Our Team

Manikankana Dutta

Manikankana Dutta is currently a PhD scholar of International Legal Studies from CILS, SIS at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. She holds an LLM in Cyber Laws and a BBA LLB. Her research sits at the intersection of emerging technologies, international law, and human rights, with specific expertise in AI regulation, environmental sustainability, and children's digital rights.

Deeksha Tyagi

Deeksha is the Senior Vice President and Secretary at INSIGHTS. She holds a Bachelor's degree (Honours) in History from Miranda House, University of Delhi, and serves as a Research Associate at the Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR), Pondicherry. Her published writing has appeared in The Wire, The Hindu, Dainik Bhaskar, Organiser, and Panchjanya, and her Hindi manuscript has been selected for grant by the Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi (2026). Her academic interests lie in Indian intellectual history, postcolonial theory, and political thought, with ongoing manuscript work on The Nation and the Soul and a forthcoming monograph, Gitanjali Through the Lens of Sri Aurobindo, with SACAR. She is concurrently engaged in political consultancy.

Riya Pathania

Riya Pathania is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at INSIGHTS. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in Political Science from the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Miranda House, University of Delhi. A UN Millennium Fellow, her academic interests include Gender Studies, International Relations, Political Theory, and Federalism. She is committed to fostering impactful research, institutional growth, and meaningful academic engagement while contributing to contemporary policy and governance discussions.

Sarika Rana

Sarika Rana is a Master's student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), specializing in International Relations with a focus on West Asian Studies. She has previously worked with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as a public speaker, youth icon, and anchor, contributing to various national-level initiatives and events. Deeply committed to community service, she has been honored with the NSS State Award for her contributions to social development and youth engagement. Sarika has represented Haryana at the National Youth Parliament and has addressed audiences at prestigious national platforms. Her academic and professional interests lie in diplomacy, public policy, gender studies, geopolitics, and international affairs, with a particular focus on youth leadership and social impact.

Sourajyoti Roy Chowdhury

Sourajyoti Roy Chowdhury is a PhD candidate and a UGC Senior Research Fellow (SRF) at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. His research interests include maritime security, West Asian and global geopolitics, connectivity, and the intersection of investments and infrastructural geopolitics. He completed his Bachelor's and Master's from Jadavpur University, where he graduated First Class First at the top of his class, specialising in Political Science and International Relations. When not analysing the geopolitical dynamics of connectivity, he indulges his passion for public speaking, with several national awards to his credit.

Prabal Mishra

Prabal is a Brand, Product & Experience Strategist, entrepreneur, and institution builder working at the intersection of technology, education, and social impact. He has founded and led multiple ventures across business consulting, digital ecosystems, and community-driven development, including VishwaGuru, an initiative focused on self-reliant and community-led economic systems. He has also contributed to Vishwadharini (animal welfare and environmental conservation) and UpGate (startup consulting). His exposure spans McKinney Forward, ISB ivi, IIT Kanpur, and the University of Delhi. He serves on the advisory board of SRD Balika Vidyalaya, a rural not-for-profit school for girl-child literacy, and is currently building SaaS-based IT tools at Tracker Suite. He advises startups and emerging institutions on strategy, product thinking, customer experience, and organisational design.

Shristi Chandra Choudhary

Shristi Chandra Choudhary is a Political Science graduate from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, with research and advocacy interests at the intersection of institutional leadership, grassroots community engagement, and impactful research. Her work has focused on menstrual health advocacy and rural education. Her professional experience includes serving as a Research Assistant at the Bharat Ram Research Project, managing digital discourse as a Webinar Coordinator at The Indian Netizens, and steering financial operations as Finance Head and Associate at The Sankalp Organization. From leading donation drives to executing awareness campaigns in informal settlements, she is committed to translating ideas into community-led action.

Abhay Pratap Singh Tomar

Abhay completed his Master's in Political Science from Delhi University. He is currently a Junior Research Fellow at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, where he is pursuing his PhD on 'unconscious gendered structures in law'. His focus is on bringing psychoanalysis into conversation with politics and cultures in India.

Soham Agarwal

Soham Agarwal serves as the Director of Institutional Programs, overseeing strategic policy initiatives, cross-institutional collaborations, and organizational governance. A UGC-NET-qualified postgraduate in Political Science, currently pursuing a law degree, he has expertise at the intersection of constitutional law, public sentiment, and geopolitical dynamics. He has spearheaded high-level diplomatic conclaves, led research methodology workshops, and directed institutional governance strategies. As a policy analyst and writer, he specializes in translating complex electoral data and international relations paradigms into actionable public policy.

Tanshi Kohli

An environmental enthusiast, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, and a postgraduate degree in Law from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. To develop a deeper structural understanding of socio-political systems, she pursued a Master's degree in Political Science. Her sustained engagement with Psychology further enriches her interdisciplinary perspective. Her research interests lie at the intersection of political psychology (particularly through a Gramscian lens), political economy, and political sociology, and how these interact with artificial intelligence, environmental challenges, and contemporary geopolitics. She is currently working on two ongoing series: What Capitalism Is Not? and Navigating the Era of AI and Technology.

Suchitra Mayengbam

Suchitra Mayengbam is a doctoral researcher at the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. She completed her Bachelor's in Political Science from Dhanamanjuri University, Imphal, and earned a Master's in Political Science from Manipur University, where she was awarded a Gold Medal for outstanding achievement in International Relations. She has qualified the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Political Science. Her research interests encompass Northeast India, labour studies, public policy, and governance, with a focus on the socio-political and developmental challenges of the region.

Sujoy Bhadra

Sujoy is a Spanish language specialist in his final year of undergraduate studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. His scholarly interests lie at the crossroads of linguistics and data science, with a particular focus on geopolitical trends. Leveraging modern technological tools, he has cultivated interdisciplinary expertise in data collection and visualization using Python and Excel. His practical experience includes a data compilation internship with DeKoder during the 2026 Vidhan Sabha Elections, working on exit polls and results, and field market research for Delhivery to support the debut of the Delhivery One platform.

Prof. (Dr.) Sriparna Pathak

Prof. (Dr.) Sriparna Pathak is a Professor of China Studies and the founding Director of the Centre for Northeast Asian Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), Haryana. She serves as a Senior Fellow at the Jindal India Institute and Associate Director at the Motwani Jadeja Institute of American Studies at JGU. Her latest book is Strategic Evolution of QUAD from 'Ocean Froth' to Asian NATO (2026). She is special editor for the Journal of Indian Ocean Region for an issue on India's SAGAR strategy (2026). Her previous experience covers Gauhati University, Don Bosco University, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Observer Research Foundation. She is associated with Taiwan's Doublethink Lab as a regional partner, tracking China's influence operations, and is a recipient of the CITW Community Fund from Taipei's Doublethink Lab and a joint MHRD–China Scholarship Council fellowship.

Dr. Kshipra Vasudeo

Dr. Kshipra Vasudeo is Director of the Centre for Africa at INSIGHTS and former Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Mumbai. She is also Visiting Faculty at the School of International Relations and Strategic Studies and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Contemporary Studies, University of Mumbai. She holds an M.A. in International Studies, an M.Phil., and a Ph.D. from the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her doctoral research focused on India–China competition in the Indian Ocean and its implications for African coastal states (2000–2019). Her research interests include African politics, maritime security, governance, China's engagement in Africa, India–Africa relations, and BRICS studies. She has authored research articles, book chapters, and policy commentaries for the Observer Research Foundation, Springer, KW Publishers, Sage, and others, and has served as a reviewer for international journals including BRILL and Africa Review. She has presented at the Asian Dialogue in St. Petersburg and the BRICS International School in Moscow.

Dr. Vishwajeet Singh Akhawat

Dr. Vishwajeet Singh Akhawat is a Research Associate at the Vivekananda International Foundation and a scholar of International Relations with a focus on West Asian geopolitics. He completed his graduation from Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, and earned his Master's, M.Phil., and Ph.D. from the Centre for West Asian Studies, SIS, JNU. His M.Phil. research focused on the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iranian politics; his PhD examined the foreign policy of Iran through Iran–Russia relations. A recipient of the UGC-JRF and SRF, he is also co-founder of the Society for India IR. His specialization is Iranian security and foreign policy, with research interests including West Asian security dynamics, great power competition, energy geopolitics, and the role of militias and proxy military organizations.

Amal Chandra

Amal Chandra is an author, public policy analyst, political commentator, and columnist whose work focuses on governance, public policy, political communication, and strategic affairs. He currently serves as Principal Policy Officer of the Congress party in Kerala and as Honorary Director of the Centre for Policy Studies (INSIGHTS), New Delhi. He is an Associate of Dr Shashi Tharoor, MP, and serves as Coordinator for Students For Liberty. He has worked across government, academia, and policy institutions including K-DISC, the Central University of Gujarat (UNICEF programme), the Centre for Public Policy Research (with Atlas Network, USA), and as Research Associate to MP Adv. Dean Kuriakose. In 2023, his debut book The Essential, with a foreword by Adv. Salman Khurshid, was launched by Dr. Shashi Tharoor and Shri V.D. Satheesan. His commentary appears in the Observer Research Foundation, Indian Journal of Public Administration, Global Policy, SAGE, and The UnPopulist.

Paushali Lass

Paushali Lass is a geopolitical consultant specializing in Israel, a Fellow at the Israel–India Friendship Club, and a political commentator published in leading international outlets including The Jerusalem Post and The Algemeiner. She facilitates high-level engagement between Israel and key global partners, particularly India and Germany, connecting international delegations with Israeli leadership across politics, defense, technology, and diplomacy. Actively engaged in combating antisemitism in Germany, she also advises think tanks in Europe and Asia on counterterrorism and security. She is the author of Tasting Faith, which explores the history and cultural heritage of the Jewish community in India through the lens of food, highlighting themes of identity, resilience, and coexistence.

Nina Slama

Nina Slama is an experienced Lecturer, Teaching Assistant, and part of the Global Engagement Office at Reichman University. She holds an M.A. in International Relations from Bar-Ilan University (BIU); her thesis focuses on 'Foreign Policy Turning Points: India's Israel Policy 1948–2018'. She also holds a B.A. in Government, Diplomacy and Strategy and a Certificate in European Studies from Reichman University. Her areas of interest are India's foreign policy, India–Israel relations, and Israel's foreign policy. She is fluent in English, French, and Hebrew.

Shikha Swaraj

Shikha Swaraj is a Doctoral Candidate at the Centre for the Study of the Americas, School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. She holds a Master's in Politics with Specialization in International Studies from SIS, JNU. She previously served as a Research Intern at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and as a Political Affairs Associate with the Embassy of Israel in New Delhi, contributing to political research, diplomatic engagement, and bilateral affairs. She is a recipient of the Best Speaker Award at an international conference in New Delhi. Her PhD examines US–Israel strategic cooperation and its implications for India. Her research interests include international relations, American society and foreign policy analysis, and contemporary global political developments.

Ranveer Singh Solanki

Ranveer Singh Solanki is Faculty of Political Science at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) and a Ph.D. scholar of International Relations at the School of International Studies, JNU. He has qualified two UGC Junior Research Fellowships (JRF), in Political Science and International Relations. He earned his Master's in International Relations from JNU and his Bachelor's in Political Science from the University of Delhi.

Manvi Bhardwaj

Manvi Bhardwaj is a recent graduate of the School of International Studies, JNU, where she completed her Master's in International Relations and Area Studies. She holds a Bachelor's in Political Science (Honours) from Kalindi College, University of Delhi. With a strong foundation in political theory and international relations, her research interests focus on energy security, maritime security, and defence studies.

Saloni Rana

Saloni recently completed her Master's degree in Biochemistry and serves as Head of the Biosecurity Division at INSIGHTS. With an academic foundation in biochemistry and the life sciences, she is committed to advancing biosecurity awareness, promoting responsible scientific research, and fostering ethical practices in biotechnology. Recognizing that biosecurity sits at the intersection of biology, public health, national security, geopolitics, and technology governance, she is particularly interested in the challenges of rapidly advancing biotechnologies. She completed an internship at the ICAR National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and was active with the National Service Scheme (NSS).

Dr. Bandana Sodhi

Dr. (Col) Bandana Sodhi (ex-army) is Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Fortis La Femme, Greater Kailash-II. A skilled obstetrician, gynecologist, and minimal-invasive surgeon, she holds a Diploma in Pelvic Laparoscopy from the Kiel School of Endoscopic Surgery, Germany, and training in Reproductive Endocrinology & Embryology from Göttingen, Germany, and Robotic Surgery from Singapore. She was awarded an Associate Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, London. With a career spanning 30+ years, including service at the Army Research & Referral Hospital, Delhi, she practices modern methods of fetal monitoring, painless labour, water-birth, and VBAC. She has received the Vishisht Chikitsak Ratan Award from the Indian Medical Association (2023) and a leadership award in 2024.

Kinnori Mukherjee

Kinnori Mukherjee holds a Master's in International Studies from Christ University, Bangalore, and a Bachelor's from Fergusson College, Pune, with a Major in German Language and Minors in Political Science and Economics. Over the past five years she has worked at student-led and student-focused think tanks including YLAC, Sarkari School.in, and Geostrata. She has developed a keen interest in migration and Indo-German relations.

Purushottam Pratik

Purushottam Pratik is a researcher, writer, and editor pursuing a Ph.D. in Hindi Literature at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He currently serves as General Manager at Physics Wallah and previously worked as General Manager and Executive Editor of Drishti Current Affairs Today at Drishti IAS. He has authored over fifty articles and book reviews and hosts the podcast series Mimansa, featuring conversations with thinkers and practitioners across fields. His writing has appeared on Hindwi (Rekhta Foundation), and he has contributed to theatre and cinema, including as a writer for the film Siberian Crane. His interdisciplinary interests include literature, philosophy, ethics, media, and cultural studies.

Siddhi Deshmukh

Siddhi Deshmukh is a Psychology student with a keen interest in Bhāratīya Jñāna Paramparā (Indian Knowledge Systems). Her academic interests lie at the intersection of psychology, Indian philosophy, culture, and civilizational thought, with a focus on how traditional knowledge systems can contribute to contemporary discussions on health, well-being, and society. She has been involved in IKS projects with Ekatma Dham, Prajna Pravah, and the Youth Unity Foundation, and was part of a three-person team that won Second Prize in a national competition on Bharat and its Scientific Glory (Youth Unity Foundation with IIT Kanpur and Bṛhat). A founding member of an IKS Club at her university and a Shankardoot following an Advaita Vedānta camp, her interests also extend to dance and poetry.

Rahul Saigaonker

Rahul Saigaonker is a Mechanical Engineer, Law Practitioner, and Educator with over eight years of experience guiding aspirants for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Widely recognized for his teaching and mentorship at StudyIQ, he has helped thousands of learners develop a strong conceptual foundation and analytical approach to complex issues. His teaching philosophy centres on simplifying intricate subjects through structured, deconstructed explanations. He specializes in International Relations, Geoeconomics, and the functioning of International Organizations, with further expertise in Law, Constitutional and Legal Affairs, and Technology.

Shiwangini Jangra

Shiwangini Jangra is a Delhi-based Advocate, legal scholar, and the National President of the Child Rights Wing at the Insaaf Legal Association. She holds an LL.M from the Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi; an LL.B from the Faculty of Law, DU; a B.A. (History) from Bharati College, DU; and an M.A. (History) from ARSD College, DU. Her practice focuses on collaborative, policy-driven legal frameworks to champion human rights, protect vulnerable youth, and challenge systemic inequalities. Uniquely bridging law with history, she also serves as a PGT History educator at a government-aided school. She has published widely across national and international journals on child rights, gender justice, cybercrime, environmental law, and human rights.

Ambika Gupta

Ambika Gupta is an academic researcher in Political Science and Governance and serves as the Senior Academic Advisor for the Governance Programme at INSIGHTS. She holds a Master's in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University, is UGC-NET JRF qualified, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science. Her research interests focus on federal dynamics, public policy, and governance, with particular emphasis on Centre–State relations, cooperative federalism, and contemporary governance challenges.

Debraj Chhetri

Debraj Chhetri is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Himalayan Studies, University of North Bengal, and holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science with a specialisation in State and Politics in India from Sikkim University, Gangtok. Born and raised in the Dooars tea belt of Northern Bengal, his scholarship is informed by the region's lived entanglements of tradition, modernity, and ecological precarity. His doctoral research investigates legal personhood for natural entities in the Eastern Himalaya, contributing to debates on decoloniality, Rights of Nature, and indigenous epistemologies.

Suryansh Sah

Suryansh Sah is a Research Fellow in Himalayan Studies. He holds a Master's in International Relations from JNU and a Bachelor's in Political Science and History from the University of Delhi. His research focuses on the Himalayan region, particularly borderlands, geopolitics, regional cooperation, and strategic affairs. His academic interests include international relations, security studies, and South Asian politics.

Akhilesh Kumar

Akhilesh Kumar is a PhD candidate (Chinese Studies) at the School of International Studies, JNU, and currently a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan) Fellow at the Institutum Iurisprudentiae, Academia Sinica (IIAS), Taipei. He was previously a Visiting Scholar at Sichuan University, China (2024–25). His doctoral research examines science, technology, and innovation-driven development in China (2006–2022), with case studies on artificial intelligence and new energy vehicles. His specialisation lies at the intersection of science policy, the political economy of technological innovation, and Chinese foreign policy, with emphasis on AI policy and digital governance.

Kunal Kumar

Kunal Kumar is a doctoral candidate in Chinese Studies at the Centre for East Asian Studies, SIS, JNU. His research focuses on China's domestic AI regulations, algorithmic governance, and their broader implications for foreign policy and global tech politics. He previously served as an Assistant Research Analyst at StratNews Global.

Tanishq Wasan

Tanishq is a lawyer-turned-financial-analyst with an undergraduate degree in law specialising in capital markets and market risk. He was an advocate at the Bombay High Court and currently serves as a Valuation Analyst at CITCO Group, Mumbai, with hands-on experience across complex financial instruments and portfolio analytics. He performs valuation of listed and OTC instruments for hedge fund portfolios exceeding $100M, ensuring adherence to fair-value-hierarchy standards. He carries expertise in automation tools and analyses pricing inputs from Bloomberg, Reuters, and IHS Markit. At INSIGHTS, he strengthens analytical depth through data-driven evaluation of policy and economic outcomes.

Toshiba Shukla