UC Student Wins Guggenheim for Research on Indian Political Violence

Yash Sharma learned he had won the 2026 Henry Frank Guggenheim Emerging Scholar award while sitting in his room. The political science doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences said the moment was "the best feeling in the world." He immediately called his parents, friends, and family to share the news.

The award is part of a competitive national program open to students worldwide who study political violence. Sharma’s research focuses on anti-minority vigilante violence in India, his home country. He examines how religious nationalism intersects with political conflict. His dissertation analyzes the motivations behind these outbursts among young men.

Sharma chose this topic after observing political shifts during his first year of college in India. A religious nationalist party came to power, and student groups on campus frequently clashed. He recalled instances where classmates threw chairs at professors over specific topics. These experiences led him to study political violence on a micro level, looking at daily life, food, and social connections rather than broad academic theories.

His interviews with young men in India revealed a network of anxieties that fuel violent behavior. These anxieties stem from socioeconomic relations, religious concerns, and gendered insecurity. Sharma asked his subjects to imagine their place in the country. He asked if they wanted to salvage a previous idea of India or if they preferred to imagine a different future.

Associate Dean Rina Williams noted that the Guggenheim Foundation is the premier organization for funding promising work in political violence. She stated that Sharma competed against an international pool of emerging scholars. She described the group as "literally the best in the world." The foundation aims to enhance the understanding of how and why violence happens so it can be prevented.

Sharma is currently in the final year of his doctoral studies. He is working to secure an academic position. In the interim, he plans to explore hate speech on social media and the aesthetics of violence online. He credits his program leaders for his success, saying he felt at home in the department from day one.

Sharma told friends he is "really lucky" to have received such mentorship and feedback. The recognition marks a major step in his early career. He remains focused on his upcoming research and professional placement.