Major General Rajendra Singh Yadav, VSM (Retd) is a President's Awardee from the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the coveted  Rajputana  Rifles  Regiment  of  Infantry. He superannuated on 31 Dec 2017 after 38 years of glorious service to the Nation and Indian Army.The General Officer has had an excellent and a unique academic track record. Starting with award of National Senior Science Talent Search Scholarship by NCERT in School, he topped in all Civil Academic courses up to M Sc and M Phil, and also stood First in all Army Courses. The General Officer commanded an Infantry Division, and served on all active borders with Pakistan and China, and even has rich operational experience of counter terrorist operations in J&K and North East. The General was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal by the President of India for his exceptional services during counter terrorist operations. The General also served as Defence Attache of India in Indian Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Yemen, and has rich experience of military diplomacy and international relations. Post retirement, the General has been Vice Chancellor of a University. During this period he was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by Confederation of Indian Universities & Association of International Educators for World Peace (a UN Affiliate) for contributions to higher education, didactical planning & administration and educational research & development. The General Officer is a keen Sportsman, and is also into a lot of Adventure Activities like Sky Diving, Scuba Diving, Para Sailing, Hot Air Ballooning and Bungee Jumping. A keen traveler and trekker, he has toured entire length and breadth of India many times over, and has already visited 31 countries. He is a prolific writer on strategic issues, and specializes in Net assessment, Scenario Building, Strategic Gaming, Geo-strategic Assessments and International Affairs. He has attended several international conferences abroad. International Affairs. He has attended several international conferences abroad.

Brig S S Sharma (Retd), Senior Research Fellow, is an ex NDA officer commissioned in the Corps of EME in Dec 1983. He is an alumnus of DSSC and HDMC. The officer specialises in A Vehicles. He has held important staff appointments like AMGO(P) at IHQ of MOD(Army) and CTO at ANC, Port Blair. He has also participated in UNIFIL(United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon). The officer superannuated in Aug 2017 and has worked both in Corporate and Educational domains post retirement. He holds BTech(M) degree and certification in Executive Program in Business Management at MDI, Gurgaon.

Anushka Gupta is currently working as a Research Assistant with CS3, USI. She completed her postgraduation in Politics: International and Area Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia. Previously, she interned with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), DEFSTRAT, and worked for India Research for Peace. She has published work on topics including East Asia, Pakistan's grey-zone warfare, and cybersecurity. Her core interests lie in both traditional and non-traditional security studies.

Scholars on Study Leave

Col Maneesh Parthsarthy, VSM, Senior Research Fellow, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned into the Second Battalion The 8th Gorkha Rifles on 11 Dec 1999. He has varied military experience by virtue of serving along the LC, LAC and AGPL with his unit in OP MEGHDOOT, OP AMAN, OP PARAKARAM and OP RAKSHAK. He has been an Instructor at the NDA, Senior Comd Wing and the Trg Task Force, Congo. He has excelled in military courses including the prestigious Defence Services Staff College Course and the Higher Command Course. He holds degrees in MSc and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Punjab University. He commanded the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guard from 2014-2017. The officer before joining the USI was serving as Director, Evaluation and Monitoring of Investments, AGIF. He is currently pursuing a Research Fellowship from USI on the topic ‘Emerging Disruptive Technologies and their impact on the future Battlefields’.

 Col Amit Kumar Sharma, Senior Research Fellow, is an alumni of National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned in 16 PUNJAB (PATIALA) on 13 May 2000. He has varied military experience by virtue of serving with his unit in North East, LC and High Altitude during OP RHINO and OP RAKSHAK. He has also served in the Semi developed and developed Sectors along Western Borders. The officer has been an Instructor at Cadets Training Wing, Military College of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (MCEME), Secunderabad and at Senior Command Wing, Army War College, Mhow. Col Amit has also served in UNIFIL as the Chief Ops Offr and has been the Indian Army Liaison Offr to UNMOGIP while serving in the MO Dte. He has excelled on military courses including the prestigious Defence Services Staff College Course and the Naval Higher Command Course. He holds degrees in MSc and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Mumbai University respectively. He commanded 17 PUNJAB in Rajasthan and in a tough field area in Arunachal Pradesh. The officer was holding the sensitive appointment of Col (Strat Ops) at HQ Strategic Forces Command before joining the USI (for Research Fellowship). He is currently pursuing a Research Fellowship from USI on the topic ‘Effectiveness of Information Warfare leveraging Cyber and Media Resources during Ongoing Conflicts and Aggression and Lessons for India’.

Col Suraj Chambial, SM, Senior Research Fellow, was commissioned into Third Battalion The 5th Gorkha Rifles on 11 May 2000. The officer passed out from National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He is an alumni of DSSC, Wellington and CDM, Secunderabad. The officer has varied military experience of serving in diverse operational environment. The officer has served at Military Operations Directorate in Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army) and was part of his unit deployed in United Nations Mission in Sudan in 2009. He has been an Instructor at the NDA, Khadakwasla and prestigious DSSC, Wellington. He holds degrees in MSc and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Master of Management Studies from Osmania University. He commanded his Battalion from 2015 to 2018 as part of Strike Corps and subsequently along the LC during intense CFV period. The officer before joining the USI was serving as Colonel GS (Operations) in Division Headquarters. He is currently pursuing a Research Fellowship from USI on the topic ‘Faultlines in Pakistan: Implications and Opportunities for India’.

 Col Sachin S Mahadik, Senior Research Fellow, is a 2000 batch Infantry Officer, commissioned and later commanded 3rd Bn The Rajputana Rifles. He is an alumni of NDA (96th Course) and IMA (106 Reg). He has attended DSSC -67 and National War College, USA (Foreign Higher Command Course). The officer has varied experience of serving in diverse operational environment. His staff exposure includes tenures with a Bde HQ in South East Sikkim, Div HQ as part of Pivot Corps as well as with AHQ. He commanded his Unit in Kameng Sector. He has also served as an Directing Staff at DSSC, Wellington. The officer is pursuing research fellowship on the topic ‘Reimaging India’s Strategic Culture in Emerging World Order’.