Indian-American historian Sunil Amrith is among the 24 individuals who have been selected by the MacArthur Foundation for its prestgious fellowship programme. The foundation gives “exceptionally creative people” a grant of $625,000 (approximately Rs 4.05 crore) over five years with no strings attached, The New York Times reported.

The fellowship is colloquially known as the “Genius” fellowship. The fellowship aims to encourage extremely talented people to pursue their own “creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations”.

The Cambridge-based 38-year-old was chosen for “illustrating the role of centuries of transnational migration in the present-day social and cultural dynamics of South and Southeast Asia,” the foundation said. Amrith is currently the Mehra Family Professor of South Asian Studies and a professor of history at Harvard University.

The historian is currently working on a reorientation of South and Southeast Asian history to make way for a better understanding of the region’s place in global history, the foundation said..

“From transforming conditions for low-wage workers to identifying internet security vulnerabilities, from celebrating the African American string band tradition to designing resilient urban habitats, these new MacArthur Fellows bring their exceptional creativity to diverse people, places, and social challenges,” Fellowship program managing director Cecilia Conrad said in a statement. “Their work gives us reason for optimism and inspires us all.”