Speakers Page - Indian Military

General Anil Chauhan, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC

General Anil Chauhan is the current Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, serving since September 30, 2022. A four-star general with nearly 40 years of service,

General Anil Chauhan is the current Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, serving since September 30, 2022. A four-star general with nearly 40 years of service, he has extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and North-East India.
Born on May 18, 1961, he was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles in 1981. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy, he commanded an Infantry Division in Baramula, a corps in the North East, and the Eastern Command from September 2019 until his retirement in May 2021. He has also served as Director General of Military Operations and participated in a UN mission to Angola.
General Chauhan’s distinguished service has earned him the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal.

A Bharat Bhushan Babu, IIS (Retd)

Mr. A Bharat Bhushan Babu is a post-graduate in Civil Engineering from NIT, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. He joined the Indian Information Service (IIS) in 1991.

Mr. A Bharat Bhushan Babu is a post-graduate in Civil Engineering from NIT, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. He joined the Indian Information Service (IIS) in 1991.
He has extensive experience of News reporting/News production in Doordarshan and News Service Division, All India Radio.
During his nearly 14 year stint with DD news, Shri Babu compiled over 10,000 hours of news bulletins and reported on countless important events such JMM bribery case, midair flight Collision over Charkhidadri- Haryana 1996, Pokhran nuclear blasts 1998, Three Parliament elections in 1996, 98 and 99, ( covered the beat of United Front) , Punjab assembly elections- 1997 , foreign visits of Prime Ministers Vajpayee & Manmohan Singh, SAARC Summits in Nepal (2002) and Pakistan (2004).
He was a recipient of Best News Editor award in 2002.
Shri Babu has served in Cabinet Secretariat for 12 years on deputation. During this stint he worked for Seven years in Indian Embassies in Iran and Egypt. He’s a security expert on Middle East, Afghanistan, terrorism and Islam.
Upon his return from deputation Shri Babu served as Spokesperson of Ministry of Home Affairs from 2018-19.
Later he served as the Spokesperson of Ministry of Defence and headed its media department from 2019-2024.
Shri Babu is a regular guest speaker on media issues at IIMC Delhi, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, Army War college, Mhow and DSSC, Wellington.
Mrs Babu is a home maker and they have two daughters. His hobbies include playing chess, nature walks and reading books. Yoga is his passion.

Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM (Retd)

Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM (Retd), India’s 20th Naval Chief and Chairman Chiefs of Staff, is a distinguished aviator with over 2500 flying hours across fighters, patrol aircraft, and helicopters. Over his 40-year career, he commanded a carrier-borne fighter squadron, a naval air station, and four warships, including the aircraft carrier INS Viraat.
In flag rank, he led the Eastern Fleet, Andaman & Nicobar Joint Command, Western Naval Command, and the National Defence Academy. He also headed the navy’s Aviation and Personnel Branches and served as Vice Chief of Naval Staff. Under his leadership, the navy advanced in doctrine, strategy, transformation, and maritime cooperation.
A graduate of the IAF Test Pilots School, Defence Services Staff College, and US Naval War College, he was awarded the Vir Chakra for his role in the 1971 War. Post-retirement, he served on the National Security Advisory Board, chaired the National Maritime Foundation, and contributed to national security reform committees. He now lives in Goa, writing and speaking on strategic and security matters.

Air Marshal Anil Chopra, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM (Retd)

A fighter pilot, Qualified Flying Instructor, test pilot, and a pioneer of Mirage-2000 fleet, who has commanded a Mirage 2000 Squadron and the Flight Test Centre, Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He has been the Team Leader of MiG 21 Bison Upgrade project in Russia for over four years. He has commanded operational air bases in both Western and Eastern sectors. He was head of IAF in J&K, and head of operational Inspections of the IAF. Retired as Air Officer in-charge Personnel. He has been a member of the Armed Forces Tribunal, Lucknow Bench, and member of the Executive Council of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He is former Director General Centre for Air Power Studies. An Avid writer, who has more than 950 articles published in various magazines, newspapers, web portals, and books. He has authored or edited 9 books.
He is often invited for TV debates on both English and Hindi news channels as defence analyst. He is also on Seminar and university lecture circuit. Currently he is “Strategic Adviser Aerospace, with Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).

Air Marshal Vikram Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd)

Air Mshl Vikram Singh is a former fighter pilot from the IAF. He initially flew the MiG 21 bis and Mirage 2000. As a Test Pilot he carried out initial technology demonstration test flights on the Prototype LCA Tejas aircraft. In his 40 year career he flew over 35 different types and tenanted several command and staff appointments. His interests range from classic war birds, aviation art, one of his air combat paintings being used as a postage stamp, and aviation history. He has written extensively for the internet and published his first book, “Spitfires in the Sun” in 2014. His next book “Because of this’ is a three lakh word, almost forensic study of the 1971 Indo-Pak Air War is just out.

Air Vice Mshl (Dr) Devesh Vatsa, VSM (Retd)

Air Vice Marshal (Dr) Devesh Vatsa VSM (Retd) is a former Commandant of Aviation Software Development Institute (SDI) of the IAF and

Air Vice Marshal (Dr) Devesh Vatsa VSM (Retd) is a former Commandant of Aviation Software Development Institute (SDI) of the IAF and Assistant Chief of Staff (Communication). Presently, he is working at DSCI, NASSCOM, as Advisor, Cyber Security & Critical Technologies.

Amarjit Singh Dulat

Amarjit Singh Dulat is a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency. After retirement, he was appointed adviser on Kashmir in the Prime Minister's Office and served there from January 2001 to May 2004. During this time, he accumulated a vast reservoir of goodwill with Kashmiris of all shades. As Jane's Intelligence Digest put it in 2001, ‘Well known for his social skills, Dulat preferred dialogue to clandestine maneouvres.' In his heyday, Dulat was referred to as ‘Mr Kashmir'.
Dulat was born in Sialkot, Punjab, in December 1940. After India's partition, his father Justice Shamsher Singh Dulat relocated his family to Delhi. After schooling in Delhi, Simla and Chandigarh, Dulat joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1965, and then the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 1969, where he served for almost thirty years. At the IB he headed the Kashmir Group during the turbulent 1990s till he joined and headed the R&AW.
He is the author of Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years (2015; co-authored with Aditya Sinha), The Spy Chronicles: R&AW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace (2018; co-authored with Lieutenant General Asad Durrani and Aditya Sinha) and A Life in the Shadows (2022).

Ambassador Ajay Bisaria, IFS (Retd)

Ajay Bisaria is a corporate strategic advisor and a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. In a career spanning 35 years in the Indian Foreign Service,

Ajay Bisaria is a corporate strategic advisor and a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. In a career spanning 35 years in the Indian Foreign Service, he dealt with some of India’s key economic and security relationships. He served as Indian High Commissioner to Canada (2020-2022) and was the last Indian HC to Pakistan (2017-2020). He has also been India’s ambassador to Poland & Lithuania (2015-2017). He has earlier been posted at the World Bank in Washington DC and in embassies in Berlin and Moscow. He has served in various capacities in the Government of India, including in the Prime Minister’s Office, where he was a key aide to Prime Minister Vajpayee (1999-2004). He has a BA in Economics from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, an MBA from IIM Calcutta and a Masters in public policy from Princeton University. He writes extensively on geopolitics and particularly on Pakistan. His first book, Anger Management, on the troubled diplomatic relationship between India and Pakistan, was released in January 2024, to critical and popular acclaim.

Ambassador Ashok K Kantha, IFS (Retd)

Mr Ashok K Kantha is an Honorary Fellow and former Director (2017-22) of the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi; a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi;

Mr Ashok K Kantha is an Honorary Fellow and former Director (2017-22) of the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi; a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi; and Chair of the Core Group on China of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
A career diplomat, Kantha was Ambassador of India to China until January 2016. Prior to this, he was Secretary (East) at Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) His previous assignments include High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, High Commissioner to Malaysia, Joint Secretary (East Asia), MEA, Consul General in Hong Kong, Deputy Chief of Mission in Nepal, Director (China), MEA, and Director (Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan), MEA. Earlier, Kantha served in different capacities at Indian Missions in Singapore, China and the USA, and at headquarters in New Delhi.
In his diplomatic career spanning over 38 years, Kantha specialised in India’s neighbourhood and extended neighbourhood with a particular focus on China and South Asia. He has an advanced certificate in Chinese language from National University of Singapore.

Ambassador Asoke Mukerji, IFS (Retd)

Ambassador Asoke Mukerji’s diplomatic career spans 37 years, from 1978-2015. As India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United

Ambassador Asoke Mukerji’s diplomatic career spans 37 years, from 1978-2015. As India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2013-2015) he oversaw India’s negotiations on Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development, focusing on prioritising the use of technology for achieving the SDGs. He represented India in the intergovernmental negotiations that recommended a text-based outcome for UN Security Council Reforms in September 2015.
Ambassador Mukerji chaired a multi-stakeholder working group under India’s National Security Council Secretariat to recommend cyber norms for India (2017-2018). He has addressed audiences at seminars and conferences in India and abroad, including the Global Conferences on Cyber Space at London (2011) and New Delhi (2017). He lectures regularly on multilateral issues to Indian and foreign diplomats at India’s Foreign Service Institute.
Ambassador Mukerji has published articles and book chapters in Indian and foreign publications on India’s foreign policy, as well as several books. He obtained a BA (Honours) and MA degree from St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. In July 2018, he was awarded a Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa) degree by the University of East Anglia (UK) for his contributions to diplomacy.

Ambassador Navtej Singh Sarna, IFS (Retd)

A professional diplomat for nearly four decades, Sarna was India’s Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to the UK and Ambassador to Israel.

A professional diplomat for nearly four decades, Sarna was India’s Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to the UK and Ambassador to Israel. He has also served as Secretary to the Government of India and as the Foreign Office Spokesperson. His earlier diplomatic assignments were in Moscow, Warsaw, Thimphu, Tehran, Geneva and Washington DC. Ambassador Sarna is an Advisory Member of the Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Advisory Board member of the Kautilya School of Public Policy and an Independent Member of the National Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority.

Ambassador Shyam Saran, IFS (Retd)

Amb Shyam Saran is a former Foreign Secretary of India and has served as Chairman of India’s National Security Advisory Board. In 2015 he was the Telstra Distinguished International Fellow at the Lowy Institute.
Saran is a career diplomat, having joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1970. He has served in several capitals of the world, including Beijing, Tokyo, and Geneva. He has been India’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Indonesia, and Nepal, and High Commissioner to Mauritius. In the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, he headed the Economic Division and the Multilateral Economic Division and also headed the East Asia Division which handles relations with China and Japan. As a Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office in 1991/92, he advised the Prime Minister on foreign policy, nuclear and defence-related issues.
After a career spanning 34 years in the Indian Foreign Service, he was appointed India’s Foreign Secretary in 2004 and held that position until his retirement from service in September 2006. Subsequent to his retirement, Saran was appointed Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Indo–US civil nuclear issues and later as Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator on Climate Change. During his last two assignments, Ambassador Saran served as the Prime Minister’s personal representative, or “Sherpa”, at the Gleneagles and St Petersburg G8+G5 summits, and was present at the Toyako and L’Aquila Summits as an advisor on Climate Change issues. He also attended the Pittsburg G20 summit as a member of the Indian delegation.
In 2011 Saran was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India for his contribution to Civil Service. The Padma Bhushan is the third highest national award in the country. He holds a postgraduate degree in Economics. He speaks Hindi, English, and Chinese, and is conversant in French.

Ambassador TCA Raghavan, IFS (Retd)

T.C.A Raghavan retired from the Indian Foreign Service in December 2015 as Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan (2013-15).

T.C.A Raghavan retired from the Indian Foreign Service in December 2015 as Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan (2013-15). He had earlier served as Deputy High Commissioner in Pakistan (2003-2007) and High Commissioner to Singapore from 2009 to 2013.
During his last posting in New Delhi (2007-09) in the Ministry of External Affairs Dr Raghavan was Joint Secretary dealing with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. He has also served in Kuwait, the United Kingdom, and Bhutan. Posts earlier held in the Ministry of External Affairs include Director of the Office of the External Affairs Minister (2000-2003).
He was awarded a PhD by the Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1992 for his dissertation relating to the economic history of India.
His current interests are historical research, strategic analysis and the diplomatic and intellectual history of modern India. He writes, lectures and participates in discussions on issues relating to Indian and South Asian diplomatic history, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and South East Asia.
He is the author of (i) Attendant Lords, Bairam Khan and Abdur Rahim- Courtiers and Poets in Mughal India, awarded the Mohammad Habib Memorial Prize by the Indian History Congress in December 2017. (ii) ‘The People Next Door- The Curious History of India’s relations with Pakistan’. (Harper Collins, 2017). His latest book is entitled "History Men: Jadunath Sarkar, G.S. Sardesai, Raghubir Sinh and their quest for India's Past" (2019).
He assumed charge as Director General, Indian Council of World Affairs on 24th July, 2018.

Ambreen Zaidi

Ambreen Zaidi, an esteemed Army wife, is a distinguished columnist and author. Her books, The Warrior Widows and Soldiering On- published in both English and Hindi, have garnered widespread acclaim.

Ambreen Zaidi, an esteemed Army wife, is a distinguished columnist and author. Her books, The Warrior Widows and Soldiering On- published in both English and Hindi, have garnered widespread acclaim. Notably, her work has received a letter of appreciation from the Honourable Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, who has also mentored her in various projects. As a columnist, Ambreen writes with boldness and clarity, addressing critical issues in leading national and international publications. Her notable contributions include the weekly columns ‘Olive Green’ and ‘Our Heroes’ for Hindustan Times, which she penned for two and three years, respectively. Additionally, she has been writing the column ‘Barracks & Beyond’ for The Times of India for over five years. On 21st August 2023, Ambreen was honored by the Honourable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, in recognition of her exemplary work. Committed to a noble cause, she is dedicated to supporting the families of soldiers who have been killed in action or disabled while serving the nation, ensuring they live with the utmost dignity and respect.

Air Vice Marshal Anil Golani (Retd)

A Qualified Flying Instructor and an Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner, commissioned into the Fighter stream of the IAF in Dec 1982.

A Qualified Flying Instructor and an Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner, commissioned into the Fighter stream of the IAF in Dec 1982. Fully Ops on the erstwhile Ajeet and Jaguar aircraft. Raised and commanded the first Harpy squadron of the Indian Air Force. He commanded an Air Defence Direction Centre and an operational base. One of the few to have served in senior ranks in both the Joint Services Commands of the country, Andaman & Nicobar Command as the Air Force Component Commander and Strategic Forces Command as the Chief Staff Officer (Air Vector).
The other joint services appointments include Air Officer Commanding Maritime Air Operations in Mumbai and Chief Instructor, Air Force, at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. Superannuated from service in Nov 2019.
An avid writer and author, he has written a number of articles on air power, national security, strategy and integration of the Armed Forces. He has Co-edited two books ‘Air Power and Emerging Technologies’; 2022 and ‘Indian Air Force in its Centennial Decade’; 2023. He took over as Additional Director General CAPS on 07 May 2021.

Anisha Shekhar Mukherji

Anisha Shekhar Mukherji, an architect with a specialisation in conservation, is an alumna of SPA Delhi, and an ODA Scholar from De Montfort University, U.K.

Anisha Shekhar Mukherji, an architect with a specialisation in conservation, is an alumna of SPA Delhi, and an ODA Scholar from De Montfort University, U.K. As an independent designer and researcher, she has worked on a variety of projects involving the revitalisation of cultural heritage, and has been a consultant to several organisations. Among these are The World Bank, Archaeological Survey of India, The Park Hotels Apeejay Surrendra Group, The National Culture Fund, The Doon School, and The Sir Sobha Singh Trust.
Through her writings and lectures, as well as by curating dialogues in the public domain, Anisha works to focus attention on the role of architecture in contributing positively to society and culture. As Visiting Faculty at SPA Delhi since 19 years, she also guides students in critical enquiry and design thinking.
Anisha is a Founding Director at Ambi Knowledge Resources, a publishing house that promotes books related to the heritage of the subcontinent. She has contributed to many journals and books, apart from authoring The Red Fort of Shahjahanabad, OUP 2003, Westland 2024; Jantar Mantar, Ambi 2010; Attributing Design Identity; Identifying Design Attributes, Ambi 2020; Tenida and Friends (Ambi 2018), and Renewing Design with Communities, Routledge 2023 co-edited with Snehanshu Mukherjee.

Anuradha Chaturvedi

Associate Professor Anuradha Chaturvedi, currently Head of the Department of Architectural Conservation at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (Institution of National Importance)...

Associate Professor Anuradha Chaturvedi, currently Head of the Department of Architectural Conservation at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (Institution of National Importance) has over 36 years of practical experience in the field of Conservation and Heritage Management. She was a Charles Wallace fellow at York University, U.K. where she obtained her M.A. Conservation Studies in 1987, and was the recipient of a Post-Graduate Monbusho Fellowship on Architectural Conservation at Tokyo University of Fine Arts (Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku) in 1994-95. She has worked on a number of significant Central and State-sponsored conservation projects including Heritage sector consultant for CDP for Delhi and the NDMC area under JNNURM; Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of the Viceregal Lodge, Shimla; Stok Palace Museum Conservation, Ladakh; Japan Foundation sponsored project for Hemis Monastery Conservation Plan, Ladakh; World Monuments Fund Project on Nako Monastery; as well as sustainable development plans for Leh and Srinagar, Kullu-Manali, Mt Abu, Puri Eco-City. She was appointed as the Conservation expert on Supreme Court Committee for Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for the Red Fort (2004-08). She is Chairperson of Bureau of Indian Standards Civil Engineering Division Sectional Committee 4 on Lime and Gypsum Products. (2019- to date). She was Principal Investigator for an International Collaborative Research Project on the performance of lime mortars, plasters and renders in historic and contemporary buildings under tropical conditions supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Government of Italy, as well as Sectoral Advisor on Heritage for the Master Plan of Delhi -2041.

Maj Gen BK Sharma, AVSM, SM & Bar (Retd)

Maj Gen BK Sharma was commissioned in the SIKH LIGHT Infantry Regiment in 1976 and superannuated in 2012. He is the Director General of USI.

Maj Gen BK Sharma was commissioned in the SIKH LIGHT Infantry Regiment in 1976 and superannuated in 2012. He is the Director General of USI. He has represented his country at the UN as Military Observer in Central America and has been India’s Defence Attaché in Central Asia. He specializes in Strategic Net Assessment methodology, Scenario Building and Strategic Gaming.

Brig Narendra Bahri, VSM (Retd)

Brigadier Narendra Bahri (Retd) has had a distinguished career in the Indian Army and beyond. Commissioned into the Brigade of Guards, he served the nation from 1960 to 1993.

Brigadier Narendra Bahri (Retd) has had a distinguished career in the Indian Army and beyond. Commissioned into the Brigade of Guards, he served the nation from 1960 to 1993. Brigadier Bahri’s international experience includes serving with the United Nations Emergency Force in Gaza (1964-65), contributing to global peacekeeping efforts. He has also held significant academic and training roles, notably as faculty at the prestigious Defense Services Staff College in Wellington, India (1979-82), where he helped shape future military leaders.
As Head of Logistics for the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka (1987-90), Brigadier Bahri managed critical operations in a highly demanding conflict zone. Post-retirement, he transitioned into leadership roles in the corporate sector. From 1993 to 1999, he served as Divisional Manager at Maruti Udyog Limited, followed by senior positions at Group 4 Securitas and Amsoft Systems, where he applied his strategic and management skills to corporate operations.

Cmde Gurnam Singh, NM (Retd)

Commodore Gurnam Singh was born in 1941 at Amritsar, Punjab. His father served in the British India Army during the Second World War (1939-45) and

Commodore Gurnam Singh was born in 1941 at Amritsar, Punjab. His father served in the British India Army during the Second World War (1939-45) and was part of the deployment against the Japanese Army on the north-east India front and in Burma (now Myanmar), till the surrender of the Japanese.
Commodore Gurnam Singh served the Indian Navy for 37 years from 1958 to 1995. A Qualified marine and aircraft engineer, he has studied at Indian Navy’s Marine Engineering Training Establishment and at Naval College of Engineering, both at INS Shivaji, Lonavala, Pune; Naval Institute of Aviation Technology, Kochi (erstwhile Naval Air Technical School, Kochi) and at Air Force Technical College, Jalahalli, Bengaluru.
He has served on INS Sutlej, INS Jamuna and INS Vikrant at different times on operational marine engineering and air engineering appointments. He was awarded the Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, while serving onboard INS Vikrant as the Air Engineer Officer of the Sea Hawk jet fighter squadron, INAS 300.
Has authored eleven books on India between the 17th-20th centuries. He has written on India’s freedom struggle capturing milestones and analysing the course of history. His last book ‘Guardians of the Seas: Triumph of the Indian Navy and its Air Power in the 1971 War’ was co-authored with Rear Admiral SK Gupta MVC, NM and was published in December 2023 by Rupa Publications.

Col (Dr) Tejinder Hundal, VSM

Col Tejinder Hundal, VSM, PhD is a serving Indian Army Officer with twenty-five years of military experience.

Col Tejinder Hundal, VSM, PhD is a serving Indian Army Officer with twenty-five years of military experience. His academic qualifications include an MPhil degree in International Relations, and a Doctorate in Defence and Strategic Studies from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Along with a profound interest in the participation of Indian troops in the two World Wars, the author is also a keen follower of developments in the emerging geo-strategic construct of Indo-Pacific along with the associated ramifications. His first book delineated the geo-strategic relationship between India and Australia under the overarching dimension of Indo-Pacific region in context of three specific themes of Defence, Diplomacy, and Diaspora. This is the second book of the author.

Col Ajay K Raina, SM (Retd)

Col Ajay Raina, SM (Retd) is the founder of the Military History Research Foundation, Raina has authored and edited 27 books, focusing on military history, including Hold at All Costs and The Gallant Nunnus.
Born in 1969 in Jammu, AJ attended school and college in Jammu. In 1987, he was adjudged the BEST NCC CADET (Senior Division) from the J&K Directorate during participation in the Republic Day Camp at New Delhi. He was awarded GOVERNOR’s MEDAL for the same.He was commissioned into 93 Field Regiment in December 1990 and had the privilege of commanding the same regiment from 2007 to 2009. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) while serving in an RR (Rashtriya Rifles) battalion in Northern Kashmir in 2006.
He is passionate for adventure activities. In 2009, Raina and his family set a Limca Book record for an unsupported motorcycle ride across 11 Ladakh passes. He holds an MSc in Weapon Technology and an MBA in Finance.

Col KV Kuber (Retd)

An alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, and the Technical Staff College, Colonel KV Kuber, super-specialized in Electronic Warfare.

An alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, and the Technical Staff College, Colonel KV Kuber, super-specialized in Electronic Warfare. Commanded an Electronic Warfare Regiment(Divya Drishti::Panchajanya) in operations and has conducted EW operations in Western, and Eastern theatres, both in conventional and insurgency environments. He has been an Instructor at the National Defence Academy in training potential officers.

Dr Aashique Ahmed Iqbal

Dr Aashique Ahmed Iqbal is a historian of modern South Asia. He is the author of The Aeroplane and the Making of Modern India (Oxford University Press 2023),

Dr Aashique Ahmed Iqbal is a historian of modern South Asia. He is the author of The Aeroplane and the Making of Modern India (Oxford University Press 2023), which studies India’s transformation from colony to sovereign republic through the prism of aviation. He has also written articles on history for general audiences on a number of platforms including India Forum, EPW Engage, and Teacher Plus.
Aashique hails from the hill station of Ooty. He took his BA in History at Loyola College, Chennai. He received his MA and MPhil in Modern History at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and also holds a DPhil in History from the University of Oxford. He has received multiple scholarships including the Felix scholarship, the Royal Historical Society Marshall Fellowship, and the Maulana Azad National Fellowship.

Dr Daren Bowyer

Dr Daren Bowyer is the Director of the Gurkha Museum, where he leads efforts to preserve and promote the legacy of the Gurkhas. With a background in military history,

Dr Daren Bowyer is the Director of the Gurkha Museum, where he leads efforts to preserve and promote the legacy of the Gurkhas. With a background in military history, he has expanded the museum’s outreach through enhanced exhibitions, educational programs, and international collaborations. Dr. Bowyer has played a pivotal role in modernizing the museum’s collections and increasing global awareness of the Gurkhas' contributions to the British Army, ensuring their legacy is celebrated for future generations.

Dr George Hay

Dr George Hay serves as the Official Historian of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). As the CWGC’s historian, he is responsible for the history of the Commission that...

Dr George Hay serves as the Official Historian of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). As the CWGC’s historian, he is responsible for the history of the Commission that honors the members of the Commonwealth forces who were lost in the World Wars. Additionally, the mission of his practicum provides for coordinating the historical narrative of the CWGC, which stresses the importance of war graves, cemeteries, and war memorials around the globe. As a historian, Dr Hay is furthermore involved in the popularization of the Commission’s activities by participating in exhibitions, giving lectures, writing articles on the history of the World Wars and the present-day work of the Commission. His works deal with the complex issues of commemoration of wars, memories of the war and the places of their final rest, and other practices related to the memory of the peoples of the British Commonwealth. His responsibilities include competent archival research design and implementation and research and presentation of historical documents to the public. Grateful awareness of the sacrifices of the defenders is important, and based on this view towards the research, future generations will be able to aspire more towards service of this nation, to the extent of even dying for the cause. Dr. George Hay carries the burden of remembrance for those who have passed away. He is able to assimilate and interrelate remembrance and present events.

Dr John Edward Burke

Dr John Edward Burke works as a historian at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He previously taught at both the University of Sunderland and at Newcastle University,

Dr John Edward Burke works as a historian at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He previously taught at both the University of Sunderland and at Newcastle University, where he is currently a Visiting Fellow within the School of History, Classics and Archaeology. His research interests and publications are focused around the culture and politics of commemoration, conflict and colonialism, migration and displacement, and the legacies of the British Empire.

Dr Kajari Kamal

Dr Kajari Kamal is an Associate Professor at Takshashila Institution, Bangalore. She has designed the course curriculum and teaches Kautilya’s Arthashastra through webinars and contact workshops.

Dr Kajari Kamal is an Associate Professor at Takshashila Institution, Bangalore. She has designed the course curriculum and teaches Kautilya’s Arthashastra through webinars and contact workshops. Her research focuses on the concept of ‘strategic culture’ in the Indian
context.
She is a graduate in History from Lady Sri Ram College (1995-1998) and a post graduate in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (1998-2000). She has received her doctoral degree from University of Hyderabad. Her PhD thesis titled, “Kautilya’s Arthashastra
and Indian Strategic Culture: A Comparative Study of Two Phases of India’s Foreign Policy, 1947-1964 and 1998-2014”, reflects the convergence of her interest in ancient Indian historical text and contemporary strategic studies. Her dissertation assesses the salience of Kautilyan ideas to better understand India’s foreign policy.
Dr. Kamal is a regular guest speaker at premier defence institutions like the National Defence College (New Delhi), Naval War College (Goa), Defence Services Staff College (Wellington) and College of Defence Management (Secunderabad). She is a resource person for the Institute
of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies. She also writes regularly for several online platforms like The Wire, The Print, Observer Research Foundation, MP-IDSA, USI and the Chanakya Forum. Her book on Kautilya’s Arthashastra and India’s contemporary statecraft was
published globally in August 2022 by Routledge.

Dr Kanika Singh

Dr Kanika Singh is Director, Centre for Writing & Communication, Ashoka University. She is a historian with research interests in museums, heritage, public history and pedagogy.

Dr Kanika Singh is Director, Centre for Writing & Communication, Ashoka University. She is a historian with research interests in museums, heritage, public history and pedagogy. At Ashoka, she teaches courses on museums in South Asia, Delhi’s heritage and visual culture. Her forthcoming monograph is a study of Sikh museums in India (Cambridge University Press, 2025) and her recent book is an edited volume titled Inclusive Pedagogies: Teaching & Learning Practices in Higher Education in India (Primus, 2024). Kanika Singh founded Delhi Heritage Walks in 2009 - a group involved in leading heritage walks, designing walking trails, and training volunteers and professionals in the field of cultural heritage.

Dr Mahadev Bhimappa Talawar

Dr MB Talawar has been working in the area of development of advanced materials of defense interest for the last 30 years.

Dr MB Talawar has been working in the area of development of advanced materials of defense interest for the last 30 years. He has significantly contributed in the development of various High energy materials and compositions based on them for various warheads used in the missile systems. He has contributed in the transfer of more than 30 defense technologies to industries in the country. He has contributed significantly towards the development of various defense products under make in India initiative, thereby achieving capacity building and self-reliance in the country in the area of Energetic
Materials.
He was a Visiting Scientist at Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology Moscow, Russia, during 1998. He has been also invited Honorary Professor to various Universities abroad. He has authored/co-authored more than 150 research papers in peer reviewed National and International journals of scientific repute. He has also presented several research papers (more than 40 No’s) in the National and International Seminars in the area of chemical sciences and materials of defense interest.
Dr Talawar has also worked as an International Civil Servant during the period 2005-2012 in the capacity as a Senior Chemical Weapons Specialist with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW, United Nations allied Organization), Netherlands. He contributed significantly in the area of nonproliferation and disarmament of chemical weapons at an International level. He has visited more than 50 countries including European, American and Asian continent in various capacities. The organization (OPCW, Netherlands) has been awarded with Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2013 by the Nobel Committee. The organization (OPCW) in turn recognized the contribution of Dr Talawar by issuing him certificate of recognition on the occasion of award of Nobel peace Prize to the organization for having contributed to the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr Mrinmayee Bhushan

Dr Mrinmayee Bhushan is a seasoned professional with 25 years of transdisciplinary experience across various fields including bio- chemical security consulting and training,

Dr Mrinmayee Bhushan is a seasoned professional with 25 years of transdisciplinary experience across various fields including bio- chemical security consulting and training, scientific research and innovation, intellectual property rights consulting, and international policy analysis for disarmament and non- proliferation treaties. Dr Bhushan's contributions to these diverse domains are notable, as she is the innovator of a groundbreaking patented technology and the recipient of two National Innovation Awards.
Dr Bhushan's academic journey is transdisciplinary, encompassing a Ph.D. in Medicine (Medical Pharmacology) and dual master's degrees in Microbiology and Pharmaceutical Management. Her professional trajectory includes a prestigious Chevening Oxford University Fellowship. Complementing her dedication is a profound connection to Indian spirituality, infusing her commitment to tackling intricate global geopolitical challenges.
With her extensive and diverse expertise, Dr Mrinmayee Bhushan is a distinguished author, researcher, and thought leader, who continues to contribute significantly to the fields of bio-chemical security and international policy.

Dr Peter Johnston

Dr Peter Johnston serves as the Director of Narrative & Content at the Imperial War Museum, where he oversees the development of compelling stories and educational content related to military history and war experiences. With a deep expertise in curating historical narratives, Dr. Johnston plays a key role in shaping the museum's exhibitions, publications, and multimedia projects. His work is central to engaging diverse audiences, ensuring that the museum’s collections and resources effectively communicate the profound impact of conflict on societies, individuals, and global history.

Dr Sanjaya Baru

Dr Sanjaya Baru has been editor of India’s major financial newspapers and was Media Advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004-08. He served as Director for Geo-economics and Strategy.

Dr Sanjaya Baru has been editor of India’s major financial newspapers and was Media Advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004-08. He served as Director for Geo-economics and Strategy, International Institute of Strategic Studies (2011-16), and has lectured at National Defence College, Indian School of Public Policy, University of Hyderabad and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore. He was member of India’s National Security Advisory Board in 1999-2001 and is Founder-Trustee, Forum for National Security Studies, India. He was a member of the India-ASEAN Eminent Persons Group, 2010. His publications include The Strategic Consequences of India’s Economic Rise (2006); India and the World: Essays on Geo-economics and Foreign Policy (2016); India’s Power Elite: Caste, Class and a Cultural Revolution, (Penguin Viking, 2021). He is a Distinguished Fellow, at USI.

Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele (Retd)

Group Captain (Dr) Ajey Lele (Retd.) is the Deputy Director General, MP-IDSA. Earlier, he was a Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and headed its Centre on Strategic Technologies. He started his professional career as an officer in the Indian Air Force in 1987 and took early retirement from the service to pursue his academic interests. He has a Masters degree in Physics from Pune University, and Masters and MPhil degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University. He has done his doctorate from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. His specific areas of research include issues related to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), Space Security and Strategic Technologies. He has contributed articles to various national and international journals, websites and newspapers. He has authored ten books and has also been an editor for seven books. He is a recipient of the K. Subrahmanyam Award (2013) which is conferred for outstanding contribution in the area of strategic and security studies.

Hemant Singh Katoch

Hemant Singh Katoch is an independent scholar and consultant based in New Delhi. His research has focused on the battles of Imphal and Kohima of 1944.

Hemant Singh Katoch is an independent scholar and consultant based in New Delhi. His research has focused on the battles of Imphal and Kohima of 1944 and he has pioneered battlefield tours around them (Battle of Imphal Tours). He is the author of three books, including Imphal 1944: The Japanese invasion of India (Osprey), The Battlefields of Imphal (Routledge) and, most recently, Imphal-Kohima 1944 (HarperCollins).

Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM (Retd)

Major General Ian Cardozo was born in Mumbai and studied at St. Xavier’s School and College. He joined the Joint Services Wing at Clement Town, Dehradun in July 1954, which

Major General Ian Cardozo was born in Mumbai and studied at St. Xavier’s School and College. He joined the Joint Services Wing at Clement Town, Dehradun in July 1954, which transferred to Khadakvasla, Pune in January 1955 and became the National Defence Academy. Here he was the first cadet to win both the gold medal for being the best all round cadet and the silver medal for being first in order of merit.
He was commissioned at the Indian Military Academy into the 1st Battalion the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) where he received his basic grounding as a young officer. He thereafter took part in the Sino-Indian war of 1962, the Indo-Pak war of 1965 and the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Wounded in the battle of Sylhet in Bangladesh, he overcame the disability of losing a leg and became the first disabled officer of the Indian Army to be approved for command of an infantry battalion and brigade. Thereafter, he commanded an Infantry Division and retired from this appointment as Chief of Staff of a Corps in the North East.
On retirement he worked in the area of Disability with an NGO and as Vice President of the War Wounded Foundation before being picked up by the Government of India and appointed as the Chairman of the Rehabilitation Council of India where he worked for nine years.
He has taken up writing as a hobby and his books ‘Param Vir’, ‘The Sinking of INS Khukri’, ‘The Bravest of the Brave – the Indian VCs of World War I’, ‘The Indian Army in World War I 1914-18’ and ‘Lieutenant General Bilimoria – His Life and Times’ have been widely acclaimed.

Julian Farrance

Julian Farrance is a career employee of the National Army Museum, working there since 2000. Initially in the education team, he spent three years in the

Julian Farrance is a career employee of the National Army Museum, working there since 2000. Initially in the education team, he spent three years in the comms team and has worked as the lead for the Museum’s liaison with the UK’s Regimental and Corps Museums for the last eleven years (with additional responsibility for International partnerships) In this role Julian provides direct support, training, advice and networking administration for the UK’s one hundred and forty five museums.

Kulpreet Yadav

Kulpreet Yadav, a graduate of the Naval Officers' Academy, served in the Indian Coast Guard for two decades, commanding three ships during his career.

Kulpreet Yadav, a graduate of the Naval Officers' Academy, served in the Indian Coast Guard for two decades, commanding three ships during his career. After retiring as Commandant in 2014, he has authored several books across genres such as military history, espionage, and true crime. His notable works include The Battle of Rezang La (Penguin) and The Battle of Haji Pir (Penguin), published in 2021 and 2024, respectively. Kulpreet also co-authored Brahmaputra (HarperCollins) with renowned screenwriter Shri Vijayendra Prasad, writer of films like Baahubali, RRR, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. In addition to being an author, he is an actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur.

Lt Gen (Dr) Anil Kapoor AVSM, VSM (Retd)

Lt Gen (Dr) Anil Kapoor AVSM, VSM, PhD, is a distinguished retired officer of the Indian Army, having served as Director General Electronics and Mechanical Engineers.

Lt Gen (Dr) Anil Kapoor AVSM, VSM, PhD, is a distinguished retired officer of the Indian Army, having served as Director General Electronics and Mechanical Engineers. He was pivotal in advancing maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) and technology innovation across the Indian Army’s vast equipment portfolio. Prior to this role, he directed Information Systems, spearheading digital transformation and net-centric operations for the Indian Army.
His military career includes two United Nations peacekeeping missions and participation in significant operations such as Kargil (Op Vijay), Op Parakram, and Op Snow Leopard. Following his retirement, he became Director General at Amity University, where he established the Amity Institute of Defence Technology and developed advanced degree programs.
Currently, Lt Gen Kapoor is a Board Member of the Technology Innovation Hub Governing Body at 11T Tirupati and a Professor of Practice, focusing on Design Thinking and Leadership. He holds several advisory positions, including Vice President of the Asset Management Society India and Senior Advisor at the Indus International Research Foundation.
With over 42 years of experience, he is recognized for his expertise in managing large-scale technology projects, supply chain logistics, and public policy formulation. An accomplished thought leader, he conceptualized the Life Cycle Sustenance Support Philosophy for the digital era and has been honored with multiple awards, including the Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
Dr. Kapoor is a prolific writer and speaker, actively engaging in discussions on strategic leadership, technology sovereignty, and the startup ecosystem. He holds a gold medal in both B Tech and Master of Engineering and earned his PhD for his research on India’s Defence Industrial Base.

Lt Gen (Dr) Rakesh Sharma, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd)

Lt Gen (Dr) Rakesh Sharma was commissioned in Gorkha Rifles in 1977, and had a career spanning forty years in the Army.

Lt Gen (Dr) Rakesh Sharma was commissioned in Gorkha Rifles in 1977, and had a career spanning forty years in the Army. He has had extensive operational experience in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and on the Western Borders. The officer had trained the Botswana Army for three years in Africa, and attended the National War College at Abuja, Nigeria.
He was Research Fellow at Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and has done PhD in Defence Studies. General Rakesh Sharma commanded the Fire and Fury Corps in Ladakh responsible for Kargil, Siachin Glacier and Eastern Ladakh – facing both Pakistan and China.
The General was the Adjutant General of the Indian Army responsible for the Human Resource Management and superannuated in 2017.He is currently DISTINGUISHED FELLOW with Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) and Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and on the EXECUTIVE COUNCIL of Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and of Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC).

Lt Gen (Dr) SL Narasimhan, PVSM, AVSM*, VSM (Retd)

Dr Narasimhan, is an Infantry Officer who served in the Indian Army for 40 years and worked extensively on the India China border. He served as the Defence Attaché in the Embassy of India in China for three years. Prior to going to China, he qualified in the Chinese language with distinction. He has been an avid China watcher for the last 24 years. Narasimhan is a former Member of the National Security Advisory Board. And, during his three tenures on the board, he worked on China and India’s national security issues pertaining to defence. Narasimhan was the first Director General, Centre for Contemporary China Studies, a policy oriented inter-ministerial think tank of Government of India, embedded in the Ministry of External Affairs, for five years. He is presently an Adjunct Distinguished Fellow with Gateway House, Mumbai, Non Resident Senior Associate with CSIS, Washington DC, Adjunct Professor with National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru and Emeritus Resource Faculty with Rashtriya Raksha University, India. He has done graduation in Mathematics, Post-Graduation in Defence Studies and PhD in India China Relations.

Lt Gen Anil Chandra Chait PVSM, AVSM, SM (Retd)

Lt Gen Anil Chandra Chait PVSM, AVSM, SM (Retd.) is a distinguished retired officer of the Indian Army, celebrated for his exemplary leadership and strategic acumen over a career spanning more than four decades. He served as the Commander of the Army Training Command and as the Director General of Military Operations, where he was instrumental in operational planning and execution. A recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and Sena Medal, Lt. Gen. Chait has also commanded key formations, including a corps in a high-altitude area and a division in counter-insurgency operations. His significant contributions to defence policy and military strategy have made a lasting impact on the Indian Army. Post-retirement, he continues to engage with national security discourse, providing insights on military strategy and defence reforms in various forums.

Lt Gen Asit Mistry, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd)

Lt Gen Asit Mistry (Retd) was commissioned in 12 MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY in June 1982 which he later commanded. He also had the honour to be the Colonel of MARATHA LI.

Lt Gen Asit Mistry (Retd) was commissioned in 12 MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY in June 1982 which he later commanded. He also had the honour to be the Colonel of MARATHA LI.
A graduate of Defence Services Staff College and Higher Command Course, Gen Mistry has a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies from Madras University and M Phil from DAVV, Indore.
He has varied command and staff experience. He commanded an Infantry Battalion in Siachen Glacier, a Mountain Brigade in Upper Assam and Counter Insurgency Force in North Kashmir.
As General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, he had the distinction of leading three Republic Day Parades. His last assignment in Service was as the Commandant, National Defence Academy (NDA) wherein he oversaw training of over 2000 cadets through the COVID pandemic.
General Mistry has a rich experience of United Nations Peacekeeping. He has been a United Nations Military Observer in Liberia in 1996-97 and the Deputy Force Commander in South Sudan from December 2011 to March 2014.
Post retirement, he was the Director of School of Internal Security, Defence & Strategic Studies (SISDSS) at the Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) from Nov 21 to Aug 23.
He is married to Mrs Mira Mistry and their only son, Maj Shrey Mistry following the father’s footsteps, has joined 12th MARATHA LI.

Lt Gen MU Nair, PVSM, AVSM, SM (Retd)

Lt Gen MU Nair, PVSM, AVSM, SM is an experienced Cybersecurity mentor, who has tenanted the appointment of National Cyber Security Coordinator in the National Security Council Secretariat...

Lt Gen MU Nair, Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal is an experienced Cybersecurity mentor, who has tenanted the appointment of National Cyber Security Coordinator in the National Security Council Secretariat, Government of India with effect from 01st July 2023. In this capacity, he is responsible for coordinating all activities across multiple sectors to ensure a secure and resilient cyberspace in the country.
General Nair was commissioned into the Corps of Signals of the Indian Army in 1984. He has held several key appointments at all levels of military hierarchy in operational, logistics and technical command and staff assignment. He is a scholar warrior, who has used technology for deriving operational benefits, in key areas of intelligence gathering and information systems. He also was instrumental in steering several key projects on AI, Quantum, Cryptology and Cyber Operations while serving with the Armed Forces.
He was the Signal Officer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, when he took up the assignment of the National Cyber Security Coordinator with effect from 01 July 2023. He retired from the Army on 31 May 2024.

Lt Gen Rajeev Sabherwal, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, (Retd)

Lt Gen Rajeev Sabherwal, is the former Signal Officer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, bringing over four decades of distinguished service. With a background in parachute operations...

Lt Gen Rajeev Sabherwal, is the former Signal Officer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, bringing over four decades of distinguished service. With a background in parachute operations and a wealth of experience in both conventional warfare and counter-terrorism, General Sabherwal has seen and done it all.
What makes him unique is his deep understanding of modern technology and its application in enhancing military operations. He has a knack for turning complex concepts into practical solutions that help enhancing the battlefield potential of the Indian Army. His approach to innovation is as dynamic as it is effective, ensuring that the armed forces stay ahead in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
Outside the military sphere, General Sabherwal is a lifelong learner and an avid reader. He enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures, which adds to his broader understanding of the world. And when he is not on the battlefield or immersed in a book, you might find him in the kitchen, experimenting with new recipes. This multifaceted approach to life and work ensures that he’s always got something interesting cooking, both on and off the field.
Get ready to explore disruptive technologies with a leader who knows how to bring the future into the present. With his expertise and enthusiasm, General Sabherwal is not just a soldier—he is a techno-warrior.

Lt Gen Vinod G Khandare, PVSM, AVSM, SM (Retd)

Lt Gen Vinod Khandare was Military Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat under the Prime Minister’s Office (2018-2021).

Lt Gen Vinod Khandare was Military Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat under the Prime Minister’s Office (2018-2021). He was Director General, Defense Intelligence Agency and Deputy Chief, Integrated Defence Staff for Intelligence (2015-2018). Lt Gen Khandare served in the Indian Army for nearly four decades. Serving in Infantry, he excelled in challenging terrain, sectors, operational roles in Siachen, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and North East region. For his exemplary service and commitment, Lt Gen Khandare has been awarded the Sena Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
He is an expert on Conventional Operations, Sub Conventional Counter Terrorism Operations, Information Warfare, Conflict Prevention and Peace Keeping Operations. Lt. Gen Khandare has first-hand experience in Strategic, Operational and Tactical Intelligence generation, fusion, analysis and dissemination. He is a keen analyst of International World Order, Comprehensive National Security, Defence and Governance Sector. Presently, he is serving as the Principal Advisor to the Ministry of Defence since 2022.

Lt Gen Vipul Shinghal, AVSM, SM

Lieutenant General Vipul Shinghal, a second generation army officer is an alumnus of the Doon School, Dehradun & National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla...

Lieutenant General Vipul Shinghal, a second generation army officer is an alumnus of the Doon School, Dehradun & National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in Dec 1988. Recognised for his strategic foresight and keen ability for thinking out of the box, he steered critical transformation initiatives during his tenure in the Perspective Planning Directorate. The General has an abiding interest in leadership development and has mentored both cadets and officers at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, School of Armoured Warfare, Ahmednagar and the National Defence College, Delhi. An expert in Mechanised Warfare, he has commanded an Independent Armoured Brigade, an Armoured Division and a Strike Corps in the Desert Sector. In his current assignment as Deputy Chief in the Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters, he plays a key role in the ongoing initiatives of ‘Jointness, Integration and Transformation of the Indian Armed Forces’. Academically accomplished he holds two M.Phil degrees in Defence and Strategic studies and is pursuing a PhD from Madras University. For his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Sena Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

Maj Gen (Dr) Mahesh Kumar Hada (Retd)

Major General (Dr.) Mahesh Kumar Hada (Retd.) is a distinguished defense professional with over 36 years of expertise in military operations,

Major General (Dr.) Mahesh Kumar Hada (Retd.) is a distinguished defense professional with over 36 years of expertise in military operations, strategic planning, and higher education administration. As Director of DRDO, he led the security, cyber security, and vigilance operations across 52 labs, managing a workforce of 37,500, with an exceptional record in safeguarding national secrets and coordinating with key agencies like the Ministry of Defence and Intelligence Bureaus.
At the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), he transformed the institution’s operations by implementing a robust e-governance system, enhancing transparency and significantly increasing the corpus from Rs 50 crore to Rs 800 crore. His academic contributions include over 31 published papers and a patent, alongside mentoring numerous Ph.D. and M.Tech students at the Defense Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT).
Major General Hada holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, an M.Tech., and an Executive Diploma in Project Management. Recognized with awards like the DRDO’s Best Service Techno-Managerial Award, he brings a unique blend of strategic insight, operational excellence, and governance expertise, making him a highly respected leader in defense and technology innovation.

Maj Gen (Dr) Pawan Anand, AVSM (Retd)

Maj Gen (Dr) Pawan Anand, AVSM (Retd), was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers and was awarded the President’s Gold Medal at the National Defence Academy for being First in Order of Merit,

Maj Gen (Dr) Pawan Anand, AVSM (Retd), was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers and was awarded the President’s Gold Medal at the National Defence Academy for being First in Order of Merit, and later the Sword of Honour at the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
In an illustrious career, Gen Anand commanded an Armoured Engineer Regiment, an Engineer Brigade in a Strike Corps, and was Chief Engineer of South Western Command. During the Kargil War he controlled operations as Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade on the LC, and later was Col Adm in a Counter Insurgency Force. He has been an instructor at the IMA, and College of Military Engineering. He was selected for all apex level courses of the military including DSSC, HDMC and the NDC, and represented India in several delegations and cooperation conferences abroad. He has also held three appointments dealing with acquisitions and procurement. He has been awarded twice by the army and by President of India for his distinguished service
Gen Anand is a qualified Mechanical Engineer, Masters in Strategic Studies, and a Doctorate. After superannuating from the army, he was Secretary General of Highway Operators Association in the private sector. He is currently
• Director USI Centre for Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Technologies, at the USI of India looking at the intersection of Geopolitics/Geostrategy and Emerging Technologies (having recently pioneered its Cyber Centre of Excellence, and AI initiative), and Defence Industry. The Centre is currently conducting a study for the National Security Council Secretariat;
• a PhD Guide for Strategic Studies (Professor, University of Madras) and Mentor for Strategic Gaming Exercises at the National Defence College;
• an empanelled arbitrator with Delhi International Arbitration Council in the Bureaucrat Category.
• and a strategic advisor with corporate entities.
He has a number of publications to his credit and is a regular speaker at various national and international events on Geopolitics/Geostrategy, AI and Cybersecurity.

Maj Gen Ajay Singh Chauhan, SC, SM (Retd)

Maj Gen Ajay Singh Chauhan, SC, SM (Retd) is an Infantry officer, commissioned into the Mahar Regt in Dec 1984. He has rich combat and instructional experience.

Maj Gen Ajay Singh Chauhan, SC, SM (Retd) is an Infantry officer, commissioned into the Mahar Regt in Dec 1984. He has rich combat and instructional experience. During his 35 years of service in the Army, the officer has varied experience in all kinds of terrain from “Indira Col” in the North to “Indira Point” in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. His command experience includes command of an Infantry Battalion in the Batalik sector (Op Rakshak), Infantry Brigade in riverine sector of Punjab. He also commanded the Pathankot Sub Area and has been GOC of Jodhpur Sub Area.
He is qualified in Mass Communication from Indian Institute of Mass Comn, Jawaharlal University New Delhi and also Independent Director's Program from MDI, Gurgaon. He served as the Director Media at ADG, Stratcom and has been Colonel Quarter Master in the Desert Corps. He has also been Deputy Military Secretary in South Western Command. The Gen Officer has also been a faculty member in the Higher Command Wing at Army War College Mhow. As a subject matter expert, he has lead a delegation of Indian Army to Land Forces HQs, United Kingdom. He has been
part of various delegations to Russia, Egypt and Kyrgyzstan and UAE.
The officer is a recipient of two gallantry awards – Shaurya Chakra and Sena Medal. The officer retired in March 2020, as GOC Jodhpur Sub Area. He is presently the Managing Director of Army Welfare Placement Organisation which is mandated to facilitate placements of the army veterans, widows and wards of veterans into corporate, various govt and semi govt organizations.

Maj Gen AJS Sandhu, VSM (Retd)

Major General AJS Sandhu, VSM (Retd), did his schooling from The Lawrence School, Sanawar. He was commissioned into the Army in June 1967,

Major General AJS Sandhu, VSM (Retd), did his schooling from The Lawrence School, Sanawar. He was commissioned into the Army in June 1967, becoming the third generation of a martial family. In an illustrious career spanning over 37 years he has held varied assignments including overseas service. He served in the Punjab sector in the 1971 Inda-Pakistan War, and in the operationally vital regions of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, during the critical periods of the Siachen Conflict and Operation Vijay (Kargil conflict). Major General Sandhu is a Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras, and has done the Post Graduate Diploma Course in International Human Rights Law from the Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi. His book titled 'BATTLEGROUND CHHAMB: The Indo- Pakistan War of 1971' was published in January 2017 and re-printed the same year. It vividly recounts what was perhaps the toughest and most intensely fought battle of the 1971 War. The General is a recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal as well as the Chief of Army Staff and Northern Army Commander's Commendations. Prior to his retirement on 31 August 2004, he was Additional Director General Artillery at the Army HQ, New Delhi.

Maj Gen Arjun Muthanna (Retd)

Major General Arjun Muthanna is currently the Director for HR and Training of Trident Automobiles in Bangalore. He is the Managing Trustee of Kodagu Educational & Social Service Trust (KESST) which works with the youth of his home district, Kodagu, in Karnataka.
He is an alumnus of Sainik School, Bijapur and Government College, Mangalore. He joined Indian Military Academy, Dehradun as an NCC entry candidate; and was commissioned in The Garhwal Rifles in 1978. He has served motsly in mountain and CI/CT areas of Manipur, Jammu, Ladakh, Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and in Jaffna as part of the IPKF. He was GSO 1 (Operations & Training) of the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) in Bhutan and Director MT 16 in Army HQ dealing for foreign training and cooperation.
He set up the Karnataka State Police's Centre for Counter-Terrorism (CCT) and its counter-terror response force, GARUDA FORCE in 2010-11 while on deputation.
His publications include
1. “Enabling Military-To-Military Cooperation as a Foreign Policy Tool – Options for India” – Research report while Senior Research Fellow (MEA Chair) at United Services Institution of India, New Delhi, in 2004-05
2. Compiling and editing of personal accounts of IPKF veterans (in 2022)
*How the Wind Blew: Operation Pawan
*Valiant Were Their Deeds: Operation Pawan
*IPKF-Undying Be Their Memories – Operation Pawan
*The Bravehearts of IPKF: Op Pawan
*For the Honour of India - IPKF (Op Pawan)
3. ‘Kodavas…Passion for Uniform’, a compilation of the history of the military tradition of Kodavas (Coorgs) and biographies of senior Kodava officers and gallantry awardees. (2023)
4. Humour the Services Way – a compilation of humorous anecdotes in the military. (2024)

Maj Gen Vinay Bhatnagar, AVSM, VSM (Retd)

MAJ GEN VINAY BHATNAGAR AVSM VSM was commissioned into the 5 Gurkha Rifles (FF) in December 1972 and Retired in March 2009.

MAJ GEN VINAY BHATNAGAR AVSM VSM was commissioned into the 5 Gurkha Rifles (FF) in December 1972 and Retired in March 2009.
During his 37 years of Service he served in Counter Insurgency Areas in the North East, Assam, Punjab and J&K. He also Served extensively in the Western Sector.
He is a Graduate of DSSC, CDM and NDC. He has held Staff Appointments in General, Logistics and Adjutant Branches.
As ADG (SD) was incharge of Training and Deployment of Indian Peace Keeping Forces.
Post Retirement he served in the Hospitality and Real Estate Business, as also in Tourism in the Andaman Islands.
He was Trained in Israel in Homeland Security.
Presently involved in the USI Contact Classes for DSSC aspirants, and in Battlefield Tourism.

Mandira Nayar

Mandira Nayar has been a journalist for over two decades. Till recently, she was the Deputy Bureau Chief at The Week, where she wrote on culture, foreign policy, and books.

Mandira Nayar has been a journalist for over two decades. Till recently, she was the Deputy Bureau Chief at The Week, where she wrote on culture, foreign policy, and books. She was one of the first few Indian magazine journalists to travel to Myanmar when it opened up to write a cover story. Mandira has traveled extensively within the region reporting from China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Russia. She has worked with The Hindu and The Telegraph.
She co-founded Agla Varka, a cultural platform dedicated to fostering meaningful conversations about Punjab, challenging stereotypes, and shaping new narratives.

Manmeet Randhawa

Manmeet Randhawa is an experienced marketing and communications leader with over 15 years of expertise, specializing in strategic alliances, corporate social responsibility (CSR),

Manmeet Randhawa is an experienced marketing and communications leader with over 15 years of expertise, specializing in strategic alliances, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and stakeholder management. She has successfully managed key projects for clients such as Meta, Microsoft, AWS, and many more, driving collaborations between corporations, law enforcement agencies, and government ministries. Her strategic leadership has been instrumental in launching and executing impactful campaigns, including the Cyber Raksha Kavach initiative, which provided cybersecurity training to over 1,500 MSMEs, helping enhance digital security and resilience among small businesses.
In her last role as Head of Corporate Communications at India Future Foundation, Manmeet played a key role in managing high-profile CSR initiatives, building effective partnerships, and steering project communications to achieve lasting impact. She also led the Digital Literacy Program in collaboration with Meta, delivering valuable education to students and underserved communities.
Manmeet is recognized for her exceptional skills in moderating and hosting conferences, panel discussions, and industry events. Her ability to engage diverse audiences and lead insightful conversations has positioned her as a trusted moderator for digital transformation topics. In addition to her corporate roles, she is currently freelancing for various organizations in the areas of strategic alliances, partnerships, marketing, and communications.
She was featured in Women Entrepreneur magazine for her leadership and contributions to the industry. With a focus on creating meaningful partnerships and driving strategic initiatives, Manmeet continues to contribute thought leadership in areas that bridge technology, business, and social impact.

Dr Manvi Seth

Dr Manvi Seth is currently Dean, NMI and Professor and Head in the Department of Museology, National Museum Institute. Since August 2002

Dr Manvi Seth is currently Dean, NMI and Professor and Head in the Department of Museology, National Museum Institute. Since August 2002 she has been teaching in the Department of Museology. Prior to this, she worked as the Curator, Decorative Arts, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, City Palace, Jaipur from 2000-2002. She has been awarded two prestigious grants jointly with Dr. Sandra Dudley, School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester, from the British Academy and UGC-UKIERI. Prof. Seth has curated the Community Museum in Gya, Ladakh which was inaugurated in March 2022. She has also curated many exhibitions. Amongst the various exhibitions she has curated, the prominent ones are – ‘Re(ad)dress: Return of Treasures’, an exhibition on repatriated antiquities to India organized as part of the G20 Summit under India’s Presidency from 22 February to 28 February 2023, and ‘First Frames –In the Footsteps of Early Explorers’. Prof. Seth is the recipient of the prestigious Nehru Trust UK Visiting Fellowship. She has been awarded the “Best Professor’ award by the Dewang Mehta National Education Awards. She has successfully completed the Leadership Training Programme organised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India in collaboration with the British Museum. Prof. Seth is the Chair of, Intangible Cultural Heritage Working Group, CIDOC.

Meghna Girish

After schooling across the country as an army officer’s daughter, Meghna did B Pharm from Govt College of Pharmacy in Bangalore. Marriage to a Fighter

After schooling across the country as an army officer’s daughter, Meghna did B Pharm from Govt College of Pharmacy in Bangalore. Marriage to a Fighter Pilot (Wg Cdr Girish Kumar), the birth of twins Akshay and Neha and life as an Air Force Officer's wife notwithstanding, she continued her education doing her Masters in Pharmacy with Distinction from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS-Pilani). She took up teaching for 13 years in Pharmacy Colleges and went on to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law from National Law School (NLSIU) Bangalore. Meghna then made a career shift from academia to the NGO Sector, working with ActionAid India both at the state and national level for 8 years. Later, she continued working as a freelance Development Consultant.
Meghna, as mother of a Braveheart who led his Quick Reaction Team to save lives of families trapped in a terror attack in Nagrota and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation, is also the Co-Founder of Major Akshay Girish Memorial Trust which works to strengthen patriotism and service to the nation.
Her blog called ‘finding new meaning’ is widely read in many countries. With over 60k followers on twitter, she is considered a social influencer.
She has led two nationwide collaborative research studies related to soldiers. The research for advocacy through data analysis makes recommendations to address gaps and challenges in access to entitlements and benefits for families of soldiers killed in action, war wounded soldiers and disabled cadets.
Recent Awards:
Inspired India Foundation Award for Social Service in 2021
USI-War Wounded Foundation Chair of Excellence Award 2021-23

Mmhonlumo Kikon

A National Spokesperson for the BJP, Kikon was previously the Prabhari for Mizoram. His latest book, His Majesty’s Headhunters, is published by Penguin Random House.

A National Spokesperson for the BJP, Kikon was previously the Prabhari for Mizoram. His latest book, His Majesty’s Headhunters, is published by Penguin Random House. He is currently an India Technology Policy Fellow at the Pacific Forum and resides in Dimapur, Nagaland.
Mmhonlumo Kikon is a poet and author with three poetry books and one history book. He earned his Bachelors and Masters in English Literature from the University of Delhi and is an ASPEN Fellow.
Politically, he served two terms as the Member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly for the Bhandari Constituency (2013-2023) and was Minister of Geology & Mining, as well as Advisor on IT, Communication, New & Renewable Energy, and Science & Technology. He also held roles as Parliamentary Secretary for Labour, Employment, and Skill Development.

MR Narayan Swamy

MR Narayan Swamy, a journalist since 1978, has spent most of his career working for Indian and international news agencies. He has followed the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict...

MR Narayan Swamy, a journalist since 1978, has spent most of his career working for Indian and international news agencies. He has followed the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict from when it erupted into insurgency in 1983. He covered the horrific bloodletting till the time the Sri Lankan military crushed the LTTE and killed its leaders, including Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Narayan Swamy has visited Sri Lanka innumerable times, and interacted with most all the actors on the Tamil side. His first book, Tigers of Lanka, was published in 1994. It was a pathbreaking study of the origin and growth of Tamil militancy in Sri Lanka. His next book, Inside an Elusive Mind, was the first and unauthorized biography of Prabhakaran. It came out in 2003 to widespread acclaim, like the first work. Narayan Swamy's third book, The Tiger Vanquished (2010), was a collection of news stories covering the period the separatist war raged. His latest book, published in October this year, is The Rout of Prabhakaran. It challenges conventional wisdom and, on the strength of intense research and interviews, concludes that the LTTE is mainly to blame for its own annihilation. Narayan Swamy was born and educated in Delhi and has spent his entire career in the city. He is widely travelled and lives in New Delhi.

Prof (Dr) Dinesh Kumar Pandey

Prof (Dr) DK Pandey was the Group Captain in IAF. He has served the IAF for more than three decades.

Prof (Dr) DK Pandey was the Group Captain in IAF. He has served the IAF for more than three decades. He has experience of more than 2500 Air combats. In the course of his service, he undertook AD operations in the Western, J&K and NE sectors. As part of Air Staff Inspections team, at Air HQs, he inspected and audited AD ops at various AF Stations, including AWACS. He has commanded six Air Defence (C&R) Units and was awarded Best Unit Trophies twice. He was Director Air Staff Inspections and retired as Director, Joint Control and Analysis Centre. He was commended by CAS and AOC-in-Cs of Western Air Command and South Western Air Command. He was Associate Dean & Professor at the School of Business (Aviation Management) at Galgotias University. He has written more than 100 research papers for journals and websites. He is currently a Senior Fellow at CAPS; a member of the Advisory Council of ‘Greater Noida Institute of Technology’ (GNOIT) and a member of the Advisory Board (Academic Affairs) at ‘Foreign Policy School, New Delhi’. His study areas are Air Power, International Relations and Strategic Geopolitical dynamics.

Prof Amar Farooqui

Amar Farooqui is former Professor of History, University of Delhi. He taught history for many years at Hans Raj College, Delhi; and has been Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi.

Amar Farooqui is former Professor of History, University of Delhi. He taught history for many years at Hans Raj College, Delhi; and has been Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. His publications include Zafar and the Raj: Anglo-Mughal Delhi, c.1800-1850 (2013), and The Colonial Subjugation of India (2022).

Prof Gavin Rand

Gavin Rand is Professor of History at the University of Greenwich, London. Gavin’s research examines the history of the military in colonial South Asia, focussing on the people,

Gavin Rand is Professor of History at the University of Greenwich, London. Gavin’s research examines the history of the military in colonial South Asia, focussing on the people, institutions and ideas which shaped imperial military power. A cultural historian by training, Gavin has previously written on changing ideas of race, imperial recruiting strategies and colonial frontier conflicts. Gavin is the academic lead for the Punjab Registers project – a collaboration with the UK Punjab Heritage Association, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, National Army Museum and Ancestry.com. The project has digitised and transcribed a unique collection of First World War records which document the service and family histories of c. 320,000 recruits from colonial Punjab. A sample of the Punjab Registers have been published at www.punjabww1.com.

Prof Raman Dev Surie

Prof. Raman Dev Surie is an architect and urban planner. He is a graduate of the N.I.T., Nagpur and of the University of Manitoba, in Canada, where he was awarded a graduate fellowship.

Prof. Raman Dev Surie is an architect and urban planner. He is a graduate of the N.I.T., Nagpur and of the University of Manitoba, in Canada, where he was awarded a graduate fellowship. He has over fifty years of diverse international experience in architecture & urban planning projects, including ones funded by international agencies such as S.I.D.A., and the World Bank. He worked in Iran, Botswana and North America before returning to work in India.
He has a special interest in heritage conservation and has guided several thesis projects and done research work in these fields, as well as working on consultancies in this area. He retired in 2011, as a professor & Head of the Department at the School of Planning & Architecture in New Delhi and now engages in advisory & consultancy work.
He has made presentations on Military Heritage Conservation, at the USI-NAM Military Museum Curators Training Courses. He is an advisor to the Delhi Urban Arts Commission and a member of the Construction Committee (Deed), of the Ram Janambhoomi Temple Complex, at Ayodhya.

Rajeev Prakash

Rajeev Prakash has contributed to the nation’s self-reliance in Armament and Ammunition through over 26 years of dedicated service as an Armament scientist at DRDO.

Rajeev Prakash has contributed to the nation’s self-reliance in Armament and Ammunition through over 26 years of dedicated service as an Armament scientist at DRDO. He holds a Master’s degree in Technology (M.Tech) in Design Engineering from IIT Bombay and an M.Sc. in Gun Systems Design from the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. In 2012, he made the nation proud by winning the prestigious Royal Ordnance Trophy at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. His research and development efforts have led to the establishment of various state-of-the-art technologies for defence equipment and ammunition. Currently, he is leveraging his academic expertise and extensive experience to lead major defence R&D projects focused on developing ammunition for tanks and infantry.

Air Marshal (Dr) Rajeev Sachdeva, AVSM (Retd)

Air Marshal (Dr) Rajeev Sachdeva, AVSM (Retd), served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and officiated as Additional Secretary (Air) at DMA, MoD.

Air Marshal (Dr) Rajeev Sachdeva, AVSM (Retd), served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and officiated as Additional Secretary (Air) at DMA, MoD. He is a Distinguished Fellow at i2p2M and Certified Management Instructor by AIMA. Other joint appointments were Co-Chair DIATF with US for development of niche capabilities; Officiated as Chairman of DCMG and steered the projects for NFS & DCN.

Rajinder Singh Bhatia

Rajinder Singh Bhatia is an Army Veteran and a prominent Defence Industry leader in India with over 50 years of experience.

Rajinder Singh Bhatia is an Army Veteran and a prominent Defence Industry leader in India with over 50 years of experience.
He is currently the President of SIDM and member of CII National Council.
He is the Chairman of Kalyani Strategic System Limited (Defence Business Subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited) at Kalyani Group. He is also the Chairman of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited, KRAS (A joint venture between Rafael and KSSL).
Under him, Kalyani Group has been at the forefront of Atma Nirbhar effort In the Country while forging partnerships with major defence and Aerospace OEMs of the world and is today in the forefront of Defence & Aerospace Landscape in the country.
He has been a key member of the Strategic Policy initiatives and policy taskforce as part of government sponsored bodies for Defence & Aerospace
He has featured in ’50 Manufacturing Innovative Leaders’ and also awarded ‘Best CEO of the Year’ for ‘Excellence and Leadership in Innovation’ at Golden Star Awards in Oct 2021.

Sqn Ldr Rana Chhina, MBE (Retd)

Squadron Leader Rana TS Chhina served in the Indian Air Force as a helicopter pilot. He is currently Director of the Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies (CMHCS).

Squadron Leader Rana TS Chhina served in the Indian Air Force as a helicopter pilot. He is currently Director of the Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies (CMHCS). The author of a number of books, he was Vice President of the Indian Military Historical Society (2004-2020), and a member of the Government of India’s Archival Advisory Board. He is a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)
Independent Advisory Panel and is actively engaged in promoting the preservation of India’s rich tangible and intangible military heritage. A recipient of the Macgregor Medal for best military reconnaissance, he was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2016 and an Officer of the Belgian Order of Leopold in 2018.

Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta, MVC, NM (Retd)

Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta, MVC, NM, an alumnus of The Doon School and the NDA, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1958,

Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta, MVC, NM, an alumnus of The Doon School and the NDA, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1958, specialising in naval aviation. Serving aboard INS Vikrant for 13 years, he earned gallantry awards during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, commanding Sea Hawks strike force. Gupta later commanded ships, including INS Vikrant, retiring as Rear Admiral in Dec 1990.

Sqn Ldr Pushp K Vaid, VrC (Retd)

Sqn Ldr Pushp K Vaid, VrC, completed his schooling in Delhi and joined the NDA in January 1959. He was commissioned as an IAF helicopter pilot in January 1963 and flew Mi-4 helicopters across North India for 11 years.
During the 1971 Bangladesh war, he served as the Flight Commander of the 110 Helicopter Unit in Kumbhigram, attached to IV Corps, and was awarded the Vir Chakra. He authored Mi-4s at War, which details the war's events and is available on Amazon.
After leaving the IAF in 1974, Vaid moved to Scotland and joined British Airways helicopters. On November 6, 1986, he survived a Chinook crash in the North Sea, in which 45 out of 47 passengers perished. Following a brief recovery, he continued flying for another 20 years until his retirement in 2007.
Vaid is now involved in golf, charity work, and cooking large-scale Indian meals for fundraising. He has cooked for over 700 people at once. He is married and has a son working in underwater operations in Doha and a daughter who is a captain with Easy Jet.

Suhasini Haidar

Suhasini Haidar is the Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, covering Indian diplomacy, international developments and conflicts, and contributing columns regularly.

Suhasini Haidar is the Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, covering Indian diplomacy, international developments and conflicts, and contributing columns regularly. She hosts the weekly online show "WorldView with Suhasini Haidar". Over the span of her career of nearly 30 years, Suhasini has worked with CNN International (1995-2005), CNN-IBN (2005-2014), until her present role at The Hindu newspaper (2014- ).
She has contributed to a number of books on South Asia, diplomacy with the US and Japan as well as the Global South.

Tony McClenaghan

Tony McClenaghan’s interest in Indian military history started over 50 years ago. For many years he helped nurture the Indian Military Historical Society,

Tony McClenaghan’s interest in Indian military history started over 50 years ago. For many years he helped nurture the Indian Military Historical Society, serving at various times as Secretary, Editor and Treasurer. He has published three major works focussing on the Armies of the former Indian States - Indian Princely Medals (Delhi: Lancer, 1996); with the late Richard Head The Maharajas’ Paltans – a History of the Indian State Forces 1888-1948 (Delhi: USII/Manohar Publishers, 2013); and For the Honour of My House – the contribution of the Indian Princely States to the First World War (Warwick: Helion & Company Ltd, 2019). He has contributed chapters to two other books as well as a number of journal articles. His most recent work, Reconstitution: He has spoken at a number of literary festivals and conferences. He was appointed a Distinguished Fellow of USI-CAFHR in 2019 and in December 2022 the USI Council awarded him the Maharana Pratap Chair of Excellence 2023-24. He continues to research and write on various aspects of Indian military history.

Vivek Srivastava

Vivek is a Technology and Cyber Security Business Leader with 24 years of experience in Sales & Business Management, Strategy & Planning,

Vivek is a Technology and Cyber Security Business Leader with 24 years of experience in Sales & Business Management, Strategy & Planning, Building Growth Ecosystems, Portfolio Management and Building Nurturing & Inspiring High Performing teams.
Vivek has led start-ups and minuscule Cyber Security businesses’ growth to high Multi-Million Dollars. He possesses the experience of managing above US$ 50M businesses. Over last 23 years he has led many Path-Breaking, Transformational and Multi-Million Dollars Cyber Security projects with Enterprises, Service Providers and Government entities in India & SAARC region. As a practitioner many of his recommendations have been accepted and implemented at policy levels.
Vivek is a strong believer that Cyber Security is at the front and center of Digital Disruptions & Transformations and it is pivotal to Survival, Growth and Success of today’s Digital Enterprises.

Speakers 2024