Shankar did his undergraduate in philosophy from the University of Delhi and his master’s in history from Ambedkar University, Delhi (AUD). His master's thesis focused on a people’s history of crime in the railways in colonial south Asia. He also taught Critical Writing in Ashoka University for two years to the students of the Young India Fellowship. His interests lie at the intersections of history and philosophy. Of late his focus has shifted towards researching the intellectual histories of the marginalized. His doctoral research will be on an intellectual and social history of anti-caste movements in post-colonial India.