Sam Dalrymple

Sam Dalrymple is a Delhi-raised Scottish historian, author, filmmaker, and peace activist who explores history, particularly in South Asia and the Middle East. A Persian and Sanskrit scholar from the University of Oxford, Dalrymple applies a nuanced perspective to his diverse work. He co-founded Project Dastaan in 2018, a peace-building initiative that uses 360-degree virtual reality to reconnect refugees displaced by the 1947 Partition of India with their ancestral homes, highlighting the human impact of global migration. His filmmaking includes the VR docudrama 'Child of Empire,' which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022 and earned the inaugural XR History Award. His animated series 'Lost Migrations' also premiered to sold-out audiences at the British Film Institute. As an author, Dalrymple's debut book, 'Shattered Lands – The Five Partitions of Britain's Indian Empire,' published in 2025, was a bestseller in India and was named among the best history books of its year. He has written for The New York Times, TIME, The New Yorker, and The Economist, and serves as a columnist for Architectural Digest. He also writes a history-focused Substack, "Travels of Samwise," where he shares research and insights on art history and old buildings, spanning topics from ancient empires to contemporary issues. Named 'Champion of the Travel Narrative' by *Travel & Leisure* in 2025, Dalrymple uses storytelling to bridge divides and illuminate overlooked historical narratives.