© Copyright 2026. All right reserved.
Bios
Iqbal Chand Malhotra
Film Maker & Author;
International Emmy's Juror; ex-Modernite,
SRCC & Queens' Cambridge
Iqbal Chand Malhotra is an accomplished author with six books on the geopolitics of South
Asia to his credit. Malhotra holds dual degrees in economics from Queens’ College, University of Cambridge,
and Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. He is a Foundation Scholar of
Queens’ College and a recipient of the prestigious Wrenbury Scholarship from the University
of Cambridge. He is also a black belt (Shodan) in Shotokan Karate-do.
Malhotra has also directed six internationally acclaimed feature documentaries and produced
over 500 hours of television programming broadcast worldwide.
Smarak Swain
IRS – Deputy Secretary, Finance Ministry, Govt of India
Smarak Swain is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and presently works as Deputy Secretary in Finance Ministry. A graduate in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, he completed his master's in Taxation and Business Laws from NALSAR University, Hyderabad. He has over ten years of experience in the fields of income tax scrutiny, transfer pricing audits and financial crime investigations.
Swain is the author of Tangible Guide to Intangibles, an academic work on accounting, valuation and taxation of intangible assets, and Loophole Games, an exhaustive survey of tax avoidance techniques used by corporates. He frequently writes articles and papers on the interplay of finance and technology law. His articles have been published in Nikkei Asian Review, The Economic Times, The Mint, Asia Times, The Hindu BusinessLine and BloombergQuint.
Nityananda Misra
Finance Professional, IIM Bangalore, Gold Medalist - GTU
Nityananda Misra is a Mumbai-based finance professional in the investment banking industry. He specialises in quantitative finance, equity market microstructure, algorithmic trading, and execution consulting. He is an alumnus of IIM Bangalore (2007) and a gold medalist from Gujarat University (2004).
Nityananda has a multifaceted personality—a Sanskrit scholar, a polyglot, a grammarian, a litterateur, an instrumentalist, a musicologist, a researcher, an editor, an author, and a book designer. He has authored twelve books, including several bestsellers. He is also a professional onomastician specialising in Sanskrit names.
Nityananda is passionate about Indic culture, literature, music, and arts. He runs a popular YouTube channel, which produces content on these topics.
Sriram Balasubrminian
Economist and best selling author of Dharmanomics and Kautilyanomics for Modern Times
Economist and best selling author of Dharmanomics and Kautilyanomics for Modern Times Sriram Balasubramanian is an economist and author based at one of the leading international monetary institutions in the world. His key areas of interest include global
macroeconomics, economic history, socio-economic trends in emerging markets and Indic/dharmic culture. He has contributed to many international publications such as
Foreign Policy, Wall Street Journal, VoxEU and CNBC-TV18 as an independent
columnist and commentator. He is the author of Jamba: The Joint Family (shortlisted for
the Third Annual IAAC Literary Festival organised by the Indo-American Arts Council) and
The Wizards. Balasubramanian has also been featured in podcasts by Bloomberg and
interviewed by newspapers, including The Hindu and The New Indian Express, for his
books and research work. He was an international junior chess player and is an
alumnus of Columbia University, New York
Dinesh Bhatia
Ambassador of India to Brazil
Dinesh Bhatia is a career diplomat with over 30 years of experience. He is currently India’s Ambassador to Argentina with concurrent accreditation to Uruguay. He has earlier served as the Ambassador of India to Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Paraguay as well as Consul General in Toronto. He holds a BTech in electronics and communication from the Delhi College of Engineering.
Tripti Sharan
Director - Obst & Gynae, Head- High Risk Pregnancy,BLK Max Hospital, Delhi Dr. Tripti Sharan is the Director of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Head of High-Risk Pregnancy at BLK Max Hospital. A powerhouse in the medical field, she is a frequent contributor to prestigious medical journals and books, blending clinical excellence with a passion for storytelling. Beyond her medical practice, she is a celebrated literary voice—an award-winning poet, columnist, and blogger. Her bibliography includes critically acclaimed bestsellers such as Chronicles of a Gynaecologist and House of Doctors. Her contributions to society and medicine have earned her the APJ Abdul Kalam Appreciation Award, Economic Times’ "Most Inspiring Gynaecologist," and the "Global Youth Icon Award." Featured by The Incredible Women of India, she continues to bridge the gap between medicine and the arts, proving that healing is both a science and a craft.
Pinaki Ganguly
Author, Poet, Lyricist and Independent Researcher
Pinaki Gangopadhyay is an author, poet, lyricist, composer and independent researcher, exploring the convergence of science and Sanatana Dharma with a focus on the unification and evolution of human thought. His critically acclaimed book, God, Science, and Reality, examines the intersection of quantum physics and Vedanta. A prolific poet with over 600 compositions in English, Bengali and Hindi, he writes across science, spirituality and historical fiction. His novel, Yet, Remember Me, weaves Rabindranath Tagore's legacy into a contemporary narrative.
A speaker at Ramakrishna Mission and other forums, he champions Indology, Sanskrit and Vedic science. With a leadership career in technology and HR startups, Pinaki has lived and worked in twelve countries, enriching his storytelling with global insights. A native of Kolkata, he draws inspiration from its intellectual and cultural richness, crafting works that resonate across disciplines and generations.
Archana Rai
Editor, South, The Economic Times
In a career spanning over three decades as a business journalist, Archana Rai has extensively reported on India’s startup and technology sector from tracking its early moves onto big-ticket deals of internet-era heavyweights. Her work offered a ringside view of the twists and turns of technology entrepreneurship as she led the southern bureau of India’s largest financial daily The Economic Times and earlier its startup vertical. Previously, she has also written for top publications including the Mint newspaper, the Outlook Group and Business India. Her debut book, The Unicorn Quest was published in November 2023 by Bloomsbury India. She maintains a keen interest in digital and cultural anthropology as the world hurtles towards a future shaped by artificial intelligence.
Tarun Pithode
Senior IAS Officer, Member Secretary of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
Mr. Tarun Pithode is a senior IAS officer and a versatile intellectual who has served the nation across diverse domains—from rural development as CEO Zila Panchayat to national policy as Joint Secretary (Climate Change). With a background that includes experience at GE and the Indian Railways, he brings a multidimensional perspective to his administrative roles, including his service as Collector for major districts like Bhopal and Sehore.
He is an accomplished author of the following books.
- I M Possible – A guide to resilience.
- Happiness: A New Model of Human Behaviour – A deep dive into the human psyche
- Tootte Rishte Darakte Ghar – An exploration of social and domestic dynamics.
- The Battle Against Covid – A front-line perspective on the pandemic.
- Operation Ganga – The story of a historic mission.
- Master Your Destiny: Lessons from Lohani – Leadership insights and legacy.
Arvind chaturvedi
Editor in Chief, News India 24x7 Arvind Chaturvedi is a senior journalist who was born in the abode of Maa Vindhyachal and spent most of his early years in the streets of Baba Vishwanath's city, Kashi. After earning a master's degree in sociology from Banaras Hindu University, Arvind moved to Delhi to pursue a career in journalism. His first book, The Real Modi, was published by Bloomsbury in Hindi, and subsequently in English and Gujarati, earning him accolades and fame. Modi Ka Banaras was his second book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ‘Maa Heeraben and Narendra’ is his third book.
Anuradha Mascarenhas
Senior Editor, The Indian Express
Anuradha Mascarenhas is a senior editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes a keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning three decades, she has won multiple awards including the prestigious Press Council of India National Excellence award in journalism for gender issues,Laadli media award for gender sensitivity and was shortlisted for the RedInk award for science and innovation. She has authored her debut book `At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the inaugural chief scientist at WHO, which was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards.She is a gold medallist in communication and journalism from the University of Pune and holds a Master's degree in literature.Anuradha has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship, the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health
Ami Ganatra,
Bestselling Author of 𝘔𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 (2021) and 𝘙𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 (2022), IIM(A) Alumni
Ami Ganatra is an alumna of IIM-A, and had received her bachelor's degree in computer science engineering from the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute in Mumbai.
She has more than a decade of consulting and business management experience across sectors, capabilities, and geographies.
Ami is an avid traveller who loves to observe people and cultures, when she is not in the work mode.
She is also a certified yoga instructor and a student of Indic knowledge systems, especially Sanskrit.
Ms Ganatra's two books, 𝘔𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 (2021) and 𝘙𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 (2022), both published by Bloomsbury India, are not mere retellings or imaginations.
They are an attempt to go back to the original itihasa and present the story, learnings and nuances for what they are, and make the epics accessible to all.
Neena Rai
Alumna IIMC Delhi, Columnist, Author - Amazing Ayodhya
Neena Rai is an Indian author, artist, and cultural commentator based in New Delhi. She is recognised for her intellectual depth in topics like history, politics, art, and culture. Her notable works include the books Amazing Ayodhya (2021) and अद्भुत अयोध्या (2024)—richly researched explorations of the ancient city's history, architecture, and significance in the Ramayana, drawing profound connections between past and present civilisations.
Dr Sriram Sundar Chaulia
Professor and Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University
Sreeram Chaulia is professor and dean at the Jindal School of International Affairs, and director general of the Jindal India Institute of O.P. Jindal Global University in Sonipat, India. He is a leading opinion columnist for Dainik Jagran (Hindi) and Hindustan Times (English) on world affairs, and a commentator on international current issues on radio and television. He anchors the TV show Indian Diplomacy on India’s national broadcaster Doordarshan. He is a contributing editor for People Who Influenced the World (2005), and has authored International Organizations and Civilian Protection: Power, Ideas and Humanitarian Aid in Conflict Zones (2011), Politics of the Global Economic Crisis: Regulation, Responsibility and Radicalism (2013), Modi Doctrine: The Foreign Policy of India’s Prime Minister (2016), Trumped: Emerging Powers in a Post-American World (2019), and Crunch Time: Narendra Modi’s National Security Crises (2022). This is his sixth singly authored book. He tweets on global developments via @sreeramchaulia.
Dr. Anoop Misra
Chairman, Fortis-CDOC, Padma Shree, Dr. BC Roy Awardee
Prof. Misra has more than 30 years of experience in teaching, service, research and community health intervention programs directed towards Asian Indians and particularly for underprivileged people. Prof. Misra has published more than 300 scientific papers in the National and International journals, including The Lancet, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, New England Journal of Medicine, British Medical Journal, Medicine, Obesity Research, PLOS One etc. and published chapter in International Textbook of Diabetes. He is also an Advisory Board Member of British Medical Journal. He has been member of editorial boards of 20 international and 11 Indian journals, including Associate Editor of "Journal of Diabetes" (USA), Honorary Editor of "Diabetes & Obesity International Journal", and "Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Research and Reviews" (Singapore). He has written three editorials for prestigious journal "The Lancet" and reviewer for more than 40 Journals including "Journal Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" and "New England Journal of Medicine". Currently he is leading author in series of articles on 'Diabetes in South Asians' in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology and for special issue on South Asians in British Medical Journal. Dr Misra has received numerous awards and oration. He has been awarded highest award for medicine in India Dr BC Roy award (2006) and prestigious National Honor, Padma Shree (2007). He has been conferred National awards 'Americare Award' (Americare Foundation, India, 2012), "Swastha Bharat Samman" (from Zee TV 2012), 'Chikitsa Ratan' (by Delhi Medical Association, 2014) and "Excellence in Diabetes Care' (Health Summit Awards, 2014) for outstanding contribution to Diabetes in India. He has received "Outstanding Investigator Award" from World India Diabetes Foundation in 2013. He has given 30 named orations in India and neighbouring countries.
He has been a personal physician to two former Prime Ministers of India. Presently he is Chairman, Fortis-CDOC Center of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases, and Endocrinology, New Delhi, and Director, National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation, and Diabetes Foundation (India). Fortis CDOC specialty diabetes chain of hospital/centers, are currently in progressive expansion mode throughout north India.
Amod Kanth
Ex-IPS, Ex-DGP(Goa),
Author - Khaki in Dustorm and Khaki on Broken Wings
Amod K. Kanth is a highly decorated IPS officer who has been awarded police medals for gallantry and meritorious and distinguished services. He has also been officially recognised as an 'outstanding social worker' and a 'global hero' by the US government for combating human trafficking. Seamlessly transiting from his last assignment as the Director-General of Police to take over as Chairman of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, he has been spending his time immersed in his wide-ranging work with the underprivileged and deprived communities across the country, nurturing his dream of rehabilitating victimised, street and homeless children and, most importantly, juveniles in conflict with the law-a dream that he accidentally found in 1988 on his call of duty as a police officer. His vision of the protective role and change agents that policemen can play in society, provided they help to create appropriate opportunities and supporting framework, is slowly coming true through his experiments in Prayas JAC and several national-level institutions, such as Childline 1098, Crisis Intervention Centres and Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council, which directly serve millions. Kanth has been advocating reforms in police, criminal and juvenile justice systems to enhance their positive responsiveness and efficiency while contributing to several national-level advisory and policy-formulating bodies, such as NITI Aayog.