Sandeep Murarka is a distinguished writer and an eloquent voice who passionately champions the positive narratives of India’s tribal communities. Renowned for his deep research and authentic storytelling, he has authored Shikhar Ko Chhoote Tribals—a landmark Hindi series presenting concise biographies of Padma awardee tribal icons and legendary personalities.
His impressive portfolio includes celebrated coffee table books such as 105 Tribal Luminaries of India, People’s Padma, Meri Mati Mera Desh, among others—all of which have earned recognition for their blend of visual elegance and historical depth. He is also building a one-of-a-kind private library dedicated exclusively to tribal heritage, enriched with hundreds of rare and contemporary books on the subject.
A committed cultural chronicler and persuasive public speaker, Sandeep Murarka continues to bring the inspiring stories of India’s indigenous heroes into the national spotlight with a voice that is as powerful as the history he preserves.
Manisha Rani is one of India’s most popular digital creators. A finalist on Bigg Boss OTT 2 and a celebrated performer on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Manisha continues to break barriers and redefine what success looks like for the new generation. Munger ki Rani is her first book.
Sakett Saawhney has spent over 25 years in media production, during which he has founded People Like US and managed top talent. He has produced acclaimed projects like Zanjeer and Escaype Live, earning multiple awards, including Best Executive Producer in 2023.
In his current role as inspector general of the Border Security Force (BSF), Harbax Singh Dhillon brings thirty seven years of extensive experience in border management and internal security. Throughout his illustrious career, he has served on various frontiers, neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh, and has led operations against militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. His expertise extends beyond national borders, having participated in a UN Mission in Kosovo and representing India in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) for three consecutive years. His comprehensive expertise and seasoned leadership have equipped him to effectively address the complexities of national security and counter-terrorism. He is also the recipient of prestigious awards and medals including the Police Medal for Meritorious Service (PMMS) and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (PPMDS).
Chetan Singh Solanki is a solar scientist, climate yogi, and former professor at IIT Bombay, widely known as the Solar Man and Solar Gandhi for his pioneering work in sustainability. He earned his PhD in Europe, has travelled to more than thirty countries and has spoken on global platforms, including the United Nations in Geneva. In 2020, he began the Energy Swaraj Yatra—an eleven-year journey across India in a solar-powered bus. Though married with children, recognizing the urgency of climate correction, he pledged not to return home during this period. Living on the bus, he has been engaging people nationwide to spread awareness and drive corrective action. An award-winning researcher and educator, Solanki has authored books and trained millions in renewable energy. His Finite Earth philosophy rests on a simple yet profound truth: on a finite planet, infinite consumption is impossible. His teachings inspire individuals to embrace sustainable habits and ensure humanity not only survives, but thrives within Earth’s limits.
Yash Saxena is a traveller, storyteller and mountaineer whose work moves between food, art and identity. Their practice blends storytelling, art and philosophy to understand how people find meaning in what they eat and create. In the search for the quiet meanings hidden in everyday life, they have taught, cooked, curated and created art to explore how communities hold memory through taste. Stories from a Kargili Kitchen is the result of three years in Kargil, where they lived, listened and cooked alongside its people—tracing the region’s foodways, philosophy and the quiet beauty of its people.
Sudhir Kumar Suthar teaches at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. A prolific writer, he has published books on the politics of development, rural change and public policy in India. He is also a traveller, blogger and poet. He has been actively involved in motivating young researchers to explore the realities of rural India through an academic network called Rural and Agrarian India Network (RAIN). He also works with various civil society organizations and international academic networks.
Shantanu Naidu’s journey has taken him from classrooms at Cornell to corporate boardrooms at Tata and into the world of social entrepreneurship to build ventures with heart. Yet the role closest to him has always been that of Winter’s father, his truest companion and teacher. The primary duties may have been wiping muddy paws, chasing down overused tennis balls and sitting together under city skylines, but they offered him unexpected lessons in silence, patience and unconditional love. Lessons he now carries with him into every role that await in the future, in the many boardrooms of life.
Rohan Monteiro has spent years studying the thin line between the living and the dead, and occasionally tripping over it. The author of Keep Calm and Go Crazy (2016), Shadows Rising (2024) and Shadows Revealed (2025), he
insists his characters are entirely fictional, though several have started answering his emails.
When not raising corpses, he can be found reading, playing badminton badly or at home avoiding people.
He believes good stories, like ghosts, can follow you home and crawl into your bed. The Waking Dead is his fourth novel.
Neha Negi is an artist, writer, and storyteller whose work bridges folklore, ecology, and visual art. Born and raised in the Himalayas, she draws inspiration from the oral traditions, bird myths, and natural landscapes of Uttarakhand. Through words and illustrations, she seeks to preserve fading cultural narratives while highlighting the deep connection between people, birds, and the environment. Before the Bird is her debut collection that reimagines bird folklore through vivid storytelling and art.
