Vaad

Jay Vardhan Singh is currently doing his PhD in Ancient Indian History at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. His area of interest includes the Ancient and early medieval history of the Indian subcontinent

Baldev Puri is the Chairman of AMXDetectives (P) Ltd., a renowned private detective agency based in Delhi, India. His journey into the detective profession began in 1986, and he officially established AMX Detectives in 1998. With over three decades of experience, Puri has built a reputation for providing discreet and comprehensive investigative services across India and abroad. He has been instrumental in handling various types of investigations including personal, matrimonial, and corporate cases. His approach combines traditional investigative techniques with modern technology, ensuring high accuracy in results. Under his leadership, AMX Detectives has grown to offer services like pre and post-matrimonial investigations, loyalty tests, surveillance, background checks, and more, catering to both individual and business clients. Puri's background includes connections with former members of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Bureau, R&AW, and the Police Department, which adds to the professional credibility and network of the agency. His commitment to customer satisfaction and ethical investigation practices has made AMX Detectives a trusted name in the security and investigation industry.

Dr Abhinav Pandya, a Cornell University graduate in public affairs and a bachelor's from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, is a founder and CEO of Usanas Foundation, an India-based foreign policy and security think tank. He has authored two books, Radicalization in India: An Exploration (2019) and Terror Financing in Kashmir (2023).He had previously advised the former governor of Jammu and Kashmir on security issues during the critical times when Kashmir's special status, Article 370, was revoked.He has written extensively for several national and international newspapers, and worked with the International Labour Organization, the United Nations.

Adarsh Pandit is a graduate from IIT Delhi. He is a political strategist.

IPS officer Rajesh Pandey retired as IG of Bareilly Range in Uttar Pradesh in May 2022. Currently, he is the nodal officer of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), a government agency responsible for development of expressways in the state. He was among the founding members of the elite UP STF (Special Task Force) when it was set up to deal with organised crime in 1998 and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2009 for anti-terror operations. He headed the electronic surveillance during Shriprakash Shukla operation and is credited with putting together the first surveillance unit for police. He has been part of 70 police encounters so far. He has investigated major terrorist attacks in the state of U.P. He has been awarded the Indian Police Medals for Gallantry four times –in 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2016 – for Operation Bazooka, and for successfully interrogating the Faizabad and Varanasi terror attacks. Pandey went to the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in Kosovo in 2008 and won the United Nations Medal for Peace Keeping. He has written bestselling book 'वर्चस्व' (Amazon: https://amzn.in/d/bnFanPi) based on crimes and encounter of dreaded gangster Shriprakash Shukla. His latest book 'Badge and the Bullet' is now out (Amazon: https://amzn.in/d/0K5oQkL)

Anuj Dhar is an Indian author, researcher, and activist known for his work in uncovering the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, one of India’s most iconic freedom fighters. Dhar, a former journalist, has devoted much of his career to investigating the enduring questions surrounding Bose's life and legacy, challenging official accounts with thorough research and evidence-based arguments. His best-selling book, India's Biggest Cover-Up, brought significant public attention to the theory that Bose did not die in the alleged 1945 plane crash but lived on under a different identity. A co-founder of the Mission Netaji organization, Dhar has been instrumental in advocating for declassification of government files related to Bose and in pushing for transparency around India’s historical records. His work has led to a surge of public interest in Netaji’s story, and his insights have been discussed in mainstream media and debated at the highest levels of government. Dhar's commitment to unearthing forgotten chapters of Indian history has made him a notable figure among Indian historians, researchers, and patriots alike. His influence extends beyond his books, as he often delivers lectures, participates in discussions, and actively engages with a global audience through social media and public forums. His latest book 'The Bose Deception: Declassified' is out. Order your copy here: https://amzn.in/d/b0zuk0U

Iqbal Chand Malhotra has produced over five hundred hours of programming telecasts worldwide. He has directed four internationally acclaimed, award-winning feature documentaries. He is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has served for several years on the panel of jurors for the International Emmy Awards. Malhotra is the co-author of Kashmir's Untold Story: Declassified and the author of Red Fear: The China Threat and Dark Secrets: Politics, Intrigue and Proxy Wars in Kashmir all published by Bloomsbury India. He is Chairman and Producer, AIM Television, New Delhi. His latest book 'The Nukes, the Jihad, the Hawalas, and Crystal Meth: A Tale of Treachery' is now out. Order your copy here: https://amzn.in/d/0vx5Qne

Pavneet Singh is an author and teacher at Tmentors UPSC platform. He teaches aspirants for Indian Civil Services Examination. His YouTube channel is called SpyGamesPavneet.

Dr Abhinav Pandya, a Cornell University graduate in public affairs and a bachelor's from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, is a founder and CEO of Usanas Foundation, an India-based foreign policy and security think tank. He has authored two books, Radicalization in India: An Exploration (2019) and Terror Financing in Kashmir (2023).He had previously advised the former governor of Jammu and Kashmir on security issues during the critical times when Kashmir's special status, Article 370, was revoked.He has written extensively for several national and international newspapers, and worked with the International Labour Organization, the United Nations. In this episode, we discussed his book 'Terror Financing in Kashmir'.

Iqbal Chand Malhotra has produced over five hundred hours of programming telecasts worldwide. He has directed four internationally acclaimed, award-winning feature documentaries. He is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has served for several years on the panel of jurors for the International Emmy Awards. Malhotra is the co-author of Kashmir's Untold Story: Declassified and the author of Red Fear: The China Threat and Dark Secrets: Politics, Intrigue and Proxy Wars in Kashmir all published by Bloomsbury India. He is Chairman and Producer, AIM Television, New Delhi.

Dr Abhinav Pandya, a Cornell University graduate in public affairs and a bachelor's from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, is a founder and CEO of Usanas Foundation, an India-based foreign policy and security think tank. He has authored two books, Radicalization in India: An Exploration (2019) and Terror Financing in Kashmir (2023). He had previously advised the former governor of Jammu and Kashmir on security issues during the critical times when Kashmir's special status, Article 370, was revoked. He has written extensively for several national and international newspapers, and worked with the International Labour Organization, the United Nations. His latest book on "Jaish-e-Mohammad' is now out.

Pavneet Singh is an author and teacher at Tmentors UPSC platform. He teaches aspirants for Indian Civil Services Examination. His YouTube channel is called SpyGamesPavneet.

Kumari Selja is an Indian politician and a Member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian parliament. She is a member of the Indian National Congress and has served as the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Social Justice and Empowerment and Tourism during Manmohan Singh's premiership. Selja was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 from Sirsa, a constituency that she retained in the 1996 elections. Following her election in 2009 to the Lok Sabha from Ambala, she was appointed the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. Selja unsuccessfully contested the general elections in 2019 from Ambala, and following that made a return to state politics, being elected the president of the Haryana unit of the Congress party later that year. She was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2014 to 2020. In the 2024 Indian general election, she was elected to the Lok Sabha again from the Sirsa parliamentary constituency.

Ruchi Ghanashyam joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1982. During her career of thirty-eight years, she worked in various capacities at the Ministry of External Affairs, the Government of India, including as director (Pakistan) and secretary (West). Outside India, she served in the Indian embassies in Damascus, Kathmandu, Brussels and Islamabad, as well as the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York. She was India’s high commissioner to Ghana, South Africa and the UK, where she retired in 2020. Post retirement, she has written newspaper columns and articles as well as chapters for books. She has also participated in seminars and panel discussions, speaking on India’s foreign policy to students in India and the UK as well as at think tanks. She is a member of the board of patrons at the India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development, University of Southampton, and adjunct faculty at the Manipal Centre for European Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. She is also involved in social work. She is married to A.R. Ghanashyam, who joined the IFS in 1982 and retired as India’s high commissioner to Nigeria.

Rajiv Sikri was a career diplomat for more than 36 years with the Indian Foreign Service. He retired in 2006 as Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs. He has served as India’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan, and headed the Departments dealing with West Europe as well as the Soviet Union and East Europe in India’s Ministry of External Affairs. His other diplomatic assignments abroad include Deputy Chief of Mission in Paris, Political Counsellor in Moscow, Deputy Consul General and Commercial Consul in New York, and Political First Secretary in Kathmandu. Mr. Sikri is the author of “Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy” (SAGE: 2009). His latest book 'Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India's Foreign Policy' is now out.

Shiv Kunal Verma is a journalist, a filmmaker, and a writer. He worked briefly with India Today, the Associated Press, and Sanctuary Films before he teamed up with his associate Dipti Bhalla and formed KaleidoIndia, under whose banner some classic films like Salt of the Earth and Standard Bearers were shot and produced. In 1999, he filmed the Kargil War and, in the last decade and a half, has authored some exceptional books that include the Northeast Trilogy, 1962: The War That Wasn’t, and 1965: A Western Sunrise. He is now working on the seminal Value Education Program for schools that aims at bringing India to Indians especially at the school and college levels. Both volumes of his latest book 'Yodha: Illustrated Military History of India' are a step in this direction.

Pavneet Singh is an author and teacher at Tmentors UPSC platform. He teaches aspirants for Indian Civil Services Examination. His YouTube channel is called SpyGamesPavneet.

Iqbal Chand Malhotra has produced over five hundred hours of programming telecasts worldwide. He has directed four internationally acclaimed, award-winning feature documentaries. He is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and has served for several years on the panel of jurors for the International Emmy Awards. Malhotra is the co-author of Kashmir's Untold Story: Declassified and the author of Red Fear: The China Threat and Dark Secrets: Politics, Intrigue and Proxy Wars in Kashmir all published by Bloomsbury India. He is Chairman and Producer, AIM Television, New Delhi

Dr. L. H. Manjunath was the Executive Director of Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (R.) (SKDRDP). He joined SKDRDP as the Executive Director in 2001, to take forward the SHG promotion and community organization works of SKDRDP. He developed SKDRDP into a unique institution for microfinance and micro insurance for the poor. He retired in 2024. At the time of his joining SKDRDP was restricted to one taluk. Realising SKDRDP’s potential, Dr. Manjunath prepared a growth plan which has not only made the institution sustainable but has encompassed 5.5 million families through 6,43,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) spread across the entire Karnataka. He has developed many modules for last mile delivery of products related to poor. The financial innovations have helped the farmers, the women and the unbanked to access the best financial facilities at their doorsteps. Since 2009 SKDRDP has run one of the biggest Business Correspondent/Banking Facilitator to six scheduled commercial banks in the country. The efforts of Dr.Manjunath have made poor families more specially, women, credit worthy and bankable. Currently he is engaged in mentoring MFI startups. Before joining SKDRDP, Dr. Manjunath worked in various capacities at the Syndicate Bank, served as the Director at the T. A. Pai Institute for Rural Development and worked with the Rural Development Self Employment Training Institutes (RUDSETI). Prior to this engagement, he served in the Department of Animal Husbandry as a Veterinary doctor for 3 years. Dr Manjunath holds a postgraduate in veterinary sciences (MVSc.).

Bharat Karnad is Emeritus Professor for National Security Studies, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi and Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India. His most recent book, Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India’s Global Ambition was published by Penguin in September 2018. Previous books include Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet) (Oxford University Press, October 2015), Strategic Sellout: India-US Nuclear Deal (2009), India’s Nuclear Policy (Praeger, 2008), Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy, now in its second edition (Macmillan, 2005, 2002), and Future Imperilled: India’s Security in the 1990s and Beyond (Viking-Penguin, 1994). He was Member of the (First) National Security Advisory Board, Member of the Nuclear Doctrine-drafting Group, National Security Council, Government of India, and, formerly, Advisor on Defence Expenditure to the Finance Commission, India. Educated at the University of California (B.A., Santa Barbara; M.A., Los Angeles), he has been a Visiting Scholar at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, and Foreign Fellow at the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies and the Henry L. Stimson Centre, Washington, DC. He lectures at the top military training and discussion forums, including CORE (Combined Operational Review and Evaluation), DRDO Annual Directors’ Conference, National Defence College, Higher Command Courses at the Army War College, College of Air Warfare, College of Naval Warfare, College of Defence Management, College of Military Engineering, and at Army Command and Corps level fora and equivalent in the other two Armed Services, and Defence Services Staff College, and also at the Indian Administrative Service Academy, Foreign Service Institute, and the National Police Academy. He was commissioned by the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, to conceptualize, conduct for several years, and lecture at the annual Strategic Nuclear Orientation Course for Brigadier-rank officers and equivalent from the three Armed Services, and conceived and conducted the first ever high-level inter-agency war game on the nuclear tripwire in the subcontinent (at the Army War College, 2003).