He has trained as an historian at Delhi University and subsequently at the University of Chicago where his doctoral thesis was on ‘The Question of Untouchability in Colonial Bihar, 1860s to 1950s.’ His current research is focused on Economies and Cultures of Waste and Pollution in Colonial India. Sharan has delivered guest lectures at the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and at Delhi University. His works have been widely published in various research journals. His book ‘In the City, Out of Place: Nuisance, Pollution and Urban Dwelling in Modern Delhi, was released in 2014.