Christophe Jaffrelot has been awarded the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in the commentary and interpretative category for "incisive writing on India's new political sadhus", which included his articles on Swami Aseemanand and Baba Ramdev, published in the Indian magazine Caravan in 2011.
The seventh edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, held in Delhi on 9 September, is the most coveted annual event in the Indian media calendar. The awards, instituted by the Indian Express Group, celebrate excellence in journalism, recognise courage and commitment and showcase outstanding contributions and individuals every year.

Christophe Jaffrelot is CNRS research director at Sciences Po - CERI where he served as director from 2000 to 2008 and teaches South Asian politics and history. Arguably one of the world’s most respected researchers on Indian society and politics, he has published many works, including "The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics, 1925 to the 1990s"; "India’s Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India"; and "Dr. Ambedkar and Untouchability: Fighting the Indian Caste System".