestigious Mark Lynton History Prize for 2026. The honour recognises his widely celebrated book, The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World, for its exceptional blend of “literary grace, commitment to serious research and social concern.”

♦ The Mark Lynton History Prize, carrying a cash award of $10,000, is presented annually to a work of history that combines scholarly distinction with elegance of expression. It forms part of the larger J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, administered jointly by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Columbia University School of Journalism.