Chairs of Excellence

Field Marshal KM Cariappa Chair
Mr Claude Arpi

Mr Claude Arpi is the author of many books like- Glimpses of Tibetan History, Tibet: The Lost Frontier, The Negotiations that never were: Dharamsala, Beijing, 1962: The McMahon Saga (2012), etc. He has been regularly writing on Tibet, China, India, border and military issues and Indo-French relations for various newspapers, magazines and think tanks. Claude Arpi presently holds the Field Marshal KM Cariappa Chair of Excellence in USI and is researching on ‘Indian Presence in Tibet 1947-1962’ ( to be published in 4 volumes).

MEA Chair
Brig Narender Kumar, SM, VSM (Retd) – Distinguished Fellow

He is Psc. He has an extensive experience in counter insurgency and anti-terrorism operations. He has authored two books- “Challenges in the Indian Ocean Regions and Response Options.” and “Rise of China 2030: Implications for India.” He has authored more than 100 research papers/ Chapter’s for books/ articles for various journals and web portals. He is working on the internal security scenarios in India as also on the project “Internal Security Dynamics of India’s Eastern Region; Implications and Response,” at the USI.

Flying Officer Amandeep Singh Gill Chair
Lt Gen PC Katoch, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SC (Retd)

He is Psc, HC and NDC. He commanded a strike corps, was COS of Northern Command as DG Info systems, Army HQ. He was India’s defence attaché in Japan. He has authored over 920 articles on international affairs, geopolitics, military, security, technical and topical issues. He has presented papers in USA, China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Afghanistan and Maldives. He has authored books titled ‘India’s Special Forces’ and ‘Indian Military and Network Centric Warfare’. He is holding Flying Officer Amandeep Singh Gill Chair and working on the project,“Case Study of Special Operations – Implications for India,” at the USI.

Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee Chair
Professor Gautam Sen

Professor Gautam Sen was commissioned in Indian Army in 1962. He has completed his post graduate studies (1974-79) in Canada and the United States. He has been Ford International Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. He was also Sawarkar Chair of Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Pune, UoP(1981-2007). Prof. Gautam Sen presently is Adjunct Professor at Goa University and NIAS, Bangalore. He is holding Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee Chair and working on the project, “Cyber Security & Cyberspace in International Relations: A Roadmap for India’s Cyber Security Policy,” at the USI.