USI-CS3 Distinguished Fellows
Lieutenant General Praveen Bakshi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, (Retd) was retired from the Indian Army on 31 July 2017 as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Army. He was responsible for the border defence with four countries, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, as well as the military response to the Doklam incident on the Sikkim border with China. He was commissioned into Skinner’s Horse and is a graduate of the National Defence College. He had a foreign tenure in Tanzania and is an alumnus of the Asia Pacific Centre for Strategic Studies, Hawaii. Currently, he is Board of Directors of two Companies, is accredited as a Distinguished Fellow with USI and is a member of Marshall Goldsmith MG 25 (India).
Lieutenant General Balbir Singh Sandhu, AVSM, VSM (Retd) was commissioned into the Army Service Corps in December 1978 and superannuated in April 2017 as Director General of Supplies and Transport (DGST). He also held the appointment of Director General of Information Technology of the Indian Army. He is an alumnus of DSSC and NDC. Post-retirement, he participates in seminars while also writing for strategic think tanks such as CLAWS, USI and CENJOWS. He has submitted his thesis for PhD on North East India. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow at United Service Institution of India.
Lieutenant General Amit Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, SM (Retd) served in the Indian Army for forty years. His last appointment was the Commander in Chief, Strategic Forces Command (India's Nuclear Forces). He has commanded a prestigious strike corps, an infantry division and an armoured brigade and has served in conflict zones in India's western and north-eastern regions. In addition to being an expert on nuclear policy, he has immense experience in defence diplomacy & international relations, having served as the Indian Defence Attaché in France, and was also responsible for Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. He has also been part of peace negotiations between the Indian & Chinese Armies at the Line of Actual Control. He is currently a Fellow at the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, a Distinguished Fellow at the United Services Institute, India and the President of the Indian Cavalry Association.
Lieutenant General Vinod G Khandare, PVSM, AVSM, SM (Retd) was the Military Adviser at the National Security Council Secretariat PMO. His last appointment in active military service was Director General, Defence Intelligence Agency and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence) from November 2015 to January 2018. He has been in active service in High Altitude Areas along the LAC, including at Doklam opposite China; on Siachen Glacier; and during the 1999 Indo-Pak Conflict in Naushera Sector along LOC; in Counter terrorism operations in Kashmir and North East India. As Military Adviser for three years he was at the decision-making processes for national security and international engagements.
Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) is an alumnus of NDA Khadakvasla and IMA Dehradun and was commissioned into The Grenadiers in June 1975. During his career spanning forty years, he held important command and staff appointments in the Army and has also served abroad as India’s Defence Attache’ in Myanmar from May 2000 to December 2003. The staff and instructional appointments he has held are – Instructor at The Infantry School Mhow, Brigade Major in a Holding RAPID, Secretary Chiefs of Staff Committee HQ IDS, Additional MS Army HQ, DG Recruiting Army HQ, and the Military Secretary Army HQ. Among his command appointments, he has commanded a brigade along the line of control in the Kashmir Valley, has been General Officer Commanding of a Mountain Division in Manipur, and General Officer Commanding Corps in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He is a PSC and has attended the Higher Command Course at Mhow and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He has a MPhil in Military and Strategic Studies, is settled in Dehradun and is actively involved in speaking and writing on strategic and security affairs.
Lieutenant General (Dr) Ravindra Singh Panwar, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd) was commissioned into the Corps of Signals in 1976. He has commanded two logistics formations, an electronic warfare brigade and an armoured division signal regiment, as well as the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering. He is a graduate of the National Defence College and holds a master’s degree in management from Osmania University. He has the distinction of being awarded a doctoral degree in computer science as well as the coveted Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT Bombay, the first defence officer to hold such an honour. He is presently engaged in evolving strategic thought in the areas of information operations, network-centric warfare and emerging disruptive technologies.
Lieutenant General Sukhdeep Sangwan AVSM, SM**(Retd) was superannuated on 31 May 2021 as Director General of the oldest Para Military Force, the Assam Rifles. An alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management, and National Defence College, he was the Founder Editor of “SYNERGY”, published by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, New Delhi. The General had authored a book, “Integrated Force Projection by India” and was associated with another one on “Comprehensive National Power” published by CENJOWS. His latest Poetry collection titled “Random Thoughts” was launched in January 2021. The General has also composed lyrics of some of the promotional videos, the most popular being “Ae Hind ki Sena Naman Tujhe”.
Lieutenant General AK Bhatt, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd) has held apex leadership and management positions in the Indian Army at the Army Headquarters in the Indian Defence Services for over 38 years. Among his many appointments, he has been Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the Chief of Army Staff twice, while serving in the capacity of Military Secretary, responsible for HR management in the Army and as Director General Military Operations (DGMO) heading the Military Operation in the Army. General Bhatt has been the recipient of several awards from the Government of India. The most recent include the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2021) and other prestigious recognitions such as Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2019), Ati Vishist Seva Medal (2015), Sena Medal (2014), Vishist Seva Medal (2012), Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card (2008) for his dedicated service to the nation. General Bhatt has a Master's in Management Studies from Osmania University and an M. Phil in Defence & Strategic Studies from the prestigious Madras University in Chennai. Lieutenant General AK Bhatt (Retd.) is the Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), an apex industry body created to be the collective voice of the Indian Space industry. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow, United Services Institution of India.
Lieutenant General Raj Shukla, PVSM, YSM, SM (Retd) was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Army Training Command (GOC-in-C ARTRAC). He has commanded a Medium Regiment in the Eastern Theatre as part of a Mountain Division. He later took the regiment to the Desert as part of a Strike Corps. He has also commanded an Infantry Brigade in Counter Insurgency operations and an Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley, along the Line of Control. On 5 July 2018, he took over the command of the X Corps at Bhatinda. In his staff appointments, he has served as the General Staff Officer, Grade I (GSO-I) of an Infantry Division, as well as two tenures in the Military Operations directorate at Army Headquarters. He has also served in instructional appointments in the School of Artillery and the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan. He has been the Director General Perspective Planning (DGPP) at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence. He has been a Research Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and a visiting fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. He is also a qualified aviator. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow, United Services Institution of India.
Lieutenant General Ghanshyam Singh Katoch, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) has held number of prestigious Command and Staff appointments in his Service. He has a Bachelor’s degree from JNU, New Delhi, two Masters Degrees, one in Defence & Strategic Studies from Madras University and the other in Defence Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, USA and an M. Phil degree in Defence & Strategic Studies from Devi Ahliyabai University, Indore. He has commanded an Infantry Battalion on the Line of Control. A Brigade in Counterinsurgency in Kashmir Valley, a Division on the LAC, and a Corps in the Desert Sector of Rajasthan/Gujarat. He retired in March 2016 from the Indian Army as the Director General Strategic Planning after 39 years of Service. Post retirement he worked as the Director of the Centre for Anti-Terrorism Studies at the National Security Guard, Manesar. He is a Council Member of the United Service Institute of India and an Associate Member of the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis. He writes and speaks on security and defence subjects. He has had the experience of visiting a number of Defence establishments in USA, Germany, Belgium. Egypt, Myanmar, Vietnam and Afghanistan.
Lieutenant General Harsha Gupta, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM (Retd) was commissioned in Dec 1983 into the Sikh Light Infantry and superannuated as the Adjutant General of the Indian Amy on 31 Mar 2022. He has vast experience in line of control and counter-terrorist operations having extensively served in J&K. He has represented the Nation in UN Peacekeeping operations in Cambodia and has been the Deputy Military Attache at Indian Embassy in Moscow. Presently, he is the Honorary Liaison officer with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Lieutenant General Ajay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd) was the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry, Ex GOC in C Southern Command. He was an alumnus of NDA; Staff College Camberley, UK; Malinovsky Tank Academy, Moscow; & the Higher Command & National Defence College courses. He is one of the few officers to have trained with both the NATO & Warsaw Pact at the height of the Cold War. The General has the distinction of conceiving and executing some of the largest ever manoeuvres in recent times. He has tenanted key Operational appointments including Brigade Major of the Kargil Brigade, three appointments in the Military operations Directorate, headed the foreign division of the army & was also the Director General Perspective Planning. He has represented the armed forces at multiple forums, both national and international. The General has been decorated with numerous awards both related to defence as well as civil. The General is a frequent speaker at defence and civil forums and also contributes to the print media. Presently, he is an Independent Director and Advisor with various firms/educational institutions including O P Jindal Global University, where he also teaches two ‘Electives’ on “National Security Defence& Military Strategy”, and “Leadership “. The General is a distinguished fellow with Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and USI.
Major General (Dr) GG Dwivedi, SM, VSM** was superannuated as ‘Assistant Chief Integrated Defence Staff ‘(Strategic) after a distinguished career spanning over 38 years. A veteran of the 1971 Bangladesh War, he later commanded a Battalion in Siachen and Formations amidst intense operational environment. He was a faculty at ‘Defence Services Staff College’ Wellington, and served as Military Attaché in China, North Korea and Mongolia. A PhD from JNU in International Relations, he is an alumnus of National Defence College and Harvard Kennedy School. He was Professor and founder Chair at Aligarh Muslim University; is currently Visiting Professor at reputed universities and institutes and member of many renowned think tanks. He is a regular guest speaker at prestigious forums and appears on national TV channels as a panellist.
Major General Alok Deb, SM, VSM (Retd) has served in the Indian Army for four decades. He has experience of command in diverse operational areas, commencing with an artillery regiment in the Kargil War, during which he was decorated for gallantry. He has an MSc in Defence Studies from the Defence Services Staff College, India, and later earned two MPhil degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies, after qualifying for the Higher Command and National Defence College courses, both in India. He has been an instructor at IMA Dehradun, Brigade Major of an infantry brigade and Col Plans of a Strike Corps. He has had two tenures in the Military Secretary’s Branch in Army HQ and has served as a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon. He has commanded an Artillery Division as part of a Strike Corps on India’s Western border and was a Senior Operational Logistics Staff in the Western Theatre. Post retirement he became the Deputy Director General of MPIDSA. He was a member of the DRDOs System Analysis and Modelling Advisory Council. He is based in Pune, he is a Distinguished Fellow at the USI of India and Senior Visiting Fellow at The Peninsula Foundation, Chennai.
Major General (Dr) AK Bardalai, VSM (Retd) was commissioned into the Indian Army on 11 June 1977, is a graduate of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College Wellington (India), and an alumnus of Tilburg University, the Netherlands. He commanded an infantry battalion in Siachen Glacier, an infantry brigade in North-East India, an infantry division in the Western Theatre, and was the Commandant of IMTRAT(Bhutan). He has served with the UN as a Military Observer in Angola and as the Deputy Head of the Mission and Deputy Force Commander of UNIFIL (Lebanon). He holds a PhD in UN Peace Operations from Tilburg University.
Vice Admiral AK Chawla, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, NM (Retd), superannuated on 30 November 2021 as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command. He has served as the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of India, Jakarta, Senior Instructor (Navy) at DSSC, Wellington, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation & Intelligence), Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans), Director General Naval Operations and the Chief of Personnel. He is a graduate of the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich, the Naval Higher Command Course, and the National Defence College. He has a MA (Defence Studies) from London University and a M Phil (Defence and Strategic Studies) from Bombay University, from where he is also currently pursuing his PhD. Highly decorated, he is a keen environmentalist and was awarded the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award in 2020. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India.
Vice Admiral AB Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM is an alumnus of UP Sainik School & National Defence Academy. He served the Indian Navy for almost 40 years and retired as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command. He also had the unique distinction of being the FOC-in-C, Eastern Naval Command. He has also served in Four Tri-service appointments including Dy C-in-C Strategic Forces Command, and in HQIDS as DCIDS (DOT) & DCIDS (Ops). He was also associated with the initial setting up of the organisation of CDS & Department of Military Affairs. He also was responsible for the conduct of various studies related to Theatre Commands and the Maritime Theatre Command.
Air Marshal Anil Khosla, PVSM, AVSM, VM, (Retd) is a former Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS), Indian Air Force. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force with experience in both Ground attack and Air Defence roles with a specialization in maritime roles. He is a postgraduate from Defence Services Staff College. He is an A2 category flying instructor and a fighter strike leader. He has had the distinction of standing first in the order of merit in all the attended courses (i.e., Flying Instructor Course, Fighter Strike Leaders Course, Junior Command Course and Staff Course). While in Service he handled the Doklam operation with China and Balakot strike against Pakistan. He is also associated with the formulation of Air Force War Plans, Force structure planning and capability building. He pursued M Phil in Defence and Strategic Studies and has a PhD on China. He is a Distinguished Fellow at USI and at the Centre of Air Power Studies (CAPS). He is also on the editorial board of College of Air Warfare Journal. He has worked with several think tanks and organisations.
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 holds a Doctorate and a Masters in Management, and is a Certified ‘A’ Project Manager by IPMA, Switzerland. He is a Distinguished Fellow at i2p2M and Certified Management Instructor by AIMA. He was appointed Command of An-32 Sqn, AOC Chandigarh, CI at fixed wing Training Faculty, WAC Ops II A, Centre Director (Aviation) NTRO and SASO, HQ SAC. Other Joint appointments were that of Secy to Union War Book, RM’s Op Directive; Member Secy to Defence Acquisition Council; Chairmen of JOCAB, SCAPCC, Integrated Space Cell of Armed Forces, TET for BMD by DRDO; Co-Chair DIATF with US for development of niche capabilities; Officiated as Chairman of DCMG and steered the projects for NFS & DCN.
Air Marshal SK Ghotia, PVSM, VSM (Retd) is an alumnus of NDA, and was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the Indian Air Force in Dec 1981. During his career spanning four decades, he has held many important command and staff appointments. He has been Commanding Officer of a Fighter Squadron, Chief Operations Officer of a Forward Airbase, Station Commander of Air Force Station Bhuj and Commander of Composite Battle Response and Analysis Group. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 1000 hours of instructional experience. His staff appointments include Director Intelligence at Air HQs, Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, OPS 1A at HQ WAC, Principal Director Flying Training at Air HQs, Air Attaché at Embassy of India in France, and ACAS Intelligence at Air HQs. He has been the SASO and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command, Bangalore. He was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South Western Air Command prior to retirement. His educational qualifications include BSc, MSc and MPhil. He was commended by AOC-in-C, WAC and CAS. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India.
Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhury PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM (Retd), a former Commandant of the National Defence College with over 5000 operational sorties on fighters, and extensive experience in air and joint operations at strategic, operational and tactical levels. Experienced in policy formulation, doctrine and strategy development, he has led three international exercises and been a member of two defence talks. An alumnus of the Royal College of Defence Studies UK, he has a MA in Strategy and International Security from King’s College, London, an M Phil in Defence and Strategic Studies, and a PhD in airpower. He is a distinguished fellow of VIF and CAPS, and an avid scholar, writer and speaker on strategy, airpower and national security.
Ambassador Asoke Mukerji, IFS (Retd) was retired as India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York in December 2015. In July 2018, he was awarded a Doctor of Civil Laws (honoriscausa) degree by the University of East Anglia (UK). His book “India and the United Nations: A Photo Journey 1945-2015” was presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. He writes and lectures on diplomacy, geo-strategy, and cyber issues. He was an elected USI Council member (2017-2019) and is currently a Distinguished Fellow of USI, the Vivekananda International Foundation, and the Geneva/Malta-based Diplo Foundation.
Shri Jitesh Khosla, IAS (Retd) is a retired IAS officer and a former Chief Secretary, Assam. During his service, he held many positions relating to infrastructure development in Assam and also dealt with many situations concerning internal security, insurgency and terrorism in the North East. As Chief Secretary, he was the Chairman of the Strategy Group set up to facilitate the functioning of the Joint Civil-Military Command in Assam. Post-retirement, he actively engaged in security issues in the North East. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the USI. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Administration and the National Award for e-Governance 2007-2008 among others.
Dr Sanjeev Chopra, IAS (Retd), holds a PhD in Management, besides degrees in Law, History and Literature. He is the recipient of the Robert S McNamara Fellowship of the World Bank and the Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship at the University of Cornell. He was a Guest Scholar at The Brookings Institution, Washington DC. He has written extensively on policy issues in governance and development interventions in rural development, agriculture, marketing reforms, co-operatives, and farmer organizations. He has been invited to deliver lectures and talks at IIMs, ASCI, FRI, IGNFA and at symposia and conferences across the country. He has also delivered keynotes at International Cooperative Alliance conferences in Beijing, Abu Dhabi and Ho Chi Minh City. He has several books to his credit, including ‘At the Crossroads: Development Discourses in India’, ‘Agri-Matters’, ‘Ten Thousand Crores’, besides three edited volumes on Policy Colloquia on Co-operatives in the SAARC Region, and articles in leading papers like E.P.W, Mainstream, Frontier, Encounter, Millennium Post, Garhwal Post. He curates a Literature and Arts Festival, ‘Valley of Words’ at Dehradun in November every year.
Shri Tilak Devasher, IAS (Retd), retired as Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India in October 2014. Tilak Devasher is the author of three widely acclaimed books on Pakistan: ‘Pakistan: Courting the Abyss’ (December 2016); ‘Pakistan: At the Helm’ (July 2018) and ‘Pakistan: The Balochistan Conundrum’ (July 2019). He has also edited two books for the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) titled ‘Pakistan Insights 2019’ and ‘Pakistan Insights 2020’. He is a Member of National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), a Consultant at Vivekananda International Foundation, and an Emeritus Resource Faculty at Rashtriya Raksha University. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow at United Service Institution of India.
Shri Jayanto Narayan Choudhury, IPS (Retd), retired as DG NSG in 2015 after 37 years in the Indian Police Service. Earlier he was DGP Assam. He has served for over 25 years in the Intelligence Bureau, mainly in North-East India and Bengal. On deputation to MEA, he has served at the Embassy of India, Washington DC. He has trained with the British Security Service and FBI. His articles have been published in international and national journals and he has spoken at different forums on police reform. Post-retirement he was an Independent Director with GAIL and Vice-President Public Health Foundation of India.
Shri MN Reddi, IPS (Retd) is a highly accomplished IPS officer. He led Karnataka Police as ADGP - Crime, L&O, Intelligence and Security. He was also the Commissioner of Police, in Bangalore City. He has deep and varied experience in Internal Security and has dealt with high-profile terror and fugitive cases having international ramifications. He has architected Disaster Management as an integral part of the internal security apparatus, in the context of growing natural and man-made threats. He was trained at the National Police Academy, IIM-Ahmedabad and London Business School. DGP Reddi was decorated with President's Medals for Meritorious and Distinguished Police Service.
Professor Bharat Karnad is an Emeritus Professor for National Security Studies at the Centre for Policy Research and a Distinguished Fellow at USI. He is the author of many books, including ‘Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India’s Global Ambition’ (2018), ‘Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet)’, 2015, ‘India’s Nuclear Policy’ (2008), and ‘Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security’ (2005, 2002) now in its 2nd edition. He was a Member of the (First) National Security Advisory Board and Member of the Nuclear Doctrine-drafting Group, and Adviser, Defence Expenditure, (Tenth) Finance Commission, India. He founded and conducted for many years the Strategic Nuclear Orientation Course for the Defence Ministry for Brigadier/Major General-rank military officers and designed and conducted the first inter-agency war game on the nuclear tripwire in 2003 (at the Army War College). He is invited to lecture at the top military training institutions.
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.
Shri Ashok Bhan, Attorney, Supreme Court of India
Shri SB Taneja, Director, ISSA, DRDO
Dr Ajai Sahni is the executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management, the South Asia Terrorism Portal & Khalistan Extremism Monitor; publisher & editor, South Asia Intelligence Review, FAULTLINES: KPS Gill Journal of Conflict & Resolution. He served as a member of the (Madhukar Gupta) Committee on the Restructuring of the Ministry of Home Affairs and of the Police Modernisation and Strengthening Committee, Uttar Pradesh. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the United Services Institution of India. He has researched and written extensively on issues relating to conflict, politics and development in South Asia, and has participated in advisory projects undertaken for various National or State Governments.
USI-CMHCS Distinguished Fellows
Mr AN McClenaghan’s has 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, January 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: The formation of the Armies of India and Pakistan – August 1947 (Military Historical Society, 2022) detailed the partition of the old Indian Army at Independence and led to the award of the Society’s Lummis Cup for 2023. 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 and is currently engaged in a joint USI-National Army Museum (London) project to document as much as can be found on the insignia of the pre-Independence Indian Army, including badges, buttons and shoulder titles.
Professor Peter Stanley is one of Australia’s most distinguished and productive military historians. He was formerly the first and so far only Principal Historian at the Australian War Memorial, Australia’s national military museum, where he worked from 1980 to 2007, and then headed the Research Centre at the National Museum of Australia. In 2011 his book Bad Characters: Sex, Crime, Mutiny, Murder and the Australian Imperial Force jointly won the Prime Minister’s Prize for Australian History. Soon after, Peter became the first and so far only Research Professor at the University of New South Wales, Canberra (2013-23). Peter has published over 45 books, mainly in the field of Australian military history, including Tarakan: an Australian Tragedy (1997), Quinn’s Post, Anzac, Gallipoli (2005), Invading Australia (2008), Men of Mont St Quentin (2009) and Beyond The Broken Years (2024); the first history of the writing of Australian military history. He has also published in the fields of medical history (For Fear of Pain, 2003), battlefield research (A Stout Pair of Boots, 2008) and bushfire history (Black Saturday at Steels Creek, 2013), and eight historical novels (Simpson’s Donkey, 2011, The Sherrin, 2025, and the ‘Mansergh’ series, 2014-22). He has also published in British Indian military history, including White Mutiny (1998), Die in Battle, Do not Despair: the Indians on Gallipoli, 1915 (2015), Terriers in India: British Territorials 1914-19 (2019), Hul! Hul!: The Suppression of the Santal Rebellion (2022) and John Company’s Armies: the Military Forces of British India 1824-57. Peter is a frequent and trenchant commentator on military history in the media.
Dr Dominiek Dendooven is a historian specialized in the First World War. For more than 25 years he was a researcher and curator at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium, and he also taught a course on the First World War at the University of Leuven. He curated a large number of exhibitions, including on the Indian presence in the First World War, in both Belgium and India, and has published a number of contributions and books on the Indian Army in that war. In 2018 Dominiek Dendooven obtained a PhD at the universities of Kent (UK), and Antwerp (Belgium) with a dissertation on the war experiences of Asian servicemen in Europe during the First World War. It was published in 2021 as ‘Asia in Flanders Fields. Indians and Chinese on the Western front, 1914-1920’. He is an associated research fellow of the School of History of the University of Kent, and was created an Officer in the Order of Leopold by the King of Belgium
Dr Santanu Das was formerly a Research Fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge and currently a Reader in English at King’s College London. He is the author of Touch and Intimacy in First World War Literature (Cambridge, 2006) which was awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize and the editor of Race, Empire and First World War Writing (Cambridge, 2011) and the Cambridge Companion to First World War Poetry (2013, forthcoming). He has published extensively on India and the Great War and his monograph India, Empire and the First World War: A Cultural History is coming out with Cambridge University Press in 2014/2015. Currently, he is leading a three-year European collaborative research project on ‘Cultural Exchange in the Time of Global Crisis: Colonials, Belligerents and Neutrals in the First World War.
Professor Radhika Singha, taught modern and contemporary Indian history at Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi till her retirement in 2021. Her research interests focus on crime and criminal law in colonial India, and on colonial identification technologies, protocols and practices. On an intersecting track she has also worked on themes related to labour history and to borders and border-crossing. These interests came together in a book titled The Coolie’s Great War: Indian Labour in a Global Conflict 1914-1921 (Hurst 2000) which highlighted the importance of Indian non-combatant labour to the military infrastructure of empire. It suggested that a focus on so-called “coolies” and “menial followers” gives us a more textured sense of India’s geo-political location in World War one, than narratives which are too Eurocentric or Punjab- centric. This project extended her academic association with the United Services Institution, India, and that of her students of the Centre for Historical Studies, JNU. She feels honoured by her nomination to the position of Distinguished Fellow of this institution. , In October 2023 Radhika Singha was alsso made an honorary Fellow of the American Society for Legal History. She is currently visiting faculty at the Department of History and Archaeology, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida (January 2024 to May 2025).
Dr Edward S. Haynes, holds graduate degrees from Duke University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, specialising in modern South Asian history and civilisation, modern Eastern history and civilisation, as well as Asian, Non-Western, and world history and civilizations. A prolific scholar, Edward has authored numerous articles and publications and has presented papers at various international events. Notably, Edward S. Haynes delivered the inaugural lecture of the Centre for Armed Forces and Historical Research in Feb 2002 at the United service Institution of India, Delhi.
He is a member of the history department faculty at Winthrop University (USA), member of the Orders and Medals Research Society and of the Orders and Medals Society of America. He is also a Member of Secretariat, U.S.-Libyan Dialogue Group and Member of Board of Directors, Libyan-American Friendship Association.
Air Marshal Vikram Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) 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 and carried out the first supersonic test flight in 2002. In his 40-year career he flew over 35 different types and tenanted several Operational command and staff appointments retiring as Commander in Chief in 2023. He was also deputed as the Air Attache’ Embassy of India Moscow in 2011. He has thrice been awarded by the President for his distinguished service to the nation. His interests range from classic vintage aircraft, 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 “Spitfires in the Sun” A history if the iconic Spitfire in IAF service in 2014. His second book “Because of this’ is a three-lakh word, almost forensic study of the 1971 Indo-Pak Air War is just out.
Mr Jagan Pillarisetti, is an author and a leading historian of the Indian Air Force. He is the co-author of two books on the IAF's air wars - "The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965" (Manohar, 2005) and "Eagles over Bangladesh" (Harper Collins, 2013). In 2007, He was awarded a ‘Chief of Air Staff Commendation’ by the Indian Air Force for his contributions to IAF history, which is a rare honour for civilian historians. Jagan maintains a presence on the internet as the co-editor of the Bharat-Rakshak.com defence portal. (since 1999). He also catalogs the vintage aircraft scene in India through his website "Warbirds of India". The "Westland Wapiti in the IAF" is his first book devoted to the pre-Independence era. Originally from Hyderabad, Jagan is currently living in Delaware, United States along with his family members, wife Swarna and two daughters Avantika and Nayanika.
Colonel Pradeep Kumar Gautam (Retd) is a war veteran of 1971 (Bangladesh), a former Research Fellow at the IDSA and later a consultant to the project ‘Indigenous Historical Knowledge.’ He is the co-editor and contributor of the institute’s three volume series Indigenous Historical Knowledge: Kautilya and His Vocabulary. He has written extensively on environmental security, non-traditional security, water, climate change, military affairs, and Tibet. He has authored chapters, articles and three monographs on Kautilya’s Arthashastra, one each on Kamandaka’s Nitisara, The Kural and The Sukraniti(forthcoming). He is a subject matter expert, educator and mentor on Kautilya’s Arthashastra, The Kural, and Panchatantra for the Indian Cultural Study Forum, College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad. He has given presentations on Kautilya, The Kural, Panchatantra, and Indian Strategic Thought at the Army War College for Higher Command Courses, Higher Defence Management Courses at CDM, School of IR and Strategic Studies Mumbai University, Centre for the Study of Global IR at OP Jindal University, Rashtriya Raksha University, Symbiosis International University Pune and various internship capsules. In December 2023 he gave four recorded lectures from Delhi University based on-line Faculty Development Programme on the theme ‘Revisiting Kautilya Arthashastra: Relevance for Contemporary Polity and Economy. He is a founder member of project ‘Udbhav: Evolution of Strategic and Military Thought’ conceived at the CMHCS/USI jointly with the Indian Army launched on 21 October 2023 at the Indian Military Heritage Festival at New Delhi
Captain (IN) Sarabjeet Singh Parmar (Retd), An alumnus of National Defence Academy (NDA) Kharakwasla, and Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington, Captain Parmar was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 July 1987 and retired on 30 June 2023. He is a Sea King pilot who has commanded two ships and a frontline Anti-Submarine and Anti-Shipping helicopter squadron. He was member of the XI Indian Antarctic Summer Expedition in 1991 and represented the Indian Navy in the first international HOSTAC (helicopter operations from ships other than aircraft carriers) conference held at Norfolk, USA. As a Research Fellow at the then Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi, he looked at HADR, maritime strategy and security related issues in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean Region. Post IDSA he worked in the Indian Navy’s strategic apex level offices where he was part of the core team that revised Indian Navy’s unclassified maritime security strategy document and doctrine, released as Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy in 2015. As Director Strategic Maritime Assessment and Doctrine Development, he carried out regional maritime. He was Executive Director and Senior Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation till retirement. He has written and spoken extensively on national and maritime security and strategy issues at various national and international conferences. His main areas of research include national and maritime strategy in the Indo-Pacific, piracy, HADR, and international maritime law with a focus on lawfare.
UN Cell Distinguished Fellows
Lt Gen Iqbal Singh Singha AVSM, VSM (Retd) is presently working as Director with TAC Security, a leading global cyber security company. He regularly writes for USI and e-magazines like lokmarg.com and news18.com on strategic issues and international relations. General Singha has acted in several OTT series like Avrodh, Regimental Diaries, General and his Son and A General Retires. He is an advisor on military matters to Pocket Aces. A peacekeeping and negotiations expert, as Head of the Mission at Golan Heights in Syria, he has saved nearly 200 lives of peacekeepers and journalists. Currently, he is a Distinguished Fellow at United Service Institution of India.
Maj Gen Alok Deb, SM, VSM (Retd)
Maj Gen Alok Deb, SM, VSM (Retd) has served in the Indian Army close to four decades. He has experience of command in diverse operational areas, commencing with an artillery regiment in the Kargil War, during which he was decorated for gallantry. He is a MSc in Defence Studies from the Defence Services Staff College, India, and later earned two MPhil degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies, after qualifying the Higher Command and National Defence College courses, both in India. He has been an instructor at IMA Dehradun, Brigade Major of an infantry brigade and Col Plans of a Strike Corps. He has had two tenures in the Military Secretary’s Branch in Army HQ and has served as a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon. He has commanded an Artillery Division as part of a Strike Corps on India’s Western border and was a Senior Operational Logistics Staff in the Western Theatre. Post retirement he became the Deputy Director General of MPIDSA. He was a member of the DRDOs System Analysis and Modelling Advisory Council. He is based in Pune, he is a Distinguished Fellow at the USI of India and Senior Visiting Fellow at The Peninsula Foundation, Chennai.
Major General (Dr) AK Bardalai (Retd) was commissioned into the Indian Army on 11 June 1977, is a graduate of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College Wellington (India), and an alumnus of Tilburg University, the Netherlands. He commanded an infantry battalion in Siachen Glacier, an infantry brigade in North-East India, an infantry division in the Western Theatre, and was the Commandant of IMTRAT(Bhutan). He has served with the UN as a Military Observer in Angola and the Deputy Head of the Mission and Deputy Force Commander of UNIFIL (Lebanon). He holds a PhD in UN Peace Operations from Tilburg University.
(Dr) KK Sharma (Retd), served in Army Air Defence in various locations including the Glaciers, and retired from the position of Chief Instructor, Tactical and Combat Wing, Army Air Defence College. He is a Professor and Dean in Global Education Programs, Chitkara University. He is an OB and HR student, with an experience in leadership positions in the Indian Army, UN Peace Operations and with the UNHCR. His academic teaching and research experience spans from 1985, till now, in multiple positions at national and global levels. Further, he has a PhD in Management (Zurich) and he has also done his MBA (HRM). He has authored six books, 26 research papers and presented papers in many national and international seminars and conferences. Presently, he is a Visiting Fellow at United Service Institution of India.
Lieutenant General (Retd) Jabir Lidder was commissioned in 3 Grenadiers in June 1969, the battalion he fought the 1971 War with and later commanded. He commanded a brigade on the line of control, counter insurgency force in South Kashmir and served as Commandant Infantry School. The officer is a graduate of the Defense Services Staff College Wellington, the Higher Command Course and the National Defense College. General has rich UN experience in both military and political spectrum. He was Military Chief of Staff of the UN Mission in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) in 1994-95. He later served as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) from January 2006 to May 2008, where he played the pivotal role in redeploying the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to either side of Line 1/1/56. Post-retirement, as DSRSG (P) of the same mission based at Juba, he coordinated the political processes resulting in the birth of The Republic of South Sudan on 09 Jul 2011. General is actively engaged with UN offices and global institutions as an author, mentor and trainer.