Vaad Vaad

Sudhanshu Mani is a former officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers, where he served for 38 years. He retired as the general manager of the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, where Train 18 was built from design to development in record 18 months under his leadership.

Major General G.D. Bakshi is a retired Indian Army officer, renowned for his service in the Jammu and Kashmir and his role in the Kargil War. He has received the Vishisht Seva Medal and the Sena Medal for his distinguished service. A prolific author and defense analyst, Bakshi has written extensively on military history and strategy. Post-retirement, he remains a prominent commentator on national security issues.

0:00 Why Jammu is under attack
4:57 General Bakshi on 90s Ops
9:03 Reasi barbarism
12:58 Ops in Rajouri Poonch
14:45 Troops reduction in Army
19:00 Problem with Agniveer
21:17 Big difference in Ops in Kashmir Vs Jammu
23:22 Don’t be defensive PLEASE
28:49 How Brigadier Acharya was punished
31:40 Manpower is critical in mountains - Kargil example
33:45 Don’t cut down army strength
34:52 Indian Army won’t get good soldiers with Agniveer
37:30 Reforms in Agniveer
42:54 Pak’s Modus operandi has changed in J&K now
44:20 Army has to go on offensive
47:00 Narco angle - new method in J&K
49:07 General Bakshi’s recommendations

Shantanu Gupta is the founder of a leading youth based organisation, Yuva Foundation, which works with youth and spreads awareness among them, on policy, politics and social issues. In the past he has worked for a renowned think tank, Center for Civil Society (CCS).

Shantanu has worked long in the hinterlands of Bundelkhand with UNICEF in Uttar Pradesh. He has also lead large-scale remedial education interventions with Naandi Foundation in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and New Delhi. Shantanu has worked for a decade as a process and management consultant in many cities in India, Switzerland, Cyprus, Hungry and Israel. He has represented India in many international conferences on economy and policy, in Germany, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

He is author of various books - 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister', 'The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh', 'Teachings from the Ramayana on Family & Life' & others.

Abhinav Katyal - Corporate professional with 15+ years experience, keen observer of Politics of Haryana & Punjab, close association with Indian political system for 4 years.

Colonel (retd.) Yogander Singh is a retired Indian Army officer and military historian, with special focus on Haryana. He has written several books, most prominent among them being 'Hal Wa Samshir: Politico-Military History of Haryana'. Future Ready Indian Army and 'Effective Deterrence: Thoughts on India's Security Policy and Structures in the Twenty-first Century'.

Prof. Rana P.B. Singh, born on December 15, 1950, is an eminent scholar in the fields of cultural landscapes, heritage studies, and pilgrimage research. He holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U.) and has received numerous accolades including the Fellowships in Japan, Italy, and Korea, and prestigious awards like 'Ganga Ratna' and ‘Koshal Ratna’ in India. Prof. Singh served as the Head of the Department of Geography at B.H.U. from 2013 to 2015, and as President of the Asian Cultural Landscape Association from 2018 to 2023. He is currently the President for Asia of the "Reconnecting With Your Culture" initiative, affiliated with UNESCO, and has held this role from 2021 to 2024.

His contributions extend to significant roles in international committees such as ICOMOS-IFLA and ICOMOS-India, where he coordinates the National Science Committee on Cultural Landscapes. Since April 2022, he has been a Visiting Professor at the Centre of South Asian Studies, Gifu Women’s University, Japan. Over four decades, Prof. Singh has conducted extensive research in India, Japan, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, and China, delivering 79 special lectures across 25 countries. He has authored 43 books and 342 papers, with notable works including "Banaras, Making of India’s Heritage City" (2009) and "Hindu Tradition of Pilgrimage: Sacred Space and System" (2013). Currently, he is co-editing three forthcoming anthologies for Springer Nature.

Prof. Singh also plays a pivotal role in the International Scientific Committee of EdA Esempi di Architettura, where he has co-edited thematic volumes focusing on historic cities, cultural heritage, and architectural symbolism. His distinguished career and extensive body of work highlight his dedication to the preservation and study of cultural landscapes and heritage globally.