Robert Frykenberg, 1930-2025: Reflections of a Former Student

For decades, Robert Eric Frykenberg (1930-2025) has enriched the fields of South Asian history and world Christianity with his unique, “history from below” perspective. His approach takes the spotlight off colonial officers or foreign missionaries and recasts it on Indians as the chief agents of change and influence in India’s colonial past. This essay discusses Frykenberg’s key scholarly contributions, how he straddled, like none other, the guilds of Indian history and world Christianity, and how he touched lives with his warm personality and fascination for the stories of others. It does so from the standpoint of one of his last students, who recognizes the contributions of his former mentor and their enduring capacity to spark lively debate.