Fareed Zakaria is a noted Indian-American journalist, political commentator, and author of many books, including three New York Times bestsellers that analyze the social and political changes of our era. He also hosts 'Fareed Zakaria GPS,' a weekly program that airs on CNN International. Prior to this, Zakaria had established himself as an influential figure in the world of print media, first becoming managing editor of Foreign Affairs magazine in 1992 at the age of 28. During his career, he has also served as editor of Newsweek International, a columnist for Newsweek, and an editor at-large and columnist at Time. For his critically acclaimed work in journalism, Zakaria has received several honors and awards, including the National Magazine Award, a Peabody Award, and honorary degrees from Harvard University, Brown University, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University, among others. In 2010, Zakaria was given the Padma Bhushan award, the third-highest civilian honor in India.
In 1983, Zakaria arrived at Yale University on a scholarship and wasted no time in taking advantage of the many Ivy League opportunities available to him. Zakaria balanced his work in the classroom with numerous academic, social, and political activities around the campus. In particular, he became a member of the University’s secret society Scroll and Key and its debate society Party of the Right. He also served as president of a debate society called Yale Political Union, and remained editor in chief of the Yale Political Monthly. These positions, among their many benefits, would set the stage for his later successes in the world of international journalism. A top student, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Yale in 1986.
Noting that he came to Yale as "a scholarship kid from India" and instantly fell in love with the campus, Zakaria maintains that his affection for the New Haven school has never waned. For instance, from 2012 to 2018 Zakaria served the community as a member of the Yale Corporation. More recently, Zakaria was back at Yale for a lengthy sit-down with Tamar Gendler, the University’s Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The 2020 discussion, which was held through Zoom in a webinar format and hosted by Yale’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, allowed Zakaria to discuss his newest book, “Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World." Zakaria said, “This may be the first event in our lifetimes, and it may be the only event in our lifetimes, that the entire planet is in some way experiencing simultaneously." A popular figure at Yale, Zakaria continues to be in demand, ensuring that it's only a matter of time before he returns again with his much-needed expertise on international and domestic issues.