Ideas For India 2025

Bio

Reena Ranger OBE is a British community leader, Conservative activist, and advocate for women’s empowerment. She chairs Women Empowered, supporting women to reach their potential, and in 2020 was appointed co-chair of Conservative Friends of India, promoting stronger UK-India ties. Since 2014, she has served as a councillor for Moor Park & Eastbury. In recognition of her work with ethnic minority women, she received an OBE in 2019. She continues to inspire through leadership in politics, business, and grassroots community initiatives.

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Dr. S.Y. Quraishi served as the 17th Chief Election Commissioner of India from July 30, 2010, to June 10, 2012. A 1971-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service, he has held several key positions in the Government of India.

Dr. Quraishi was featured in The Indian Express list of the 100 Most Powerful Indians in 2011 and 2012, and in India Today’s High and Mighty Power List in 2012.

Before joining the Election Commission, he served as Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and as Special Secretary (Health) and Director General of the National AIDS Control Organization. He pioneered India’s biggest AIDS awareness and IEC campaign, ‘Universities Talk AIDS’.

Dr. Quraishi has represented India as an international observer over the years in elections held in South Africa, Russia, Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Kenya.

In 2018, he was appointed Global Ambassador of Democracy by International IDEA (Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance), alongside the late Kofi Annan.

He has authored numerous books and articles on democracy, elections, HIV/AIDS, family planning, social marketing, women and child development, and youth. His acclaimed book An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election is now in its seventh edition.

He is currently Chancellor Emeritus of IILM University, Gurgaon.

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As an accomplished internal communications professional with cross-cultural expertise, Shalini brings a unique skill set to the organisations she supports. She is Board Director at the Institute of Internal Communication, Advisory Board Director at the Asian Communications Network and earlier worked in communications roles at BT, NatWest, GE Capital, the RSA and Aviva.

Over the past 20 years she has gained substantial experience by working within large global organisations during periods of business change and transformation. As a creative and confident communication professional who isn’t afraid to challenge, her passion is to empower, engage and connect people to the organisational vision, so they understand how to create impact and make a difference.

As a professional who located to the UK nearly 20 years ago cultivating an inclusive culture where everyone’s voice can be heard and where people feel proud of their work is something she cares about deeply.

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Junaid Wahedna is the founder and now Chairman (recently handing over to a new CEO) of Wahed, an Islamic digital financial investment founded with the intention of solving “the Riba problem” – a problem every Muslim is painstakingly familiar with. How do we live in a world without partaking in riba, when our bank accounts, mortgages, pensions, and insurance providers are all built on a foundation of interest? He raised $82m to build Whaed, that’s profitable in the three main countries Wahed operates in: the US, the UK, and Malaysia, contributing almost equally to Wahed’s approximate $1 billion in AUM.

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Avinash joined Jupiter Asset Management in 2007. He manages Indian equities funds (including a fund launched and managed by Avinash since July 1995). Prior to joining Jupiter, Avinash was CIO (South Asia and Africa) of BNP Paribas Asset Management before he left to found Peninsular Capital Partners LLP in 2005, where he acted as Managing Partner. He was the CEO of GEM Dolphin Investment Managers from 1994 until its sale in 1997. Avinash led the management buy-in of John Lusty Group plc in 1993 and was the company’s CO0 until its sale in 1994. Avinash qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986, and was a Senior Manager at Price Waterhouse in London.

Avinash is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He is a Trustee of The London Clinic, a Non-Executive Director of the UK India Business Council and a former Trustee and Chair of Pratham UK, a charity focussed on children’s education in India.

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A visionary entrepreneur with nearly two decades of extensive expertise in investment banking and fund management, founded Aikyam Capital to simplify access to India’s Capital Markets. Backed by a team of seasoned financial experts, he has built Aikyam into a multifaceted firm offering broking. Investment banking, fund management, and capital market solutions for global and domestic investors. A Chartered Accountant with an MBA from NMIMS, he has expertise in international finance, compliance, asset management, and business operations.

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Kate Sullivan de Estrada completed her PhD in Politics and International Relations from the Australian National University in 2011. Her research interests centre on the social mobility of states in world politics (with a particular focus on status and status seeking and the socialization struggles of rising powers) and, methodologically, the intersection of IR and Area Studies. Empirically, her research examines India’s role and identity as a rising power, nuclear politics in South Asia, India’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific, and Indian Ocean security.

From March to December 2021, Kate took up a secondment as Principal Research Analyst for India at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She has also delivered expert testimony to UK parliamentary inquiries and engages across Whitehall and beyond on the UK’s policy towards India. From 2018 to 2019, she worked with the Indian Ocean Commission, headquartered in Mauritius, as an Oxford Policy Exchange Network Fellow. She is an Associate Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London.

Kate convenes and teaches the MSc/MPhil option the International Relations of South Asia, is the convener of the PPE option Politics in South Asia, and supervises DPhil students in OSGA and the Department of Politics and International Relations. From 2019 to 2021 she was the Academic Lead on OSGA’s successful departmental application to the Athena Swan Bronze Award.

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Barbara Mills KC is chair of the Bar 2025. Barbara is joint head of chambers at 4PB and practises in family law specialising in difficult and complex children cases, often with an international element. Barbara is an arbitrator and a mediator, sits as a deputy High Court judge, and has been a recorder on the South Eastern Circuit for over 10 years. Barbara is also a governing bencher at Inner Temple.

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Dr Chietigj Bajpaee is senior research fellow for South Asia in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House. Prior to joining Chatham House, he was the political risk adviser for Asia at the Norwegian energy company Equinor (formerly Statoil).

He has also covered Asia (with a particular focus on South Asia) for Control Risks, IHS Markit (now S&P Global), the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He also held visiting fellowships at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and the Vivekananda International Foundation in India.

Chietigj completed his PhD at King’s College London and the National University of Singapore, with a focus on India’s ‘Act East’ policy and relations with China. He holds a master’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics, and completed his undergraduate studies in economics and politics at Wesleyan University and the University of Oxford.

Chietigj is author of China in India’s Post-Cold War Engagement with Southeast Asia (Routledge, 2022).

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Kalpana is a Co-Head of Ashurst’s India Practice and based in London office. She is a dual qualified Solicitor registered with the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and the Law Society of England & Wales.

Kalpana specialises in cross-border joint ventures and M&As, private acquisitions and disposals, commercial contracts, and corporate governance laws and offers practical solutions to clients on doing business in India. She is experienced in leading diverse teams in dynamic environments while achieving success in competitive markets. Kalpana’s practice has always been broad-based and she regularly advises multinational companies on their investments/projects in India and has been a strategic advisor to global clientele from a range of jurisdictions including the US, UK, Japan, Canada, China, Singapore, and Australia.

Kalpana is also a well-recognised expert in India on Corporate Governance principles. She has advised senior board members, executive and non-executive directors, and promoters on board effectiveness, particularly around the issues of corporate governance, leadership, organisational structures, and decision-making.

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Avinav Nigam, leads AI-driven workforce mobility with global impact. Advising NSDC International, he forges ethical migration strategies worldwide. An Indian-origin founder, Avinav’s visionary leadership, honed in Japan, India, and the UK, drives TERN’s bold expansion and impact globally.

Before founding TERN, Avinav held significant positions at renowned companies, including Vice President roles at The Walt Disney Company and PayU. At Disney, he played a pivotal role in expanding Disney+ Hotstar’s reach, contributing to its substantial user base. His tenure at PayU involved leading marketing strategies that bolstered the company’s position in South Asia’s online payments sector.​

Avinav’s experience also encompasses co-founding and serving as COO of IMMO, where he was instrumental in transforming the residential rental market in Europe. His efforts led to significant venture funding and the establishment of a market leader in the single-unit residential sector.

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Vee Bharkhada is the founder and managing director of Navigate Business Recovery Limited (NBR). With over 36 years of experience with top 10 national firms, Vee specialises in insolvency related disputes and helps directors with advice and practical guidance on Company and Bankruptcy legislation across the whole insolvency spectrum focusing specifically on getting directors and business owners out of tricky financial situations.

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Raghav Chadha is an Indian politician, serving as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha representing Punjab. He began his political career with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2012, holding key positions within AAP, including national treasurer and spokesperson. Prior to his tenure in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha served as the Vice Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (water board) and was elected as the Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly from the Rajinder Nagar constituency in Delhi. In 2022, Chadha was elected to the Rajya Sabha by the Punjab Legislative Assembly, becoming the youngest Member of Parliament in the upper house at that time. He has also been appointed to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance. Throughout his political journey, Chadha has focused on issues related to governance, transparency, and public welfare. 

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Giles Trendle is a distinguished journalist, media executive, and strategic advisor with extensive experience in international reporting and content creation. He began his journalism career in the mid-1980s as a freelance reporter in Lebanon, covering the civil war and hostage crisis. Over the years, he has reported from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and the Palestinian territories, covering topics such as conflict, politics, climate change, and human rights. From 2015 to 2023, Trendle served as Managing Director of Al Jazeera English, leading a global team of over 400 journalists and overseeing editorial content across television and digital platforms.

Under his leadership, Al Jazeera English won numerous prestigious awards, including Royal Television Society Awards, Peabody and Emmy Awards, and even an Academy Award nomination. Beyond journalism, Trendle plays a key role in strategic communication and content development. He is actively involved in projects that enhance climate change coverage, investigative reporting, and youth-driven journalism. He co-chairs the Covering Climate Now initiative, is an ambassador for ChildPress, and supports independent filmmakers reporting from conflict zones.

A strong advocate for media freedom and journalist protection, Trendle continues to contribute to global conversations on quality journalism, climate issues, and press safety.

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Vinesh is the Co-Founder and Director of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), India’s first and largest professional political consulting organization. Over the past 11 years, he has led strategy and execution for more than 10 high-stakes national and state election campaigns, achieving an exceptional success rate of over 80%. His work has shaped the political journeys of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seven Chief Ministers, navigating some of India’s most complex and dynamic political landscapes.

With a background in law, media, and political strategy, Vinesh brings a rare combination of grassroots insight and forward-looking innovation to democratic engagement. He is deeply committed to strengthening democratic institutions and expanding the professional space for political consulting in India and beyond.

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Raja has worked with founders for most of his working life of 24+ years. His defining stint was with Sequoia India, where as CMO, Raja worked with founders from different stages – Byju Raveendran (Byju’s Learning App), Vikram Chopra (CARS24), Amrish and Jitendra (Citrus Pay), Virendra Gupta (Daily Hunt), Jaydeep Burman (Faaso’s), Kunal Shah (Freecharge), Sameer Maheshwari (Healthkart), Amit Kumat (Prataap Snacks), Alan and Nami (Truecaller). The founders he worked with at Sequoia brought a variety of diverse opportunities and challenges to the table and helped Raja decide what he wanted to do with the rest of his life – work closely with founders and founding teams. His raison d’être is to look at business challenges through the lens of marketing with a skin-in-the-game, long term approach to help build the brands of tomorrow. And that’s exactly what he seeks to do at Spring Marketing Capital, a skin-in-the-game marketing value added investment firm that looks to partner founders to build the brands of tomorrow. Raja is an eternal optimist and believes strongly that creativity and entrepreneurship can change the world.

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Simon Gerard McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford, GCMG, KCVO is a British diplomat and academic. He served as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Head of the Diplomatic Service from 2015 to 2020, marking the culmination of a notable diplomatic career. Educated at De La Salle College in Salford and Pembroke College, Cambridge, McDonald joined the FCO in 1982. His early postings included assignments in Jeddah, Riyadh, Bonn, and Washington, D.C., reflecting a breadth of experience in international diplomacy. He later served as Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary (2001–2003), Director for Iraq at the FCO (2006–2007), and Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister and Head of the Overseas and Defence Secretariat at the Cabinet Office (2007–2010). In 2010, he was appointed British Ambassador to Germany, a position he held until 2015. As Permanent Under-Secretary, McDonald led the FCO during a period of significant geopolitical changes, including the UK’s decision to leave the

European Union. His tenure was characterised by efforts to adapt the UK’s diplomatic strategies to evolving global dynamics. In 2020, he retired following the merger of the FCO with the Department for International Development, forming the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In recognition of his services, McDonald was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). In 2021, he was ennobled as a life peer, taking the title Baron McDonald of Salford, and currently sits in the House of Lords as a crossbencher. Since September 2022, Lord McDonald has served as the Master of Christ’s College, Cambridge, contributing his extensive experience in governance and international relations to the academic community.

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Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, is the Working President of TRS Party and the Cabinet Minister for IT E&C, MA&UD and Industries & Commerce Departments of Telangana government.

The inclination towards public life was always there for KTR as he grew watching his father from close quarters. KTR decided that politics would be his life’s calling as he was strongly influenced by a quotation from his University days. KTR made his political debut by winning from Sircilla Assembly Constituency in 2009.

Born in Siddipet on 24 July, 1976, KTR is the son of K Chandrashekar Rao, the first Chief Minister of Telangana. He grew up in a politically active family and completed his schooling from St. George’s Grammar School, Hyderabad before going to Nizam College, Hyderabad. He studied M.Sc. in Biotechnology from University of Pune and also holds an MBA degree in Marketing and E-Commerce from City University of New York, NY.

After finishing his MBA, KTR worked in the USA between 2001 and 2006. But his interest in the prevailing socio-economic condition in the region brought him back to where his heart belongs – politics. He joined Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and worked under the leadership of his father to achieve Statehood to the region of Telangana. During this period, he travelled the length and breadth of the State and interacted with people to understand their problems and aspirations, which later helped in shaping his political career. KTR made his political entry in 2009 Assembly elections. He assumed the charge of a cabinet minister in the first Government of Telangana in June 2014.

KTR held key ministerial portfolios in the cabinet between 2014 and 2018. On 2nd June, 2014, he was sworn-in as Minister for IT, Panchayat Raj & Rural Development. KTR took charge of Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, Mining, and NRI affairs Departments in 2016 and was relieved from Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department later. He was inducted into the Telangana Cabinet on 8th September, 2019 as the Minister for IT, Industries & Commerce and Municipal Administration & Urban Development.

Unflinching resolve, commitment and inclination to fight for the welfare and development of the State helped KTR work steadily with a wide spectrum of industry and political leaders in India and abroad. He has provided visionary leadership and put in relentless efforts in reimagining and reorienting the Departments he was assigned. As the Minister for IT, KTR has come up with a comprehensive plan to cater to the multi-dimensional requirements of the IT industry and has been backed by his dedicated and competent officers and staff. Several initiatives have been launched under his able leadership since 2014.

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Umar Kamaal Farooqui is a Barrister from Lincoln’s Inn, London, and a leader of the Indian National Congress Party. With a strong background in law, public policy, and grassroots politics, he has emerged as a prominent voice on issues of social justice, and secularism. He previously served as the State Spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra and has been actively involved in policy dialogues both in India and the UK. Known for his legal acumen and articulate advocacy, Umar continues to bridge the gap between law and politics to serve the public interest.

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Pratik Dattani is Advisor to Bridge India and the Managing Director for boutique economic consulting firm EPG, specialising in economic analysis, strategic communications and market entry assistance with India, with offices in London, Bangalore and East Africa.

He was additionally, until August 2017, UK Director for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the premier and largest industry body in India. He is also the co-founder of a tech start-up in the CSR space. Previously he worked in Economic Consulting at FTI Consulting and Deloitte in London and Abu Dhabi, with a focus on public policy and arbitration. He was Chairman for a not-for-profit membership organisation with several thousand members for three years.

He studied Economics at Warwick University, where he was awarded the Prize for Excellence, and LMU University of Munich. His dissertation won a prize at an international economics conference at Georgetown University, Washington DC. He has published academic research on behavioural economics and social impact and is a regular commentator on public policy and India across print, TV and online media, featured on BBC News, CBC, CNBC, CNN, NDTV, South China Morning Post and Huffington Post.

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Shaunaka Rishi Das serves as the Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) since its inception in 1997. A dedicated educator and advocate for interfaith dialogue, Das’s expertise spans education, comparative theology, communication, and leadership. He holds the distinction of being the first Hindu Chaplain at Oxford University, a role he assumed in 2006, marking a historic milestone in the institution’s 800-year history.

In his capacity as Director, Das has been instrumental in fostering partnerships with academic institutions globally, including formal relationships with universities in the US, Europe, India, and China. Under his leadership, the OCHS received formal recognition from Oxford University in 2006, solidifying its position as a leading institution for the study of Hinduism. Additionally, Das has facilitated publishing partnerships with prestigious entities such as Oxford University Press and the Journal of Hindu Studies.

Beyond academia, Das is a prominent voice in media and broadcasting, notably contributing to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Prayer for the Day’ since 2007. He has also lent his expertise to various documentaries on Hindu culture and traditions, alongside serving as a consultant for projects aimed at exploring and understanding Hinduism. Through his multifaceted contributions, Das continues to enrich scholarly discourse and promote a deeper understanding of Hinduism on a global scale.

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Rahul leads the Institute’s South Asia research programme. He researches and publishes on India’s neighbourhood foreign and security policies; Pakistan, Afghanistan and regional security; counter-extremism and terrorism; regional nuclear matters; and the Indian navy and the Indian Ocean. Rahul gives select policy-relevant talks and briefings, and organises several ‘track 1.5’ meetings. These involve top South Asian government and intelligence officials, and focus on regional stability, nuclear doctrines and India’s foreign policy, and take place annually in Muscat, Bahrain, New Delhi, Islamabad and London. He is also author of Sea Power and Indian Security (Potomoc, 1995) and India’s Maritime Security (Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis, 2000).

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Pradyot Manikya Deb Barman is the former head of Tripura’s Royal Family and the Chairman of Tipra Motha, the Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance.

He was the president of the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee from 2016 to 2019, and former his party after resigning from Congress, which aims to represent the indigenous people of Tripura. Tipra Motha won eight seats out of the 28 seats that were contested in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections in 2021.

In the Assembly elections in 2023, Tipra Motha’’s success was the biggest story coming out of the North East of India. Manikya’s party contested 42 out of the 60 seats, including 20 Assembly segments reserved for candidates from Scheduled Tribes, and won 13 seats – a phenomenal performance for a party making its Assembly poll debut. They have been pushing the demand for a ‘Greater Tipraland’. The BJP’s allies IPFT faced a significant setback in the reserved seats, losing all but one of its eight seats, indicating a shift of tribal voters to Tipra Motha.

Pradyot Manikya is known for his efforts to preserve the culture and traditions of the indigenous people of Tripura. He has been involved in various social and political campaigns aimed at their welfare. Apart from his political activities, Pradyot Manikya is also involved in various social and cultural organisations. He also served as the editor of TNT-The Northeast Today.

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