THE INDIA-US FORUM

General Anil Chauhan PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasala. He was commissioned into the Sixth Battalion, the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in Jun 1981, from IMA, Dehradun. The officer has vast experience in operations across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles. He commanded an Infantry Battalion, along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir, a Mountain Brigade in Manipur, an Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley and a Corps in the North East. The General was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command from 01 Sep 2019 to 31 May 2021. Post his retirement from active military service, the General served as a Military Advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) from 20 Oct 2021 to 29 Sep 2022.General Chauhan's staff and instructional assignments include, Instructional tenure at HQ IMTRAT, Bhutan, Military Observer on a UN Mission to Angola, General Staff Officer 1 (Operations) of the Mountain Division, Director, Perspective & Planning (TAS) at Army HQ, Chief of Staff, HQ 15 Corps and Director General of Discipline Ceremonial & Welfare. He was the Director General of Military Operations during the Balakot Air Strike.General Anil Chauhan is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command and National Defence College courses. The officer, during the span of over 40 years' of uniformed service has been decorated for distinguished service with the PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM & VSM.Academically inclined, the General has authored two books namely ’Aftermath of a Nuclear Attack’ & ’History of 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre’ and has supervised the writing of History of 19 Inf Div. Currently he is working on a book on the Military Geography of Indian Northern Borders. He was awarded M. Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University in 2012.

The General officer assumed the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff on 30 Sep 2022.

Vikram Misri is the Deputy National Security Adviser (Strategic Affairs) of India, a post he took up on 01 January 2022. A career diplomat from the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, Ambassador Misri (born 7th November, 1964 in Srinagar, India) has served in various capacities at the Headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi, in the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi and in various Indian Missions abroad in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. His assignments in New Delhi have included work on the Pakistan desk of the Ministry of External Affairs and stints on the staffs of two Foreign Ministers (Mr. I.K. Gujral – November 1996 - April 1997 and Mr. Pranab Mukherjee – November 2006 - September 2008) Apart from serving as the Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (March 2012-October 2012), he has also served as Private Secretary to three Prime Ministers of India (Mr. I.K. Gujral – April 1997 - March 1998; Dr. Manmohan Singh – October 2012-May 2014; Mr. Narendra Modi – May 2014-July 2014). Ambassador Misri has also served in several Indian missions abroad. After starting his career in Brussels, he went on to serve in the Indian Missions in Tunis, Islamabad and Washington D.C. He was Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka as well as the Consul General of India in Munich. Ambassador Misri was appointed India’s Ambassador to Spain in 2014 and then Ambassador to Myanmar in 2016. His last assignment as Ambassador was in the People’s Republic of China where he served from January 2019 to December 2021. Ambassador Misri had his early education in Srinagar (Burn Hall School and DAV School) and in Udhampur (Carmel Convent School) in Jammu and Kashmir. He finished his schooling from the Scindia School in Gwalior and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in History from the Hindu College, University of Delhi and an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Before joining the government, he worked for three years in the private sector in the fields of advertising (Lintas India - Bombay and Contract Advertising - Delhi) and advertising film-making. Ambassador Misri is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute, USA´s India Leadership Initiative. He speaks fluent Hindi, English and Kashmiri and has a working knowledge of French. Ambassador Misri is married to Dolly Misri and they have two children.

Mr. Jamshyd N. Godrej is the Chairman of the Board ofGodrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited. He graduated inMechanical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, USA.Mr. Godrej is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of ShaktiSustainable Energy Foundation, India Resources Trust and Council onEnergy, Environment and Water. He is a Director of World ResourcesInstitute, USA. He is the Founding Trustee of Ananta Aspen Centreand Ananta Centre, Trustee of World Wide Fund for Nature – Indiaand Global Trustee of the Asia Society, USA. He is also a member ofthe Board of Governors of the Centre for Asian Philanthropy andSociety. He is the Past President of Confederation of Indian Industryand also the Past President of the Indian Machine ToolManufacturers’ Association.Mr. Godrej is the Chairman of the CII Sohrabji Godrej Green BusinessCentre. The Centre is housed in a LEED Platinum demonstrationbuilding which is the first green building in India and the greenestbuilding in the world at the time when it was rated. The GreenBusiness Centre is a Centre of Excellence for green buildings, energyefficiency, energy conservation, non-conventional energy sources,water policy, water conservation, etc.Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. manufactures and marketsrefrigerators; washing machines; air conditioners; office furniture;home furniture; security equipment for banks (such as safes, strongroom doors, bank lockers, etc.) and for commercial establishmentsand homes; locks and latches, forklift trucks and warehousingequipment; process equipment for chemical, petrochemical,refineries and allied industries; precision tools for sheet metal, zinc,aluminium; real estate development.The Godrej group are leaders in home appliances, consumerdurables, office equipment, industrial products, consumer productsand services.Mr. Godrej is an ardent yachting enthusiast and has done extensivecruising along the west coast of India, the Baltic & North Sea, theAtlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea.The President of India conferred on Mr. Godrej the “Padma Bhushan”on 3 rd April 2003.

James Abraham is the co-Founder of Mynzo Carbon, developing a platform to engage people on the road to Net Zero. James was one of the Founding Partners of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in India from 1998 to 2009, leading the expansion of the firm into New Delhi. He has been involved across sectors including power, transport, infrastructure, telecom, and consumer goods, covering a range of issues from business planning and acquisitions to organisation development and financial structuring. In 2009, James was a Senior-Partner with BCG, when he left to lead Sunborne Energy, where he was also involved in the early formulation of solar policy in India. In 2014, he co-founded SolarArise, which focuses on financing, owning and managing utility-scale solar-power plants. SolarArise was one of the earliest to adopt solar tariffs that were lower priced than fossil fuels. In 2022, the firm was sold to a listed Investment Trust in the UK (Thomas Lloyd Energy Impact Trust).

James is a fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship of the Ananta-Aspen Center, and a senior moderator of Aspen’s leadership programs. He is also on the Board of the Ananta Center in India and chairs the Center’s Leadership Committee. James serves on the boards of LTi-Mindtree, LnT Water, Vistaar Financial Services, SmartPower India, and International Justice Mission. James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo, an M.B.A. (Palmer Scholar) from Wharton, and an M.A. (International Relations) from Johns Hopkins University.

William (Bill) Blair is a Vice President in Lockheed Martin and Regional Chief Executive for Asia & India. In this capacity, he leads the company’s’ corporate business focus on collaborative growth and serves as the executive representative for all Lockheed Martin programs, products and services across the region. Mr. Blair assumed this on 29 May 2023 in an expansion of responsibilities from his previous role as Vice President and Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin India Pvt. Ltd, a role he continues to hold since his appointment in October 2019. Prior to these appointments, Mr. Blair was Vice President for Strategic Solutions and Middle East Executive with the company’s Space Systems business area. In this capacity, he led and developed crucial collaborations to advance space capabilities and services with customers and strategic partners in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

Mr. Jimmy Board is the Head of Business Development for Liquid Robotics, the world’s leading supplier of small USVs. In his role, Mr. Board is responsible for all global partnerships and pursuits, as well as corporate strategy. Mr. Board has over a decade of experience designing and fielding uncrewed systems and solutions in the undersea and surface domains, fulfilling missions including MCM, ASW, and SIGINT.

Prior to joining Liquid Robotics in 2017, Mr. Board served as the Chief Architect for the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cybersecurity Protection System, overseeing a multi-month restructuring of the program’s technical roadmap. Mr. Board also worked in a variety of Systems Engineering and Project Management roles at General Dynamics and 3Phoenix supporting uncrewed system, ISR, and naval programs.

Mr. Board is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Vanderbilt University and received his Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory.

Kranthi Chand is Head of Strategy at Dhruva Space, a National Award-winning full-stackSpace engineering company building satellites and providing Space-as-a-service.Kranthi is an active member of Space & Satellites Professionals International (SSPI) andSpaceFed. He is also a graduate of EMLYON Business School, France, and has previouslyworked with KPMG India, advising State Governments on policy and infrastructuredevelopment in Aerospace and Maritime domains.

Husanjot Chahal is a research consultant with the Geopolitics team at OpenAI examining AI risk perceptions among various countries, and was a Research Analyst at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). Prior to CSET, she worked in the World Bank’s Corporate Security division, and at Prevalent, Inc., a cybersecurity risk management firm in Washington, D.C. Husan's research on AI has featured in the European Parliament, U.S. House of Representatives, NATO, and several leading publications such as The Diplomat, National Defense, Politico, Scientific American, and the Fortune Magazine.

Kranthi Chand is Head of Strategy at Dhruva Space, a National Award-winning full-stack Space engineering company building satellites and providing Space-as-a-service.Kranthi is an active member of Space & Satellites Professionals International (SSPI) and SpaceFed. He is also a graduate of EMLYON Business School, France, and has previously worked with KPMG India, advising State Governments on policy and infrastructure development in Aerospace and Maritime domains.

Kaveesh Chawla is a Partner on the Private Equity team at Premji Invest. He leads investments across Consumer and Consumer Tech sectors, while actively overseeing a portfolio of ten companies, including Firstcry, Lenskart, and FabIndia. 

Prior to joining Premji Invest, Kaveesh worked for 23 years with prominent companies such as Amazon, Coupang, and Infosys across North America, Europe, and Asia. He was a founding member at Amazon India and played a pivotal role, over a decade, in establishing and scaling Amazon’s business in India.

He holds an MBA with distinction (Beta Gamma Sigma) from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from the National Institute of Technology, India. 

Nihal leads trade policy for Google in the Asia Pacific region. Prior to this role, he led partnerships for Google’s Policy Team in India and was responsible for advancing Google’s advocacy strategy to grow the company’s marquee suite of products and services, including Health, Cloud, A. I & Hardware, among others. Before Google, he led Tata Sons’ business development partnerships and policy initiatives for the Chairman’s Office and also helped establish Tata Sons’ first Global Corporate Affairs team with Dr S Jaishankar, former Group President and India’s current Minister of External Affairs. In April 2022, he was selected as one of twenty-two International Strategy Fellows (ISF) across Asia by Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative started by Former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, which forges a network of rising leaders with extraordinary potential in geopolitics, innovation and public leadership. Awarded the David Rockefeller Fellowship by the Trilateral Commission in December 2019 in recognition of contributions to commerce and international affairs. Named as one of 100 Leaders of Tomorrow by the St. Gallen Symposium, Switzerland. Nihal has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan in 2007, and a Master’s from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University in 2014. He was also a Bosworth Fellow at the Fletcher School, awarded for academic merit and overall achievement in graduate studies.

Dr Vijay is In-Charge, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Member, National Executive of Bharatiya Janata Party, In this role, he coordinates with Indian Diaspora worldwide, interacts with foreign embassies, overseas political parties and diplomats from various countries to put forward BJP perspective on various issues. Before joining active politics, he has worked in senior management role in pharmaceutical Research and Development. He is Ph.D. (Microbiology) from University of Pune and Post Doctoral fellow of National Institute of Health, USA. He has authored several scientific papers and is co-inventor of global patents. He is also on governing board of several prominent scientific and educational institutions. Born in Nagpur, he is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He is co-editor of three books titled “Modi: Shaping a Global Order in Flux” (2023), “The Modi Doctrine: New Paradigms in India’s Foreign Policy” (2016) and “Hindutva in Present Context” (2009).

Dr. Matthew Daniels is a Senior Advisor in the Office of Net Assessment, U.S. Department of Defense. His work focuses on space, artificial intelligence, and nuclear security. Previously he led space security, planetary defense, and special projects for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Earlier he was DoD’s inaugural Technical Director for AI and a member of the strategy and plans team for the NASA Administrator. Outside of the U.S. government, Matt has been a research affiliate at MIT and Stanford, and remains an adjunct professor at Georgetown. He started as a research engineer at NASA, with work in spacecraft design, stochastic control, and new science missions. Matt received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in engineering from Stanford and a B.A. in physics from Cornell, was a Fellow at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, and is a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

Tarun Das has been the Director General of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) from April 1967 to May 2004 and then its Chief Mentor, from June 2004 to October 2009.

Currently, he is the Chairman for Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation (S-ILF); Chairman of Advisory Board, JCB India; and Member of the International Advisory Board, Chubb Insurance (USA).

He is Founding Trustee, Ananta Centre (AC) and Ananta Aspen Centre (AAC) and Director, Singapore India Partnership Foundation (SIPF). He is a Life Trustee at the Aspen Institute, USA and the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG).

He has been working closely on deepening international ties. He is Co-Chair, US-India Strategic Dialogue, India-Japan Strategic Dialogue and Member, India-Singapore Strategic Dialogue, India-China Strategic Dialogue, India-US Climate Change and Energy Dialogue, India-UK Climate Change and Energy Dialogue. He is India Chair of the Trilateral Commission.

He has authored a book: “Crossing Frontiers”.

He has received the following awards & recognitions:

1. Padma Bhushan Award for his contribution in the field of Trade and Industry, by the President of India;

2. Singapore National Award (Public Service Medal) by the Singapore Government for his contribution in strengthening economic ties between India and Singapore;

3. Honorary Doctorate in Science, The University of Warwick, UK;

4. Honorary CBE for contribution to Indo-British relations;

5. Honorary Doctorate by the Tel Aviv University, Israel for extraordinary commitment to promoting the Indian Economy in the global arena;

6. Sweden Royal Order of the Polar Star for contribution in strengthening Indo- Swedish relations;

7. Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon by Japan Government for contribution in strengthening India- Japan relations.

"Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Michael (Mike) Fernandez (Retd) is the India Country Head and South Asia Lead. He was appointed in this new role in September 2023. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading and developing Lockheed Martin Corporation’s strategy for India focused on growth and serves as the executive representative for all Lockheed Martin programs, products and services in country.

Previously, AVM Fernandez was the business development and capture management principal with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics where he was responsible for leading the F-21 bid for the Indian Air Force’s multi-role fighter program in India and assisting in smooth running of the C-130J program, a role he continues to hold since his appointment in September 2019. Earlier this year, he transitioned to Global Pursuits where he engaged with the Indian Air Force for the Medium Transport Aircraft capture in addition to his other responsibilities.

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, AVM Fernandez served with the Indian Air Force for over three decades and had the distinction of working on highly responsible assignments. He retired as the Air Vice Marshal and was the recipient of two Presidential awards – Vayu Sena Medal (VM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).

AVM Fernandez is an alumni of College of Air Warfare, Defence Services Staff College, Asia Pacific Centre of Security Studies of Hawaii USA and a distinguished graduate of the Air War College, Alabama USA.

AVM Fernandez is married to Vaneeta Hariharan and the couple has two children.

"

Naushad is Co-Chairman of Forbes Marshall, India's leading process and energy efficiency company. He is Chairman, Ananta Aspen Centre, and Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research (CTIER).

Forbes Marshall helps Industry build and sustain highly efficient plants by reducing waste, optimising process and energy efficiency, and complying with regulatory requirements. Forbes Marshall has consistently ranked as a Great Place to Work, and is a multinational with Indian roots.

Naushad was an occasional teacher at Stanford University from 1987 to 2004 where he developed courses on Technology in Newly Industrializing Countries. He received his Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD Degrees from Stanford.

Naushad is on the board of several educational institutions and public companies. Naushad has long been an active member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and was president of CII for 2016 – 17. He is a founding member of Nayanta University, a full-service university opening in 2024, spearheaded by CII.

Naushad’s book, The Struggle and the Promise: Restoring India’s Potential, was published by HarperCollins in 2022. 

Mr Naresh Gujral was born on 19 th May 1948. He studied at Modern School, Delhi andgraduated from St. Stephen’s College Delhi. He is an alumni of the Institute of CharteredAccountants of India.He is an industrialist and social activist by profession. He was a Member of Parliament (RajyaSabha) being elected to the Rajya Sabha three consecutive times from March 2007 to 2022.During his Parliamentary tenure, he was the Chairman of Standing Committee onCommerce, Member Committee on Transport, Committee on Tourism & Culture, Committeeon Defence, Committee on Finance, Committee on Law and Justice, Committee on Personnel& Public Grievances.He was elected as a Member of Public Accounts Committee and Committee on PublicUndertakings several times. He was nominated as a Member of the following SelectCommittees – Privileges, Goods and Service Tax, Rules, Social Justice and Empowerment,General Purpose. Prevention of Torture Bill, Prevention of Corruption, Enemy Property Bill,Real Estate, Surrogacy (Regulation Bill), Insolvency and Bankruptcy, Motor VehicleAmendment Bill 2017, Constitution (one Hundred and Twenty Second) Amendment Bill2014, Constitution (one Hundred and Twenty Third) Amendment Bill 2017, Coal Mines(Special provisions) Bill 2015, Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill 2008, Payment andSettlement System (Amendment Bill) 2014 and Ancient Monuments and Archaeological SitesRemains (Amendment) Bill. He was a Member of Joint Committee on the Insolvency andBankruptcy, Committee on Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debt Laws,Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill 2017.He was a Member, Board of Governors of the National Institute of Fashion Technology.He runs an orphanage, a home for destitute women, a high school for the underprivilegedchildren and a vocational training centre for the poor under the aegis of Nari Niketan Trust,Jalandhar. He is the Chairman of Span India Group of Companies and Director of BergerPaints Ltd. He is also Member, Board of Trustees, Dr. Shroff’s Charitable Eye Hospital, AnantaAspen Centre and Chief Patron, Child Helpline Jalandhar.  He is a member of Pushpa GujralScience City, Kapurthala and he was a member of the Senate of Punjab University and Boardof Governors.He is the Vice President, Shiromani Akali Dal and Member, Political Affairs Committee,Shiromani Akali Dal.

He is a member of Delhi Golf Club, Gymkhana Club, India International Centre and IndiaHabitat Centre. His hobbies include Golf, gardening, listening to classical music, travelling,collecting art, carpets and rare textiles and designing ladies fashion garments for theEuropean market.Mr. Gujral has travelled extensively to several countries including UK, USA, USSR, China,Australia, New Zealand, France, South America, Europe, Israel, Japan, South East Asia, Africa,Mauritius, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives.

Mr. Sunit Kapur, the Director & CEO of Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), brings an impressivethree-decade career's worth of knowledge and expertise to the helm of this innovativeenterprise. His extensive experience spans a wide spectrum of critical domains, includingBusiness Integration, Supply Chain Strategy, Organization Health Management, Leadership &People Development, Technology Innovation, Enhancing Capabilities, and Customer Success.Prior to his tenure at Epsilon Advanced Materials, Mr. Kapur held a pivotal role as the VicePresident and General Manager at Tenneco, a renowned global manufacturer of automotiveproducts catering to OEM and aftermarket customers. In this capacity, he oversawmultinational operations across the globe, showcasing his ability to navigate complex,multifaceted global landscapes effectively.Mr. Kapur's influential career also includes a significant stint at Federal Mogul, a global Tier 1automotive supplier, where he managed global business operations, further underscoring hisremarkable leadership and strategic capabilities.Academically, Mr. Kapur possesses a degree in Mechanical Engineering from PunjabEngineering College Chandigarh, India, a testament to his strong engineering background. Hecontinued his pursuit of knowledge by pursuing the General Management Program in Businessat INSEAD - Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires. Additionally, Mr. Kapur has furtherhoned his leadership skills through Executive Education in “Leading Global Business” from theesteemed Harvard Business School.Mr. Sunit Kapur's illustrious career and educational background make him a driving force atEpsilon Advanced Materials, where his leadership and wealth of knowledge continue to propelthe company to new heights, shaping the future of the battery materials & energy storageindustry.

Narasimhan, is an Infantry Officer who served in the Indian Army for 40 years. He has done graduation in Mathematics, Post-Graduation in Defence Studies and PhD in India China Relations. Narasimhan served as the Defence Attaché in the Embassy of India in China for three years. He is qualified in Chinese language. His expertise spans international relations and internal issues, economy and defence related subjects of China. Narasimhan is a former Member of the National Security Advisory Board, India and the First Director General of Centre for Contemporary China Studies. He is presently a Distinguished Fellow with Centre for Air Power Studies, India and Emeritus Faculty with Rashtriya Raksha University, India.

Mr. V. L. Kantha Rao has taken over as Secretary, Ministry of Mines,Government of India w.e.f 01st September, 2023.He was Additional Secretary, Department of Telecommunications,Government of India prior to that. Mr. Rao also served as DG (Acquisition)and Additional Secretary, Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence. Hehas earlier served in the Government of India in the Ministries of Commerce& Industry and Information Technology.Mr. Rao belongs to the Indian Administrative Service of 1992 batchand has wide expertise in the areas of Telecom, Defence, Elections,Industry, E-Governance and Finance in a career spanning 31 years. He hasstudied Engineering for graduation and then earned MBA degree beforejoining the Government.

Chantal Lakatos de Alcantara is responsible for strategic engagement with domesticand international stakeholders, the U.S. Executive Branch, and other regulatory bodiescritical to Lam’s business success. Prior to joining Lam, Chantal served as the Directorof Nonproliferation Policy and International Engagement as well as the Director of theMunitions Control Division at the Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department ofCommerce. In this capacity Chantal was responsible for fostering bilateral andmultilateral collaborative technology partnerships in addition to developing andadministering strategic trade controls and related policy initiatives that address theinternational trade of sensitive technologies, commodities, and services.

Dr. Vivek Lall is Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation based in San Diego, California. GA and affiliated companies operate on five continents. The company produces a series of unmanned aircraft (Predator/Reaper/Guardian) and provides electro-optical, radar, signals intelligence, and automated airborne surveillance systems. GA produces electro-magnetic aircraft launch and recovery systems, satellite surveillance, electro-magnetic rail gun, high power laser, hypervelocity projectile, and power conversion systems. GA is the principal private sector participant in thermonuclear fusion research through its internationally recognized DIII-D and inertial confinement programs. GA is a leader in development of next-generation nuclear fission and high-temperature materials technologies. Lall has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the Quad Investors Network announced by The White House in 2023. He has also been appointed through the Pentagon as a United States Technical Team member to the NATO STO (Science and Technology Organization). He is on the Industry Advisory Board of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Lall serves on the International Advisory Group of the US Chamber of Commerce as well as Board of Directors of US Japan Business Council and the Global Board of Directors of the US India Business Council in Washington DC. He also serves as Senior Advisor to the Center for Commerce and Diplomacy at the University of California San Diego as well as on the Board of the Center for Advancing Global Business at San Diego State University. In 2018, he was appointed by the United States Government in a key advisory role to the US Cabinet Secretary heading Department of Transportation (encompassing entities like the Federal Aviation Administration) in Washington DC which affects US and global aviation policies and technologies. Lall served as Vice President of Aeronautics Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest defense company. Prior to that he has served as Chief Executive of U.S. and International Strategic Development at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems. From 1996- 2011, Vivek held numerous marketing and engineering leadership roles with The Boeing Company, the world’s largest aerospace company, including the Airplane Performance and Propulsion Group in Seattle. He was appointed as Vice President and India Country Head, Boeing Defense Space & Security in May 2007. He also worked as an adjunct faculty member at Embry- Riddle, McConnell Air Force Base. He also served as the founding Co-Chair of the US – India Aviation Cooperation Program launched in 2005. Prior to Boeing he worked for Raytheon and conducted research with NASA Ames Research Center in various multidisciplinary engineering fields. Lall was also a special advisor to the United Nations in New York, a role in which he steered the multi-nation body frame policy and its implementation in the area of broadband and associated cyber security issues. Lall earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Carleton University in Canada and a Masters of Aeronautical Engineering degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. He also has his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University in Kansas and his MBA from City University in Seattle. He has also completed management and executive courses at the American Management Association in Washington DC. Lall was conferred the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award by the President of the United States of America in September 2022. He has been conferred the “World Leader Award” by the House of Lords in the United Kingdom in 2023. He is also an Ambassador of the State of Arkansas as well as a Kentucky Colonel which is the most well-known US colonelcies conferred to several past US Presidents. He was also granted the Grand Cross by His highness Mahmoud Salah Al Din Assaf. Cambridge (UK) has listed him as one of only 2000 Outstanding Scientists of the Twentieth Century. He was President of the Mathematical Association of America. He has authored over hundred articles in various journals. He was also trained as a private pilot at the Phoenix International Flight Training Center in Florida.

Ambassador Nagaraj Kakanur is a career diplomat. An Indian Foreign Service Officer of the 1998batch. He is currently serving as the Joint Secretary in the Americas Division, responsible forIndia’s bilateral political engagement with USA and Canada. Prior to joining the AmericasDivision, he was Joint Secretary in the G20 Secretariat which was set up to successfully steerIndia’s G20 Presidency from 1 December 2022 - 30 November 2023. During his G20 stint, hewas responsible for coordinating the work relating to the Anti-Corruption, Culture, Development,Digital Economy, Education, Foreign Ministers, and Tourism Working Groups under the SherpaTrack. He also coordinated the work pertaining to the G20 Engagement Groups - Science 20,Women 20 and Youth 20 and the two initiatives - EMPOWER and Research and InnovationInitiative Gathering (RIIG).Mr. Naidu is a fluent Chinese speaker and has served in China in four separate stints. At theIndian Embassy in Beijing, he served as Third and Second Secretary (Special Projects) between2000 and 2003. Between 2003 and 2006, he served as Consul (Political and Commercial) at theIndian Consulate in Hong Kong. From 2009 to 2012, he served as First Secretary and Counsellor(Economic & Commercial Affairs) at the Indian Embassy in Beijing. He took over as the ConsulGeneral at the Indian Consulate in Guangzhou, China from 2013 to 2015.After his return to the Foreign Ministry in New Delhi, Ambassador Naidu served as the first JointSecretary of the Economic Diplomacy Division in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2015 to2017. During his term, the Economic Diplomacy Division of the MEA was conferred the “SKOCHPlatinum First Prize for Smart Governance” in 2017. Mr. Naidu was also the National Coordinatorfor establishing the treaty-based body International Solar Alliance in India (which has GeneralAssembly Observer status). He also served as a Board member in a number of Public Sectororganizations including India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO), Water & Power ConsultancyServices Ltd. (WAPCOS), Invest India, and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT).From 2017 to 2018, he served as Joint Secretary/Director General of the Europe West Division.During this period, Mr. Naidu was responsible for India’s bilateral relations with the UnitedKingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, theNetherlands, Andorra, San Marino, Monaco and the European Union.From 2019 to 2022, Mr. Naidu served as the Chef de Cabinet to the President of the 76thSession of the United Nations General Assembly and also as the Ambassador & DeputyPermanent Representative of India to the United Nations.Mr. Naidu has a Master’s in Law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (Classof 2008). He is married and has two children.

LT GENERAL RAJESH PANT PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) PhD Ex National Cyber Security Coordinator Government of India (Mar 2019-June2023) Lt General (Dr) Rajesh Pant is an internationally recognised Cybersecurity mentor, who has till recently tenanted the prestigious appointment of National Cyber Security Coordinator in the National Security Council Secretariat of India under PMO. In this capacity he was responsible for coordinating all activities across multiple sectors to ensure a secure and resilient cyberspace within the nation. Under his stewardship the nation has risen from 47th to 10th position in the Global Cybersecurity Index of the United Nations.

Vani Rao is a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, Ministry of ExternalAffairs, in which she has served since 1994. From August 2020, she is headingthe Americas Division in the Ministry of External Affairs which deals with India’srelations with USA, Canada and Quad.Prior to that, she was Ambassador to Finland and Estonia from 2017 to 2020,and Joint Secretary (Overseas Indian Affairs), spearheading programmes andinitiatives for engagement with the Indian Diaspora.She served from 2011 to 2014 as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy ofIndia, Israel.Her other diplomatic assignments abroad include postings at Indian Missions inMexico and Sweden. She also served as Under Secretary in Europe WestDivision and Director (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs.She has an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Hyderabad, India,and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the San Jose State University inCalifornia, USA. She speaks English, Telugu, Hindi and Spanish.She is married and has one daughter.She has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to Italy.

Anthony Renzulli assumed duty as Director for India at the National Security Council on August 1, 2022.  He served as Acting Director for India at the Department of State (2021-22) and, prior to that, as Political-Economic Counselor at U.S. Embassy Colombo (2018-21) and Deputy Economic Counselor at U.S. Embassy Islamabad (2017-18).  Anthony served in the Political Section of U.S. Embassy Rome (2014-17) as Unit Chief for Internal Political Affairs.  He also has been posted at U.S. Consulate General Mumbai, India (2004-06), and U.S. Embassy Ankara, Turkey (2007-09), where he was the lead reporting officer on Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East, Iran, South and Central Asia, and the Caucasus.  From 2011-13, Anthony served as Special Assistant to Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns, responsible for policy coordination on South and Central Asia, counterterrorism and cybersecurity, energy, and economic affairs for the Deputy Secretary.  He also has previously worked in the State Department in Washington as Senior India Desk Officer (2010-11) and Sri Lanka Desk Officer (2009-10), in addition to other assignments.  Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Anthony worked at the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration, responsible for trade development and environmental policy in the metals, materials, and chemicals sectors, and was the lead officer for the Nonferrous Metals and Mining Industry Sector Advisory Group.   A native New Yorker, Anthony has a B.A. in International Relations and an M.A. in International Economic Policy, both from American University, in Washington, DC.  He speaks Italian, Spanish, and (some) Turkish. 

Bharat has been based in Delhi since 1993 and has extensive experience of working with the Government of India and various public sector undertakings. Bharat is principally responsible for JPM’s relationship with government and sovereign agencies in India. Prior to his current responsibilities, Bharat was a part of the India Investment Banking team. Bharat has been closely involved with the evolution and development of overseas listings of companies from India. He has been working with a number of clients who have listed their shares in the USA, Europe and other jurisdictions. Bharat has nearly 30 years of experience in the investment banking industry and was previously employed with the Bank of Tokyo in New York as a foreign exchange trader. He has also had a stint with the International Finance Corporation in Washington DC as an international consultant. Bharat was educated at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences and St Catherine’s College, Oxford.)

Mr. Ravi Singh is the Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India. WWF India is one of the largest non-government organisations dedicated to conservation of nature. As head of WWF – India Mr Singh contributes leadership for the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity, environmental sustainability and the overall mandate for the organisation. Mr Singh interacts on various national and international fora on subjects relating to the natural environment and sustainability. Mr Singh completed his Masters from St Stephen’s College, Delhi University and started his working career as a lecturer in History. He went on to work for two international banks- Standard Chartered Bank and Deutsche Bank, at senior management level. His abiding interest in the conservation of nature led to his association with WWF India. A keen sportsman, a trekker and traveller, a student and reader of history, his varied interests are linked with his core interest in nature. 

D.B.Venkatesh Varma served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1988 to 2021. During his diplomatic career, he worked in the Office of the External Affairs Minister and in the Prime Minister’s Office. He served as India’s Ambassador to Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, to the Kingdom of Spain and to the Russian Federation, until October 2021.He has vast experience in India’s Security and Defence policies and served as Joint Secretary in charge of Disarmament and International Security in the Ministry of External Affairs. He was the first Recipient of the S.K.Singh Award for Excellence in the Indian Foreign Service in 2011 for his contribution to the negotiations of the Civil Nuclear Initiative. He is Distinguished Fellow at the VIF New Delhi. He is a member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters

Kami Viswanathan is President, Middle East, Indian subcontinent,and Africa (MEISA) region for FedEx, and leads the business in more than 65 countries.Most recently, Kami was Vice President, Marketing for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa,responsible for strategy and commercial growth in the region, and leading corporate innovationefforts out of India. Kami has been instrumental in shaping strategy for the MEISA region, includingthe alliance with Delhivery in India, and has played a significant role in the growth of markets in theMiddle East and Africa.Kami has diverse experience of over two decades across consulting, entrepreneurship, andinvesting. Kami co-founded Lumina Datamatics, a leading provider of educational content andtechnology solutions to the US and European markets with over 3,000 people across 7 locationsglobally. She was also founder of work4.0 capital, a cross border investment firm focusing on the

future of learning and work, and a member of the strategic advisory board of GSV Ventures, a US-based Edtech fund. Earlier in her career, Kami headed Mergers & Acquisitions and project

implementation at Office Tiger, a content solutions partner to leading investment banks and workedwith Arthur Andersen’s business advisory practice, helping multinational companies negotiate jointventures and set up operations in India.Kami is a fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and serves on several not-for-profit boards.She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and is a gold-medalist from the National Law Schoolof India with the BA, LLB (Hons.) degree.