Professor V.S. Subrahmanian is a leader in design, analysis and application of AI-based models for real world problems that helps governments and companies in optimal decision-making. He is the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Computer Science at the McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University and Buffett Faculty Fellow at the Northwestern Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs. He has also co-authored books on terrorist outfits Lashker-e-Toiba and Indian Mujahideen.

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Lieutenant General Vinod G. Khandare, PVSM, AVSM, SM is a former officer of the Indian Army and is currently serving as the Principal Adviser in the Ministry of Defence. He retired from active military service on 31 January 2018 and was the Military Advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat of India at the Secretary level from 2018 to 2021. In his final active military appointment, he served as both the Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency and the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff for Intelligence from November 2015 to January 2018.

Adam Reedy is the International Government Sales Manager at Esri. He has more than 20 years of experience guiding US and international clients on the development and implementation of enterprise geospatial systems for defense, intelligence, public safety, and emergency management solutions. Reedy is a 1995 graduate of the US Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering and Political Science. He has a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. As a USAF officer and pilot, Captain Reedy flew C-21 Lear jets, providing operational airlift support for senior military and federal officials as well as flying time-sensitive medical evacuations out of Randolph AFB, Texas. He resides in the Northern KY/Greater Cincinnati area with his wife and four kids.

Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti was commissioned into the Indian Navy in Jul 1988. An alumnus, NDA, Khadakwasala, awarded the President's Gold Medal on passing out. He was the recipient of the 'Binoculars' during Sea Cadet Training, Sword of Honour during Midshipmen training and Adm RD Katari Trophy for standing first during Sub Courses. The Flag Officer is a Navigation and Direction specialist, where he stood first in the Course and was adjudged the Best All-round Trainee.

He did the Overseas Staff Course from France and Naval Higher Command Course, where he was awarded the CNS Gold Medal for Best Op Paper.

His afloat appointments include Navigating Officer of INS Kirpan, Commissioning Navigating Officer of INS Mysore, Direction Officer, INS Viraat and Executive Officer, INS Delhi. The Flag Officer has commanded INS Nishank, INS Kora and was the commissioning CO of INS Kolkata.

He has held important staff appointments that include Instructor, Project 15 Training Team, Joint Director of Staff Requirements and Joint Director of Personnel at Naval Headquarters and Captain Work Up at Local Workup Team (East). He served as the Naval Attache at the Embassy of India, Moscow from 2016 to 2018. On promotion to Rear Admiral, he was appointed as the Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala from Mar 2019 to Jan 2021 and as Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet from Feb 2021 to Dec 2021. On promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral on 24 Dec 21, he was appointed as Director General Project Seabird. He held additional charge as Director General Naval Operations from Jul-Sep 23, prior taking over the present appointment as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff at Naval Headquarters, Ministry of Defence.

Lt Gen RS Raman, AVSM, YSM was commissioned into the infantry in Jun 1989. He is a graduate of the Defence Service Staff College, Senior Command Course, Higher Defence Management course and National Defence College. He commanded an Infantry Bn in CI (Ops), OP RAKSHAK, J&K, an Infantry Brigade and an Infantry Division in the HAA (J&K). His instructional appointments have been at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and College of Defence Management at Secunderabad. His staff assignments have been at Military Operations Dte, Sr Staff Offr Adm at HQ UNIFIL (UN Lebanon), Colonel MS and Deputy MS at Military Secretary Branch, BGS of a Corps in HAA and ADG MI at IHQ of MoD (Army). He is currently Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) at Army HQ.

Through most of his 40-year illustrious career General Hasnain has served in turbulent environment and hot spots. From Sri Lanka to Siachen Glacier, from the North East to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), and in UN operations from Mozambique to Rwanda, he has seen it all in crucial appointments. He served seven tours in J&K, decorated in almost of them and knows the J&K conflict comprehensively. He commanded the Indian Army's Srinagar based 15 Corps and is today one of the foremost writers and analysts on J&K, Pakistan, Middle East and transnational extremist violence. He is a much sought-after speaker and writes for major Indian newspapers - The Times of India, The Indian Express, The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle and The Asian Age, besides being a regular participant in television debates on mainstream television. With a strong academic background from Sherwood College Nainital, St Stephen's College Delhi, the Royal College of Defence Studies, Kings College London and the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies, Hawaii, he has been at the forefront of encouraging the adoption of the US initiated Scholar Warrior concept in the Indian Army. He has spoken at the Lee Kwan Yu School for Public Policy, the Rajaratnam School for International Studies and the Indian Institute for South Asian Studies, all at Singapore. He has also spoken at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), London. He is associated with the Vivekanand International Foundation and Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, as Distinguished Fellow and is on the Governing Council of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies (IPCS). He speaks on National Security at various military, civil services and corporate institutions with a view to enhance India's strategic culture. He has recently visited Iran and was at the forefront of neutralizing Pakistani influence operations in that country.

On 13 Jul 2018 The President of India appointed Lt Gen Hasnain as Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir.

Gen Hasnain has six decorations awarded by the President for India and two by the Army Chief. He superannuated from the Indian Army in Jul 2013 after 40 years of active service.

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Ambassador Gurjit Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1980 and in 37 years of service served in many different countries. He is well known as a business-friendly diplomat, who has often implemented developmental programmes and expanded India's outreach. The widening of the scope of India's perspective in those countries have benefitted from his dedication to culture, trade, investment and other popular engagements.

Lt Gen Dato' Seri Hj Muhammad Huzaimi bin Sabri was born in Lenggong, Perak. He joined the Malaysian Army through the graduate officers' scheme and complete his military training at the Royal Military College (RMC) Sungai Besi in 1991. He holds MSc in National Resource Strategy obtained from the National Defence University, United States of America in 2017, MSoc Sc (Defence Studies) obtained from the National University of Malaysia in 2012 and MSc in Supply Engineering and Logistics from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom in 2007. Other academic qualifications include a Diploma in Agriculture which he obtained in 1990 from Universiti Putra Malaysia and Diploma in Strategic and Defence Studies from Universiti Malaya in 2002. Besides academics, he has vast military command and staff experiences which include being the Commanding Officer of the Second Royal Malay Regiment in 2009, the 8th Brigade Commander in 2018, the Second Division Commander in 2021 and Army Field Command West Commander in 2023 prior to being the Chief Executive of the Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security beginning 30th January 2025.

Rear Admiral Indika Priyantha de Silva is the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet of the Sri Lanka Navy. Joining in 1994 and commissioned as an Acting Sub Lieutenant in 1996, he has commanded various vessels, including Fast Attack Craft and Offshore Patrol Vessels. His key roles include coordinating disaster management, serving as media coordinator, and directing naval administration. He holds advanced qualifications in international security, anti-submarine warfare, and national security studies. Decorated with several gallantry medals, including the Rana Wickrama Padakkama and Rana Sura Padakkama, he has also received four commendations from the Commander of the Navy.

Lt Gen Rajiv Kumar Sahni, VSM took over as DGIS on 01 Sep 2023. The General Officer is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in December 1988 in the Corps of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering (EME). He has commanded Workshop in the sensitive Sector of Jammu and Kashmir, along the Line of Control and EME Battalion in RALP sector. The General Officer is a graduate of Higher Defence Management Course and Advance Professional Programme in Public Administration.

In his three and a half decades of distinguished military career, he has tenanted important and challenging command and staff appointments in different operational environments which include Maj Gen of Central Command, Command of the EME Training Centre, Brig EME of a Corps in Eastern Theatre, Directing Staff and Head of Faculty at College of Defence Management, Director at MGO Branch and General Staff Officer Grade I at Directorate General of Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement. The General Officer has been part of multiple 'Subject Matter Expert Exchanges' on Supply Chain and Logistics with Other Armies.

A fellow of Institute of Engineers, General Officer has a rare Distinction of being Certified Level 'A' Project Director from International Project Management Association (IPMA). An M Phil in Management from Osmania and Punjab Universities, the General holds PhD in 'Defence Acquisitions'.

For his illustrious service, he has been conferred with the award of Vishisht Seva Medal and has been commended six times by the COAS, CISC and Army Commanders. A thinker who has been contributing constructively in the domain of Services Supply Chains and Sustenance aspects. Endowed with immense human values, the General Officer is a firm believer of 'People First'.

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Dr.PV Radhadevi has made significant contributions over the last 36 years, providing solutions for utilizing the satellite imagery as a potential source of information for National Security. She has done pioneering work in conceptualizing satellite imaging geometries and nurturing satellite photogrammetry as a prominent tool for mapping. Furthermore, data exploitation packages like DES, ShARP, DESIGN etc. developed under her guidance at ADRIN, using AI&ML - based and Geospatial Technologies, are operationally used by strategic users for IMINT report generation. Large Area Multi-sensor mapping and Production System (LAMPS), a completely automated chain for satellite/sensor processing of hundreds of images simultaneously, was recognized by the users as well as scientific community as an innovative solution with no precedence in the country. As a Focal point, Project coordinator, Project Director, she has made immense technical contributions (in collaboration with Army, Navy, Air force, MHA and Int agencies) to many projects like SBS, Advanced (ADEM), NCAP, VIRAT, NGF etc.

Dr. Radhadevi worked not only with Earth Observation satellites, but also with Chandrayaan series of satellites. She was a committee member tasked with assessing potential landing sites for the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3. The evaluation done by her team employing Digital Elevation Models of lunar surface to analyse factors such as slope, aspect, hazard zonation etc. led to the selection of the optimal landing site, a decision that was ultimately embraced for the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 lander.

He graduated in Nuclear Engineering at Rome University "La Sapienza". Before his graduation, he started working at the Italian Towing Tank in Rome as staff researcher in Computational Fluid Dynamics and then executed his mandatory military service as Navy officer working as researcher in a cavitation tunnel to test ships' propellers.

Then he has joined the space field where he was involved in development of SW simulators and satellite images processing systems from data acquisition to the generation of image products for the Landsat satellites.

He has joint Telespazio in 1994. He worked as system engineer for the Iridium (satellite telephony system) at Motorola plant in Arizona for two years and then he became head of systems engineering for the ground segment of the ESA ARTEMIS mission (satellite inter orbit link services) and he developed the Telespazio Launch and Early Orbit Phase facility at Fucino to provide LEOP services for institutional and commercial users. He worked one year at Lockheed Martin facility in Philadelphia for the broadband satellite system ASTROLINK as head of the ground segment system engineering.

He followed the first GALILEO (navigation system) studies and he participated in the long lasting bid process for the GALILEO Public Private Partnership. He was then appointed program manager for the ground segment and operations of the COSMO-SkyMed system (four satellite Synthetics Aperture Radar constellation) and then head of the "Program Business Line".

Then he moved to the position of Deputy Chief Industrial officer and then Chief Technical Officer of Telespazio.

He has joint e-GEOS (80% Telespazio and 20% Italian Space Agency) in October 2013 as Chief Operating Officer. He has the responsibility of the ground segment operations from the Matera Space Centre, the engineering development, the application platform development, research activities and all the service provisioning including the access of e-GEOS customers to the COSMO-SkyMed constellation.

Professor V.S. Subrahmanian is a leader in design, analysis and application of AI-based models for real world problems that helps governments and companies in optimal decision-making. He is the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Computer Science at the McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University and Buffett Faculty Fellow at the Northwestern Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs. He has also co-authored books on terrorist outfits Lashker-e-Toiba and Indian Mujahideen.

Lt Gen Anil Kumar Bhatt, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM was the Military Secretary of the Indian Army. Prior to this, he served as the 47th Commander. Prior to this he was the Director General of Military operations for one year including during the Doklam crisis in 2017. During his tenure as Corps Commander maximum terrorists were neutralized in comparison to the last one decade.

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Air Vice Marshal Pawan Kumar, VM, a seasoned fighter pilot with 35 years of service in the Indian Air Force (IAF), has extensive instructional experience in both flying and ground operations. He holds a current civil flying license and has served as the Indian Defence Attache across seven European countries. Currently, he is the Director General of the Defence Space Agency, overseeing strategic space operations. He holds an MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies from the National Defence College, with expertise in space planning and systems.

Vincent brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as General Manager of Synspective SG, where he is responsible for overseeing the company's activities in the Asia-Pacific region. His academic foundation was established at the National University of Singapore. Vincent's professional journey began at CRISP, Singapore's national remote sensing ground station, where he gained valuable insights into remote sensing technologies. Over the years, he has developed a strong track record in sales and business development, having worked with various global companies in the geospatial sector including GeoEye, Trimble and Planet. This background has equipped him with a deep understanding of the industry and the ability to drive growth and innovation in his current leadership role.

Amit Kumar is the co-founder and COO of Suhora Technologies. He has 18 years of experience in the geospatial industry. He has been part of the renewable energy sector for many years. He has a masters in Earth Sciences from Kurukshetra University. He has expertise in remote sensing and multi-spectrum satellite data and processing. Over the course of his career he has been part of many prestigious projects. He is currently taking care of operations at Suhora Technologies.

Abhineet Jain heads the Sales & Business Development team for Asia Pacific at BlackSky and is based in Singapore. Abhineet has been active in the Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Industry for the last 28 years and has served various roles in technical, sales and business development. Before joining BlackSky, he was the APAC lead for Enterprise Global Business Development at Maxar.

Lt Gen Dr Anil Kapoor AVSM, VSM, Ph D superannuated as Director General Electronics and Mechanical Engineers strategically leading the landscape of maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) and technology and innovation management of the complete plethora of equipment of the Indian Army. Prior to this appointment he was the Director General Information Systems, where he steered the information systems management, digital technology transformation and net centricity of the million strong Indian Army as a Tri Service Program. He has also been on two UN peacekeeping assignments. Post retirement, he served as Director General Amity University where he established Amity Institute of Defence Technology and formulated Ph D and M Tech Programs in Defence Technology. Presently, he is a Board Member of the Technology Innovation Hub Governing Body IIT Tirupati. He is also a Professor of Practice at IIT Tirupati and conducts a three-credit course on Design Thinking, Leadership and Entrepreneurship. A Chartered Engineer, he was awarded the Eminent Engineer Award 2020 on 15 Sep 2020 by the Institution of Engineers, India for outstanding professional contributions in engineering and displaying technical brilliance.

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Brigadier B. Sareen Chander, a 1999 graduate of the Indian Military Academy, was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers. With a B.Tech in Civil Engineering, he served in high-risk areas in Jammu & Kashmir, the Northeast, and the Border Roads Organisation before specializing in Surveying and Mapping with the Survey of India. He has made significant contributions to geospatial infrastructure, innovation, and technology. Notably, he played a key role in creating the Army and Tri-Services GIS Policy and led the development of critical 3D maps for strategic locations like Doklam. He has received multiple commendations, including the VCOAS Commendation Card and COAS Commendation Card.

As Additional Surveyor General, he managed crucial national projects, such as SVAMITVA and NHP, and advanced the adoption of new technologies like LiDAR, Drone mapping, and Cloud-based workflows. He has represented the Survey of India at various national and international forums, including the UNWGIC-2022. Brigadier Chander holds additional qualifications in Defence & Security Laws (NALSAR University) and an MBA in Operations & Strategic Management (NIBM, Trivandrum).

Royston Ong is Esri's Senior Business Development Manager (National Security). Based out of their Singapore office, Royston is a passionate individual who sees location intelligence services being a critical element to any National Security Enterprise IT infrastructure. Royston is a former Singapore Army Officer of 17 years. In his twelve years in the National Security industry, he has held various sales and business development positions with Esri, Singapore Technologies as well as Thales. His focus and passion have been around solution insertion into National Security communities, for he views it as adding value towards sharing key insights and the art of the possible with his compatriots in the National Security community.

Rakesh Bhan is a prominent figure in the Indian space satellite industry, with over 23 years of experience in leading high-impact projects in the space industry. Currently the Vice President and Head of the Space Group at Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), he spearheaded TASL's maiden satellite mission, TSAT-1A, demonstrating his expertise in Earth Observation technology, strategic leadership, and international collaboration.

Prior to TASL, Rakesh served as Project Director for the NASA-ISRO NISAR mission at JPL NASA, where he managed the development and execution of the SAR payload. His extensive experience includes roles at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) at NASA, where he led teams in developing advanced space systems for Earth observation and interplanetary missions. Rakesh is an expert in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite technology, systems engineering, and strategic leadership. He has a proven track record of driving successful international satellite programs from concept to deployment, managing large cross-functional teams, and collaborating with global stakeholders. Rakesh holds multiple patents and has authored/co-authored over 25 publications. He brings a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the field of Geo intelligence.

Col Deepak Sisodia, VSM and bar, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy Khadakwasla. He was commissioned in Dec 1996 in Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers. The officer has been awarded the DGEME trophy for Best all round performance in B Tech engineering course and Commandants gold medal for standing first in Officer Advanced Computer technology M Tech course. The officer has served in various sectors and has raised his Battalion in strike formation in mountains. The officer has done diploma and certification courses in Big data, ML, Generative AI and other subjects from IIT Delhi.

The officer is serving as Colonel Management information systems for approx. 5 years in Directorate General in Information Systems. During this period, the officer has designed, curated and managed large scale data pipelines for decision support across multiple domains pertaining to the administration and operational logistics of the Army. As the project head, he has developed nine web applications which are operational on the Army network and are serving optimal quality, interoperable data streams. He is a certified AI transformation leader and is pivoting the implementation of AI-driven solutions, from deep learning and neural networks to reinforcement learning and natural language processing with a focus on data-driven insights, predictive analytics, and automation to optimize decision-making and enhance operational efficiency. The officer is experienced in Generative AI, Edge Computing, Federated learning and Explainable AI. For his transformational initiatives in the field of data democratization and AI, he has been twice awarded the Presidential award of Vishist Seva Medal.

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Col Dr Mahendra K Sekaran Nair was commissioned on 29 Jul 1989 into the Royal Ordnance Corps. He holds a PhD in Defence Technology from the National Defence University of Malaysia obtained in 2021, an MSc in Logistics from the University of Wollongong, Australia, in 2012, a BSc Hons in Computing from the University of Bolton, United Kingdom, in 2008, a Diploma in Strategic and Defence Studies from the University Malaya in 2005, and a Diploma in Computer Science from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1994. He has held various staff appointments, involved in computer projects and other appointments in the Malaysian Royal Ordnance Corps. He was seconded to the National Defence University of Malaysia as a Senior Lecturer from 2014 until 2020. Subsequently, he was posted to the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College as Directing Staff and General Staff Officer Grade 1 Training before assuming the present position as the Director of Contemporary Security at the Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security (MiDAS).

Col Vineet Tripathi is a dynamic leader with over 2 decades of experience in strategic planning, operations and technology driven transformation with a strong background in Advance Computer Technology. He is Masters in Military Technology from prestigious Military Institute of Technology, Pune and Electronics Engineering from Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering . He has led cross functional teams in high stake environments including Commanding a Prestigious unit in East Sikkim, Delhi Area , leading logistics operations in United Nations peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and executing large complex projects throughout the country. He is skilled in business intelligence, public procurement and process optimisation. He has a proven track record of driving cost efficiencies, operational excellence and digital transformation. He is passionate about community advocacy and champions veteran care, women, empowerment, and environmental conservation.

Balpreet Singh is a defence industry specialist with a strong background in International Business & relations, policy advisory, defence manufacturing. At EY, he works closely with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and state governments to shape policies that strengthen India's defence sector.With more than 7 years of hands-on experience in the defence sector, Balpreet has advised global OEMs and Indian companies on strategy, acquisition processes, and regulatory compliance including 100% FDI and Industrial Licensing. His work at EY includes thought leadership initiatives and publishing research papers on emerging defence technologies, including the role of AI and autonomy in modern warfare. He is engaged in discussions on defence procurement, technology adoption, and industrial growth, working with various stakeholders to navigate challenges and explore opportunities in the evolving A&D landscape.

Maj Gen Shivendra Kumar is an alumnus of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. Highlights of his brilliant academic record include first class in his BE degree from Government Engineering College, Jabalpur and first class with distinction in M Tech (Electronics) from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Over the course of his illustrious career, he has held various command, staff and instructional appointments, which include Command of an EME Workshop, Head of the Department in Radar Technology at Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Commandant & Managing Director of an Army Base Workshop dealing in Electronics & Telecommunication System and the Director EME Electronics at Army Headquarters. The General officer also held the coveted appointment of Dean at Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering. He was awarded the Chief of Army Staff & General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation Card for his contributions in the field of technology. The officer is presently the Additional Director General at Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering.

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Col (Dr) Anupam Tiwari is an accomplished expert in the field of cybersecurity and defense technology. Currently serving as the Advisor (Cyber) to the Principal Advisor in the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, Col Tiwari plays a critical role in advising and shaping cybersecurity policies and strategies for India's defense sector. Col Tiwari has significant experience in developing and implementing cybersecurity policies for defense and national security. His advisory role involves crafting strategic frameworks to protect military and defense systems from cyber threats, including malicious attacks, data breaches, and cyber espionage.

Amandeep Singh is a serving Indian Army Officer with distinctive cross-domain expertise who has contributed in the field of Space ISR. He opted to take the unchartered route of Space ISR for military operations and attained qualifications as Degree in Law, a Degree in Air and Space Law, an MBA in Finance, and is presently pursuing his PhD in Space Economy Augmenting Military Effectiveness from LPU, Punjab. He has been trained at military and scientific institutions on varied Space domains in conjunction with the IoT. He has contributed through his articles on the specialised strategic subject in varied journals and magazines. He has also been invited as a speaker at various pan India international level seminars and at military institutions. He promotes the practical application of technology and its military effectiveness for educating, training and preparing Space Warriors for superior spatial capabilities that strengthen the Nation's way of life.

Saranya M is working as Manager for Presales and leads the Data Science team. She has been with Esri India since 2019. She is a certified Desktop Associate & ArcGIS Online Administrator with Master's in Environmental Engineering & Management and PGD in RS & GIS. She is focused on helping users better understand GeoAI in ArcGIS. She leads the Data Science vertical for various sectors such as Utilities, Defence, Transportation, etc.

Atul is the Founder and Managing Director of Apt Software Avenues Pvt Ltd, Kolkata, a boutique software company which provides software development and product engineering services to organizations around the world, specially to technology startups. Atul has over 25 years of experience in building complex software systems both in technology and enterprise business domains. Atul earned his Bachelor of Technology (Computer Science) from IIT, Kharagpur, and an MS in Computer Science from Rutgers University, USA. He is the past Eastern Region Chair of NASSCOM.

Major General Dilawar Singh has been a Senior General in the Indian Army and he was also selected to be the National Director General for Youth Development in the Government of India. A well educated, highly trained and experienced professional leader with both national and international achievements, he has a Masters in Defence Studies, a second Masters in Management Sciences and a Ph.D in Youth Development and Management Strategy and Policy. He has successfully completed training at numerous Centres of Excellence and achieved numerous distinctions and national and international awards. He has proven track record of highest achievements over his 40 plus years of career and comes with rich experience in different development and financial sectors.

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Mr. Anirudha Roy has more than 25 years of rich experience in Business Management, technology services, system integration and solution building. Prior to joining Genesys, he was associated with Navyuga Engineering Company Ltd. as Vice President - Strategic Business. An alumnus of IIT Roorkee, his 25 years career track record spans IIT Bombay, NIIT (ESRI India) and Navyuga group. He is acclaimed speaker on survey, mapping and geospatial application domain in National and International conferences. He holds Doctorate Degree in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from Indian School of Mines - Dhanbad.

Col S K Tyagi has been serving with Indian Army for past 25 years and is currently posted with MI Dte in Army Headquarters. The officer is a graduate from prestigious Defence Services Staff College Wellington and has held various Regimental, Staff, Command and Instructional appointments. As part of his Regimental appointments the officer had been actively involved in infrastructure development in operational areas along Northern and Eastern borders. The officer has commanded an Engineer Regiment in Eastern Command and Counter Explosive Device Unit in Northern Command. As part of Staff Appointments, the officer has served as General Staff Officer of a Strike Corps along Western borders and presently involved in collation and publication of area analysis studies and area specific analysis reports based on terrain inputs.

Gaurav Singh, PhD is a Dynamic, Result-Oriented, multifaceted Technocrat and a Leader. He is a Researcher and Scholar on a learning curve. 'Armed' with an M.Tech and Doctorate from IIT Delhi, he has 22+ years of experience in managing Technology, Automation, and Projects in the Indian Army, Government Institutions & Industry.

Kinjal is a principal researcher at Rashtriya Raksha University in Geoinformatics, where she adeptly integrates her engineering expertise with cutting-edge research. Her research includes hyperspectral imaging, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), information extraction from remote sensing images using artificial intelligence models , and satellite data fusion, all of which contribute to her ability to develop practical solutions for real-world applications. She also leads various initiatives in geoinformatics education, collaborates on research projects with SAC-ISRO, and offers consultancy services.

Brig Sunil Mishra, SM (Retd) has had an illustrious career in the Indian Army for more than 35 years. During his service, he served for two tenures in Directorate General of Information Systems where he worked extensively on geospatial technologies specifically pertaining to Spatial Data Model Structures, data infrastructure & sharing as well as large scale and high-resolution data. The officer conceived and headed the prestigious Indian Army project 'Battlefield Management System' at the Directorate General of Information Systems, dealing with the crucial aspect of situational awareness at the forward edge of the battlefield. While, still in service, he carried out large scale mapping and data visualization of defence land in few military stations using consumer drones.

An alumnus of Sainik School Lucknow and National Defence Academy, the officer has a wide operational experience. As part of Manpower Planning Directorate at Army HQ, he spearheaded the automation of Officers Records. He has been regularly contributing to various seminars on Geospatial and Situational Awareness issues since 2004. A DGCA certified Drone Pilot, he has set up Hawk Eye Aerial Imaging & Mapping Solutions, focusing on Drone based Mapping and Photogrammetry post superannuation in 2024.

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.

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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.

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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.

Lt General Karanbir Singh Brar, AVSM is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy. Khadakwasala and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, & was commissioned into the Armoured Corps The General Officer with a career spanning 38 years, has rich experience of serving in all terrain and operational areas with tenures in J&K, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Rajasthan, Rann and Kutch and has served in UN Missions in Congo & South Sudan as Sector Commander, both high risks missions.

Chair

Group Captain Arvind Pandey (Retd) is a geospatial intelligence professional. He has served for 36 years in IAF and has more than 25 years of active Geospatial Intelligence Domain experience. He has served in Image Intelligence School, AF as Chief Instructor and Commanding Officer. He has served in two operational IAF Commands as Command Image Intelligence Officer responsible for South Western, Western, Northern and Eastern fronts of our area of interest. He has also served in one of the most active Advance HQs in western front as image intelligence officer which is responsible for extensive liaison for synergised army operations.He is trained on full spectrum remote sensing analysis which includes EO/IR, SAR & Hyperspectral ranges. He has vast knowledge on creation of Geospatial ecosystem & infrastructure in Indian context wrt military and non-military applications. He has immense experience of synergy between space segment & ground segment for successful utilization of data captured from earth observation.

Col Somen Parida is an alumnus of National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in December 2000. He is a Bachelor of Technology in IT & Telecommunications from Military College of Telecommunication Engineering. He has also done the prestigious Tehnical Officers Staff Course from Military Institute of Technology and Higher Command Course from Army War College. He has commanded his unit along the Line of Control and is presently serving in Project Management Organization Battlefield Surveillance System at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence.

Col Anurag Mathur is an Indian Army officer who was commissioned into the Corps of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering in Jun 1999. The Officer has stood First in the Order of Merit in BTech and received numerous accolades for his innovativeness during his unit tenures. A Higher Defence Management Course and Staff College Graduate, he has tenanted challenging Staff & Operational tenures in Siachen glacier, Mil Operations and Op Logistics appointments. He was the Force Public Info Offr at UNMISS as part of a UN Mission where he initiated a GIS based info management system for int collation. He is also a PhD research scholar from IIM Indore working in the domain of AI and Information Systems. The officer is currently posted as Col Industry Army Design Bureau at Army HQ.

RAdm Sachin Reuben Sequeira, SC was commissioned in the Indian Navy in 01 Jul 94. He is an alumnus of Naval Academy, INS Mandovi, 64th DSSC and the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at CDSS, Canberra.

A gunnery and missile specialist, he has tenanted specialist tenures onboard frontline IN destroyers and friga tes. He has also been the Defence Advisor in Singapore and Philippines.

The Officer's command tenures include command of INS Kochi, INS Nishank and Coast Guard Ship C-05.

The Officer has also tenanted various staff appointments at Naval Headquarters and HQ IDS. He has recently taken over as ACNS (CSNCO) at Naval Headquarters, an elevation to Flag rank.

Chair

Commodore Atul Deswal is an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy, Goa and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 93. In a career spanning over three decades, the officer has notable experience in Naval Operations, Military Diplomacy, Strategic Planning and policy promulgation. He has had privilege of serving as a specialist Staff Officer in the Western Fleet, the sword arm of the Indian Navy. He is a Communication and Electronic Warfare specialist and has served onboard several frontline fleet ships as a Communication Officer. The officer has had the distinction of Commanding a frontline destroyer and played a key role in the commissioning of a stealth frigate abroad, as the Executive Officer. A graduate from the prestigious Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, his staff appointments include Defence Attache to Brazil, a tenure at HQ IDS as Deputy Assistant Chief Integrated Defence Staff, International Defence Cooperation and Joint Communication Electronic Staff. His instructional appointments include instructor at Signal School, Kochi and Directing Staff at DSSC, Wellington. He is presently posted at Naval Headquarters as the Deputy Director General, Navy Cyber Group and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO, Navy).

Born on April 8, 1958, Samaddar is a graduate of IIT Roorkee (B.E, 1978) and had a distinguished career in the Indian Navy, retiring in 2009 as Principal Director Naval Plans. He held various key positions, including staff and command appointments, and has been an International Fellow at JIIA, Tokyo, and Admiral RD Katari Fellow at USI, New Delhi. Post-retirement, Samaddar served as Vice President Operations at NOVA Integrated Systems (TATA) and CEO of ShinMaywa Industries India. He was a Senior Consultant at NITI Aayog until 2019 and currently serves as an Advisor at FICCI and Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Air Power Studies, New Delhi.

Dr. Kapil Malik is a seasoned expert in the remote sensing domain with over 18 years of experience. He currently leads sales and business development for Synspective Inc Japan in South Asia. Dr. Malik earned his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, specializing in PS-InSAR applications for urban deformation monitoring. Throughout his professional career, he has worked across government, academic research, defense, and private sectors, applying his expertise to a wide range of projects and initiatives.

Sarunisha R is with SUHORA as a Product Lead of SUHORA's next gen ISR product, with a foundation in Computer Science and Engineering and a Master's in Remote Sensing and GIS with specialization in Geoinformatics. With a deep passion for problem solving in the defence sector is dedicated to advancing defense strategies through spatial analysis and intelligence gathering, ensuring precision and effectiveness in critical operations contributing to shaping a more spatially-informed world.

Maj Gen Gaurav Kaushal, SM, VSM is an alumnus of the National Defence Academyand was commissioned into the Bengal Sappers of the Corps of Engineers in Dec 1991 wherein, he has tenanted all important appts of the Regt as a junior offr and was also awarded with GOC-in-C CC for Counter IED Operations during his early yrs of service. He has varied experience in Comd, staff & instructional appts. The Gen offr has commanded his Unit in a CI area in Assam and in an Engr Bde, part of Strike Corps. He also commanded the prestigious 416 Engr Bde. He has held various coveted staff appts like BM & G1 of an Inf Bde, Col Q of a Strike RAPID, Col GS Concepts at HQ ARTRAC where he was awarded the GOC-in-C, ARTRAC CC and Col CE 5 at E-in-C's Branch where he was conferred with VSM, aptly recognizing his dedication to service. He has also served as a Directing Staff at the Senior Command Wing of Army War College, Mhow where he was also awarded with the GOC-in-C, ARTRAC CC. As a Lt Col, the officer served in the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo as Chief, Jt Ops Centre, wherein he was awarded the Force Cdr's CC. As a Subject Matter Expert, the offr had also participated in Ex YUDH ABHYAS in USA (JBLM, Seattle). He is a well accomplished officer with par excellence performance by achieving 'I' grading in all the career courses he has attended. He is an alumnus of DSSC, Wellington, AWC, Mhow and CDM, Secunderabad. He has also done his B Tech Degree in Electrical Engineering at CME, Pune, Masters in Management Studies from Osmania University and MPhil from Punjab University with Distinction. The Gen Offr was tenanting a very important and sensitive appt in DV & Legal Dte of DGBR from where he assumed the present appt of Dy Comdt & Dean wef 15 Feb 2024. The officer is recently conferred with 'Sena Medal' on the occasion of Republic Day 2025.

Chair

Lt Col Vivek Gopal, an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla was commissioned in the Corps of Electronics & Mechanical Engineers in Dec 2000. The officer has a wide experience in the field of Electronic Warfare (EW) & has handled a plethora of systems in his six-year stint with various EW units. A M Tech in Communication Engineering, the officer has handled various appointments in peace, field, high altitude as well as intense CI/CT environment in his career spanning 19 years so far. A paratrooper, the officer evinces keen interest in latest developments in the field of communication & EW. He is also a Member of the Institution of Engineers.

Moderator

Col Pawan Kumar Panday is qualified in Long Survey Officers Course from National Institute of Geospatial Science and Technology, Advance Image Analysis Course from ITC, Netherlands and specialized in Land Info System and Drone Based Survey. The officer has been Deputy Surveyor General (GIS Tech Centre)atSurveyor General Office, Director at Uttarakhand & WestUP Geodetic Data Centre, Project Director and A & C for Large Scale Mapping Project, Project Director SVAMITRA and Chairman SoC of Indo-Nepal Boundary Mechanism. He is currently Director Technical at ADG Military Survey.

Dr. Sujanth Narayan K G serves as a Technical Lead at the Technology Innovation Hub in Positioning and Precision Technologies (IITTNiF), IIT Tirupati. In this role, he oversees the development of RF front-end and subsystem technologies for GNSS/NavIC systems. His translational research includes the advancement of flexible antenna systems for GNSS. Additionally, he coordinates Technology Development Projects (TDP) in collaboration with academic spoke institutions and contributes to human resource and skill development initiatives. Dr. Narayan holds a Ph.D. in Antennas and RF System Design with a focus on V2X communication from SASTRA Deemed University, an M.Tech. in Communication Systems from SASTRA Deemed University, and a B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from R.M.K. Engineering College. An active member of IEEE, Dr. Narayan has published six SCI-indexed journal articles and 15 conference papers. His research contributions have garnered over 85 citations, with an h-index of 5 and an i10-index of 3. He has also imparted his expertise through teaching courses such as Antenna & Wave Propagation and RF System Design. His research interests encompass antenna design, RF systems, and wireless communication, with a focus on addressing critical challenges in advanced communication technologies.

Cdr. Mukesh Saini (Ret) has held many information security positions in both public and private sector, over his 30 year career. Having served as a commander in the Indian Navy for 20 years, his latter years were dedicated to his role as India's first national coordinator for information security. Saini has held executive positions at Microsoft, XCySS and Essel Group.

Col Nadeem Arshad is an alumnus of OTA, Chennai. After graduating from Aligarh Muslim University with a BSc (Physics Hons), he was commissioned into the Indian Army Corps of Signals in 1988 and later completed his BSc Engineering from JNU. He has also earned a PG Diploma in Disaster Management. He superannuated in 2021 after a distinguished 34-year career. He commanded his unit in Kausani, providing communication to the Army along the 462 km stretch of the China-Nepal border, from the Harsil Sector to the Dharchula Sector. During his tenure in Kausani, he faced two major disasters: the floods and landslides of 2009-2010, and the forest fires of 2010. Since 2021, Col Nadeem has been working as a Senior Consultant (Operations) at the National Disaster Management Authority, where he supports disaster response operations. He has represented the Government of India in several HADR operations and online exercises with SAARC, BIMSTEC, ASEAN, and QUAD. He has also contributed to the formulation of various SOPs for QUAD nations, ITEWC, and other frameworks.

Chair

Dr. S. P. Aggarwal assumed the charge of Director, NESAC with effect from 17th September, 2021. He has taken important initiatives towards effective utilization of Space Science and Technology for various developmental activities of NER such as Natural Resource Management, Infrastructure Planning, Disaster Risk Management, Weather forecasting, Satellite communication applications, ICT based and Geo-governance related applications, etc. Prior to this assignment, he was the Group Head of Water Resources Department at Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), ISRO, Dehradun. Dr. Aggarwal is a highly accomplished scientist in the field of Remote Sensing and GIS applications in water resources management, disaster management and climate change impact assessment and at the same time he has immensely contributed in the capacity building and outreach program of ISRO.

Dr. Balakrishnan Nair is the Director-in-charge of the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. With over 30 years of research experience, he played a key role in establishing INCOIS and developing India's operational ocean observation, forecasting, and early warning systems. These systems now serve India and several Indian Ocean Rim countries, supporting sectors like shipping, oil, tourism, and fisheries. He is the Chair of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and holds leadership roles in various WMO expert teams and international programs. Dr. Nair has received numerous prestigious awards, including the National Maritime Search & Rescue Award (2024) and National Geosciences Award (2014). He is also the recipient of the PM's "Subhash Chand Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2025" for disaster management. Dr. Nair holds a Ph.D. in Marine Science, specializing in operational oceanography, wave modeling, and marine biogeochemistry. He has published over 110 papers in SCI journals and is a recognized research guide for Ph.D. students.

Anil Prakash, Director General at SIA-India, is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs, and Policy Frameworks. With a robust techno-commercial background in Telecom, ICT, Satellite, and Broadcasting on digital platforms, he brings 37 years of valuable work experience to the table. Anil has been actively associated with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for over two decades, where he has made significant contributions to ITU's initiatives and activities in India. He is a proactive member of various task groups established by government bodies, telecom associations, and chambers of commerce. Over the course of more than three decades, Anil has represented his expertise at major international conferences. Currently, he holds the position of Director General at the Satcom Industry Association (SIA-India), a recognized thought leader in the satcom industry in India.