Who Is Michel Danino? The Professor Disassociated by the Supreme Court Over the NCERT Class 8 Chapter ‘Corruption in the Judiciary’

Key Points:

On March 11, 2026, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government, all state governments, and publicly funded institutions to immediately distance themselves from Professor Michel Danino and two other contributors involved in drafting a controversial chapter in the Class 8 Social Science textbook published by NCERT.

The order came during the hearing of a suo motu case related to a section titled “Corruption in the Judiciary” in the newly released NCERT social science textbook. The court expressed concern that the chapter could present a distorted or negative image of the judiciary to young students.

The bench said the experts involved either lacked adequate knowledge of the judicial system or had deliberately misrepresented facts. In its observations, the court stated that there was no reason to associate such individuals with the preparation of curriculum or textbooks for students.

See Also: YouTube and Telegram respond to the IT Ministry’s notice on child sexual abuse material

Following the Supreme Court’s directive, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar is expected to review Michel Danino’s role as a guest professor at the institution. According to officials, a standing committee will examine his appointment and association with the institute before taking any further decision.

Following the development, questions have emerged about who Professor Michel Danino is and his role in India’s academic and educational landscape.

Professor Michel Danino is a French-born Indian scholar known for his work on Indian civilisation and cultural history. He was born in 1956, and during his youth he developed a deep interest in Indian philosophy and spirituality.

After pursuing scientific studies in France for several years, he moved to India in 1977 at the age of 21. Danino has described his move to India as a quest for deeper meaning, strongly influenced by the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo. He describes himself as a lifelong student of Indian civilisation.

Although Danino does not hold advanced academic degrees in archaeology or history, he has produced a large body of research and writing on ancient Indian culture and knowledge systems. He has delivered lectures and taught courses at several institutions across India.

He has also been associated with IIT Gandhinagar, where he served as a guest professor. His association with the institute began in 2011. During his time there, he was involved in establishing the Archaeological Sciences Centre and teaching courses on Indian Knowledge Systems.

Danino has also served on several academic and policy bodies, including the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and committees linked to the development of India’s National Curriculum Frameworks. In addition, he has been associated with school-level educational initiatives such as the CBSE elective course “Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India.”

His academic work largely focuses on ancient Indian civilisation, archaeology, and cultural heritage. His research papers on early Indian history and protohistory have appeared in journals such as Man and Environment, Puratattva, and Dossiers d’archéologie. He has also contributed more than 30 chapters to academic books.

See Also: An Injury to Immigrant Workers Is an Injury to All Workers

Among his most notable works are “The Lost River: On the Trail of the Sarasvati” and “Indian Culture and India’s Future.” His research includes a multidisciplinary study of the Vedic Sarasvati river. In 2018, Danino edited “Sri Aurobindo and India’s Rebirth,” a compilation of Sri Aurobindo’s writings on nationalism and cultural revival.

His work has often challenged colonial-era interpretations of Indian history. In his work “The Invasion That Never Was,” he rejected the Indo-Aryan migration theory. He has also highlighted ancient Indian achievements in fields such as mathematics, astronomy, ecology, and metallurgy, advocating the integration of traditional knowledge systems into modern education.

In 2017, Michel Danino received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his contribution to literature and education. However, the Padma Shri awardee Michel Danino is now facing criticism over the NCERT textbook controversy. 

Some historians and academics have argued that his work attempts to revise established interpretations of Indian history and may introduce ideological perspectives into educational content. Danino, however, has rejected such claims and maintains that his work seeks to present a more balanced view of Indian civilisation.

Suggested Reading: