Aurangzeb's akhbarat: The empire that ran on news reports

A newly published book and academic discussions reveal the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707) operated using a system of *akhbarat*—daily news reports—sent from provincial governors to the emperor. These dispatches, akin to modern intelligence briefings, documented administrative matters, military movements, and local events, offering a granular view of governance in the 1600s.

Coverage highlights the rediscovery of Aurangzeb’s administrative practices through archival research, with historians like Munis Faruqui challenging traditional portrayals of him as a bigot, instead framing him as a pragmatist who leveraged information networks. Outlets including *Business Standard*, *The Times of India*, and *BBC* emphasize the book’s argument that Aurangzeb’s reign was more bureaucratically sophisticated than previously understood, with *Jagran Josh* framing the findings as a revelation about early modern statecraft.

Watch for deeper academic debates on Aurangzeb’s image, potential translations of primary *akhbarat* sources, and comparisons to other pre-modern empires’ use of information systems. The discussion may also extend to how these findings influence modern discussions on historical objectivity in South Asian studies.