Brig Arun Kumar, who is currently the ADG Military Survey has been in the geospatial domain since last 20 years. He has been associated with numerous geospatial projects, including at national level and has been spearheading geospatial technology absorption and capacity building at Army HQ.

Chair

Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Warakan Supinajaroen is a member of the GEOINT working group, the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF). He earned a bachelor's degree in survey engineering from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA) in 2006. Following his graduation, he took up a position with the Royal Thai Survey Department (RTSD), RTARF, as a terrain analysis officer in the Geography Division. After two years, he was reassigned to the Aerial Survey Division where he served as an aerial survey navigator. In 2011, He received a Master of Philosophy in System Dynamics from the Department of Geography, University of Bergen, Norway. He went back to RTSD and took part in several geospatial survey and analysis projects. In 2018, he initiated his doctoral research on the optimisation of national GNSS infrastructure funded by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. He successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in 2022. At present, he holds a staff position within the Directorate of Joint Operations of RTARF. He is also involved in the development of the RTARF common operating picture system for joint operations and the development of RTARF GEOINT. Since 2014, he has served as a guest lecturer for the surveying engineering degree program at CRMA.

Lt Col AR Packianathan of DGIS, Indian Army is a distinguished expert in the field of Geoinformatics for Defence Applications, with vast experience in leveraging geospatial intelligence to enhance military operations. His qualifications cover Masters degree in Geoinformatics, He holds a Master's degree in Geoinformatics and has earned distinctions in several defence geospatial courses.He has been at the forefront of revolutionising the geospatial landscape for the Indian Army. His expertise spans advanced geospatial analytics, battlefield situational awareness, GIS bases weather modelling and strategic decision support systems. He has been the driving force behind a groundbreaking collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences, it's different verticals and Indian Army. This initiative has enabled cutting-edge high-resolution modeling and observation frameworks tailored for defense applications, strengthening India's operational capabilities. A key architect and contributor to the TACS C3I projects of DGIS and the Indian Army. He has significantly enhanced battlefield geospatial intelligence. His innovations have been recognized by the Indian Army and key stakeholders, reinforcing his reputation as a thought leader in defense geospatial applications. With his deep expertise and strategic vision, Lt Col Pakianathan continues to drive geospatial intelligence innovation, ensuring India's defense forces remain at the cutting edge of GIS-enabled decision-making and situational awareness.

Capt. Amol Merwade is an experienced defense and maritime professional with over 28 years of service in the Indian Navy. He is currently serving as the Vice President at SPRY Technocon Pvt. Ltd. and was previously the General Manager for Strategy, Indigenisation & Innovation at PAN India Consultants Pvt. Ltd. Capt. Merwade's extensive Navy career includes pioneering the "Make in India" initiative for the Navy, overseeing indigenous technology projects, and leading the development of new Survey Vessels. He has also held key roles in policy, plans, acquisitions, and hydrography. His leadership experience spans command positions such as Commanding Officer/Warship Captain, where he successfully managed operational planning, cross-functional teams, and ship management. As Joint Director of Hydrography, he was instrumental in the development and induction of hydrographic equipment. Capt. Merwade has a background in hydrographic surveying and was a faculty member at the National Institute of Hydrography, where he developed training curricula and managed international training programs. He holds an IHO Cat 'A' certification and a Master's in Hydrographic Surveying.

Dr. Monika Tanwar is an accomplished faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, specializing in Prognostics and Health Management, Industry 4.0, Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Twin, and Digital Transformation. Prior to joining IIT Jodhpur, Dr. Tanwar gained extensive research experience as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and as a Researcher at Leibniz University, Germany. Her work at these prestigious institutions involved cutting-edge research in Cyber Physical Systems, Failure Prognosis, & Digital Twin. With a strong academic and research background, she has established herself as a leading expert in her field. Dr. Tanwar also holds MTech and PhD from IIT Delhi, where her research focused on Reliability and Maintenance Management, laying the foundation for her impactful contributions to engineering and technology. Dr. Tanwar is actively engaged in international research collaborations, working with leading institutions and researchers across the globe in the field of Digital Twin. She also serves on the review panels of more than 10 internationally reputed journals and conferences, reflecting her standing as a respected peer in the academic community.

Harsha Madiraju is a global geospatial advocate and widely networked geospecialist. He has over 18 years of experience in international marketing, business development, strategic partnerships, organizational development, and nonprofit management. As the Associate Director, he serves and supports members and communities in India, Africa, and Europe at OGC, the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Previously, as the Associate Director at the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), Harsha worked closely with the private sector, multilateral and partner organizations worldwide. His strategic guidance and direct contributions to a report on Climate Change won the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development for WGIC, presented at COP 27. Harsha is a passionate evangelist of geospatial technology. He has significantly contributed to the geospatial sector through media and events, being part of the core team at Geospatial World, a media & research organization with global reach. Harsha believes in connecting with people and communities to expand and demonstrate the value of geospatial technology. His current interest is to show the efficacy of geospatial technology for climate action. Harsha is an alumnus of UCLA Anderson School of Management and a postgraduate in geoinformatics. A learner for life, Harsha believes in continuous professional development. He lives in India along with his wife Vasavi and six-year-old daughter Nitya.

Brig Samresh Malhotra has been serving with Indian Army for past 29 years and is currently posted with the MI Dte. The officer has held various Regimental, Staff, Command and Instructional appointments.? As part of his regimental appointments, the officer has been actively involved in providing communications in both J&K as well as in North East. He has participated both in Op Vijay and Op Parakram. The officer commanded a Signal Regiment as part of Desert Strike Corps along the Western Borders. During his command tenure the Regiment was awarded the Prime Minister's award for innovation. The officer has been part of Indian Peace Keeping Contingent in the DR Congo in 2005-2006.?As part of his Instructional Duties, Brig Malhotra was posted as an Instructor at the Army Centre for Electromagnetics, Mhow. In staff, the officer has served at the Army Headquarters in various capacities and has been involved with a number of projects for capability development and capacity enhancement. The officer has also served as Logistics Staff Officer in the North East. In his previous appt the officer was posted at Jodhpur as the Chief Signal Officer. He is a gold medalist on both B.Tech and M.Tech and has done his Higher Command Course from Korean National Defence University, South Korea.

Dr. K.C. Tiwari is a renowned professor and expert in Civil Engineering with a focus on Geoinformatics, disaster management, GIS, and satellite image processing. He holds a PhD and has contributed significantly to the field through various projects with organizations like ISRO and DST. He founded the Multidisciplinary Centre for Geoinformatics at Delhi Technological University and has over 40 scientific publications. Dr. Tiwari has also served in the Indian Army, with over 20 years of service, including command roles in operations and training.

Mr Akhileshwar is a scientist working at Indian Space Research Organization since 2012. His core expertise is in the design and development of receiver technology for GNSS/NavIC user segment. He did his B-Tech in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), Chennai and joined Space Applications Center, ISRO in 2012. His major development projects include NavIC based positioning unit for ISRO's launch vehicles, RF ASIC design and fabrication for GNSS receivers, Anti-jamming antenna design for GNSS receivers and anti-spoofing technology development for NavIC receivers. At present he is the Programme Manager of Satellite Navigation Programme Office at ISRO Headquarters, Bengaluru. In this role he is working on the development of NavIC Restricted Service applications for Strategic use, system design for improvements in NavIC services, development of standards for NavIC usage (3GPP, IEC-TC80, BIS, RTCM, etc.) and interfacing with the industries to proliferate the adoption of NavIC in India.

Col S K Sarkar is the Commander of the Faculty of Geo-Spatial Sciences at the College of Military Engineering, Pune. A graduate of the Army Institute of Technology, he has extensive experience in the geospatial domain, having served in various roles, including Commandant at the Defence Institute of Geo-Spatial Information & Training. He has played a key role in the proliferation of GIS technology within the Indian Army, training over 2,500 personnel. He has been awarded multiple commendations, including from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief.

Chair

With a distinguished career in the Indian Army and significant roles within the Ministry of Defence, Brig. Anshuman Narang (Rtd.) brings invaluable expertise in defense strategy and operations. He is the founder of the think tank 'Atma Nirbhar Soch' and has authored works such as "Trajectory of Red Army's Unmanned Warfare." At Suhora, Brig. Narang is guiding the development of advanced defense applications, ensuring alignment with national security objectives.

Lt Col V Ramanathan (Retd) has over 20 years of experience in the Indian Army and has developed an indepth expertise in Satellite Imagery Interpretation, holding critical roles in Imagery Intelligence for over a decade.

He also holds the distinction of being an Instructor for the Vietnam Defence Forces.

With a Master's degree in Geoinformatics, he is deeply passionate about geospatial technology and its potential for innovation, particularly on how space startups can contribute to strengthening the future of Bharat's national security on a global landscape.

Yetender Singh is a dynamic business development professional with a strong background in the geospatial and satellite imagery sectors. Currently serving as Assistant Manager of Business Development at SATPALDA, he has been with the company since January 2025, having previously worked as a Business Development Executive and in Pre-Sales. During his time at SATPALDA, Yetender successfully promoted MAXAR's SecureWatch (now MGP Pro) and BlackSky's Spectra-AI platforms. He played a key role in securing significant satellite imagery orders and led a project involving the Airports Authority of India at Udaipur Airport. His efforts have also contributed to expanding the client base and streamlining operations. Yetender's early career included an internship at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun, where he mapped glacial lakes using advanced satellite imagery. His academic background includes a Master's in Applied Geology from SGRR PG College, Dehradun, and a Bachelor of Science in PMG from DBS PG College, Dehradun.

G. Satish Raju is the Senior Manager Industry Account, APJ with Planet. He is responsible for overseeing Planet business opportunities in South Asia.

Satish has domain experience in industry and financial services, having previously worked for 10 years in the oil & gas sector, and for 20 years in reinsurance. In his current role, Satish also supports the Global Insurance & Finance team in Planet for the APJ region.

Satish holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Ahmedabad.

A veteran with 34 years of military service, former UN peacekeeper - Colonel Rajneesh Ralli has served in various military organisations related to Operations, and Space & Defence procurement. He is currently Vice President - Growth Operations at Dhruva Space. Colonel Ralli has a Masters degree in Military Technology and an MSc in Defence and Strategic studies from Madras University, Chennai.

Lt Gen Kashyap was commissioned in the 6 LANCERS of the Indian Army in 1987. His experience includes commanding an Armoured Regiment, an Armoured Brigade and an Armoured Division apart from key staff appointments. He has served in critical operational roles, including as Chief of Staff at HQ Central Command, and various prestigious foreign assignments, such as Special Assistant to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Congo and Advisor in Operations at UN Headquarters, New York. Currently he is Director General of Armoured Corps. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering, Master of Science and Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies, an MBA from IMT Ghaziabad, and a National Cyber Scholar Diploma from Rastriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar.

Chair

Major General Roopesh Mehta, SM, VSM an alumnus National Defence Academy was commissioned into Artilery in Jun 1990. In a career spanning over 34 years, the General Officer has had vast experience inemployment of fire power, Strike Corps operations, High Altitude Operations, Information Warfare & Counter Terrorist Operations. He commanded an Artillery Regiment as part of Strategic Forces Command, was Col GS of an Arty Div and commanded an Infantry Brigade as part of a Strike Corps. He has served as a Military Observer in MONUC. He has keen interest in study of warfare, use of firepower radicalisation and counter radicalisation, information warfare and defence modernisation. He is posted at Integrated Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Amy) as ADG Capability Development (B) looking at Capital procurements of IA since Sep 2022. The Officer's interest include chess & blogging.

Lt Gen (Dr) Inderjit Singh, AVSM, VSM, former Director General of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), was commissioned in the Army on 13 Jun 1971.

The General Officer has had a brilliant academic record which includes an M Tech in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from IIT, Kharagpur, an MBA (Finance) from Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University and a PhD in Management.

The General Officer has a vast and varied experience of over 50 years in technical, managerial as well as in the field of education.

Amongst his varied experience in the corporate world he has been an advisor to Tata Motors Ltd on defence technologies, President of the prestigious Delhi Gymkhana Club and an Adviser with the UPSC.

Currently he is the strategic advisor to ideaForge Technology, India's leading drone company, assisting the company to become a global leader in mini, tactical and logistics drones.

Maj Gen Mandip Singh, SM, VSM, retired after 38 years of distinguished service in the Indian Army in 2021. A third-generation soldier in the Regiment of Artillery, he held key roles including Dy Comdt at IMA, Dean at Army War College, and Additional DG of Rashtriya Rifles. Post-retirement, he is a Visiting Fellow at MERICS, Senior Fellow at CLAWS, and Distinguished Fellow at USI. He serves as President of Strategic Alliances at Droneacharya Aerial Innovations Ltd, where he helped the company become BSE-listed. He also advises IIT Ropar's Technology Business Incubation Foundation and AKCJ Ventures, while lecturing on China, geopolitics, drones, and defense at prominent institutions.

Paras Jain, Founder and CEO of Indowings Pvt Ltd., is a visionary entrepreneur and angel investor in emerging technologies, particularly drones. He established Indowings in 2020, recognizing the transformative potential of drones across industries. A serial entrepreneur, he invests in startups and promotes technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain. Paras has reshaped the drone industry, driving innovation and inspiring others to pursue entrepreneurship. His leadership continues to influence advancements in technology and its societal impact.