William B. Sudhir Venkatesh is the William B. Sudhir Venkatesh is the William B. Sudhir Venk Columbia University's Ransford Professor of Sociology and member of the Committee on Global Thinking. His most recent book, Gang Leader for a Day, was a New York Times bestseller that won The Economist's best book of the year award. Venkatesh's work has featured in publications such as the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Washington Post. He currently resides in New York City.