With a background in Ancient History, Philosophy and Psychology at the undergraduate level, Rakesh Pandey pursued his postgraduate education in Modern History at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He did his doctoral work on the making of archaic and classical forms of cultural knowledge in colonial India at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK.

His major research interest lies in the area of cultural and intellectual history of modern India with particular focus on knowledge formations, philosophy of culture and moral orders. He is currently working on a monograph based on his doctoral work and is pursuing researches in three broad areas: (i) on the interpretation and appropriation of traditionary texts and the critique of modern civilization, mainly based on the works of aesthetes, scholars and writers such as Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, among others; (ii) on the making of philosophic and folk knowledge in modern India as part of a larger study on knowledge formations; (iii) on the history of moral cultures and ideas.

He has been actively involved with the Programme in Social and Political Theory at the Centre under which he conducts a study group around the life and meaning of Indian epic traditions (particularly the Mahabharata) and is also part of the Indian Language Programme and the Teaching initiative.

He has previously taught Modern History at the University of Hyderabad.