Vaad

Group Captain Ajay Kumar Ahlawat (Retd.) is a distinguished former fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF), with a service career spanning over two decades.During his tenure, Group Captain Ahlawat held several key positions, including serving as the Commanding Officer of the Operational Conversion Unit at Air Force Station Kalaikunda from July 2014 to March 2016. He also completed a staff course at the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama, in December 2011.Following his retirement, he transitioned into the technology sector and is currently the Chief Operating Officer at NuChain, a blockchain infrastructure company. In this role, he focuses on integrating Web3 technologies into enterprise and government applications.

Prof. Gautam R. Desiraju (born 21 August 1952) is an Indian structural chemist and Honorary Professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. A pioneer of crystal engineering, he helped establish the importance of weak hydrogen bonds and introduced the “supramolecular synthon” concept.He served as President of the International Union of Crystallography (2011–2014). Educated at St. Xavier’s College (University of Bombay) and the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (PhD, 1976), he has authored/edited several influential books.He remains one of India’s most cited chemists and a leading voice on the future of chemistry and science in the country.

Over the past decades, he has emerged as one of the foremost voices on terrorism, separatism, and the Kashmir conflict, regularly writing and speaking on these issues in national and international forums.

Shiv Varun Singh is the Founder & CEO of Nautical Wings Aerospace, India’s first electric propulsion technology company based in Bengaluru. A deep-tech entrepreneur with a passion for aviation and clean technology, he is building the propulsion backbone for the next generation of electric aircraft. Under his leadership, Nautical Wings focuses on advanced electric propulsion solutions and integrated propulsion units (iEPU) that can be custom-designed for almost any aircraft configuration, from new-age drones to future electric aircraft platforms.Committed to efficiency, sustainability, and engineering excellence, Shiv is part of a new wave of Indian founders working at the cutting edge of aerospace innovation. Through Nautical Wings, he aims to help shape a future where Indian technology powers sustainable skies across the world.

Prasanna Tantri is an Associate Professor in the Finance area and Executive Director of the Centre for Analytical Finance at ISB. His research areas include- banking, financial inclusion, financial contagion, regulation, and the relationship between politics and finance. He teaches a course on Indian financial systems.

Om Prakash Arora — a remarkable public servant whose journey mirrors India’s own story of resilience and nation-building. Born in pre-Partition India, he migrated from Pakistan to India in 1947, rebuilding his life from the ground up.Starting his career as a clerk, he rose through six promotions to serve in the Election Commission of India, where he played an instrumental role in conducting India’s first general election in 1951. Over the decades, he served in the Delhi Election Commission, the Parliament, the Delhi Assembly, and the Metropolitan Council, overseeing 20–30 elections with dedication and integrity. His journey is a living testament to commitment, hard work, and service to the nation.

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 books named '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 is "Inside the terrifying world of Jaish-e-Mohammad'. Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.in/Inside-Terrifying-World-Jaish-Mohammed/dp/9365694809

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

Amit Kumar is a constable of Haryana Police and chiefly deals with cyber crime.

Vaibhav Singh is founder of Defensive Offense and DO News.