About the Book: Aligarh: The City That Outlasted Empires by Atif Syed traces nearly a millennium of the history of one of North India’s most fascinating cities. From its origins as Koil and the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal eras to European intervention, the 1857 uprising and the founding of Aligarh Muslim University, the book explores the many forces that shaped the city. Drawing on rare photographs, neglected documents and historical sources, Syed presents a richly layered portrait of Aligarh, its monuments, communities, cultural exchanges and ordinary citizens, placing the city within the wider story of Indian history.