USI Core Team

Major General Rajendra Singh Yadav, VSM (Retd)

Director Centre for Strategic Studies and Simulation (CS3)

Major General Rajendra Singh Yadav, VSM (Retd) is presently Director of Centre for Strategic Studies & Simulation (CS3) at United Service Institution of India, New Delhi. He is President’s Awardee from the National Defence Academy, served an illustrious 38 years with the Infantry. He has rich operational experience of CI/CT operations and both Pak and China fronts. He was also a Defence Attache of India in the Middle East. Post superannuation, he has been Vice Chancellor of a University. Has travelled 31 countries, and has deep interest in International Relations, with specialisation in West Asian region.

Dr (Mrs) Roshan Khanijo

Assistant Director (Research)

Her academic qualification includes BSc, MA and PhD. Her area of interests is strategic issues particularly Nuclear Strategy, Nuclear profile of Nuclear Weapon States, Armament, Disarmament, Niche technologies etc. She has authored and edited books, monographs, occasional papers namely, “Complexities and Challenges of Nuclear India”, “The Indo-Pacific Region: Security Dynamics & Challenges”, “Iranian Nuclear Conundrum”, etc. She has been a panellist in various national and international panel discussions and a guest speaker at Air War College, Hyderabad, Southern Naval command, Kochi, OP Jindal Global University, etc. She was the member of the study team which did the Net Assessment on China, South Asia, Pakistan, etc for HQIDS.

Research Faculty

Brig S S Sharma (Retd)

Senior Research Fellow

Brig S S Sharma (Retd) is an ex NDA officer commissioned in the Corps of EME in Dec 1983. He is an alumnus of DSSC and HDMC. The officer specialises in A Vehicles. He has held important staff appointments like AMGO(P) at IHQ of MOD(Army) and CTO at ANC, Port Blair. He has also participated in UNIFIL(United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon). The officer superannuated in Aug 2017 and has worked both in Corporate and Educational domains post retirement. He holds BTech(M) degree and certification in Executive Program in Business Management at MDI, Gurgaon. Presently he is SRF at USI.

Col Maneesh Parthsarthy, VSM

Senior Research Fellow

Col Maneesh Parthsarthy, VSM is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned into the Second Battalion The 8th Gorkha Rifles on 11 Dec 1999. He has varied military experience by virtue of serving along the LC, LAC and AGPL with his unit in OP MEGHDOOT, OP AMAN, OP PARAKARAM and OP RAKSHAK. He has been an Instructor at the NDA, Senior Comd Wing and the Trg Task Force, Congo. He has excelled in military courses including the prestigious Defence Services Staff College Course and the Higher Command Course. He holds degrees in MSc and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Punjab University. He commanded the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guard from 2014-2017. The officer before joining the USI was serving as Director, Evaluation and Monitoring of Investments, AGIF. He is currently pursuing a Research Fellowship from USI on the topic ‘Emerging Disruptive Technologies and their impact on the future Battlefields’.

Col Amit Kumar Sharma

Senior Research Fellow

Col Amit Kumar Sharma is an alumni of National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned in 16 PUNJAB (PATIALA) on 13 May 2000. He has varied military experience by virtue of serving with his unit in North East, LC and High Altitude during OP RHINO and OP RAKSHAK. He has also served in the Semi developed and developed Sectors along Western Borders. The officer has been an Instructor at Cadets Training Wing, Military College of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (MCEME), Secunderabad and at Senior Command Wing, Army War College, Mhow. Col Amit has also served in UNIFIL as the Chief Ops Offr and has been the Indian Army Liaison Offr to UNMOGIP while serving in the MO Dte. He has excelled on military courses including the prestigious Defence Services Staff College Course and the Naval Higher Command Course. He holds degrees in MSc and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Mumbai University respectively. He commanded 17 PUNJAB in Rajasthan and in a tough field area in Arunachal Pradesh. The officer was holding the sensitive appointment of Col (Strat Ops) at HQ Strategic Forces Command before joining the USI (for Research Fellowship). He is currently pursuing a Research Fellowship from USI on the topic ‘Effectiveness of Information Warfare leveraging Cyber and Media Resources during Ongoing Conflicts and Aggression and Lessons for India’.

Col Suraj Chambial, SM

Senior Research Fellow

Col Suraj Chambial, SM was commissioned into Third Battalion The 5th Gorkha Rifles on 11 May 2000. The officer passed out from National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He is an alumni of DSSC, Wellington and CDM, Secunderabad. The officer has varied military experience of serving in diverse operational environment. The officer has served at Military Operations Directorate in Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army) and was part of his unit deployed in United Nations Mission in Sudan in 2009. He has been an Instructor at the NDA, Khadakwasla and prestigious DSSC, Wellington. He holds degrees in MSc and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Master of Management Studies from Osmania University. He commanded his Battalion from 2015 to 2018 as part of Strike Corps and subsequently along the LC during intense CFV period. The officer before joining the USI was serving as Colonel GS (Operations) in Division Headquarters. He is currently pursuing a Research Fellowship from USI on the topic ‘Faultlines in Pakistan: Implications and Opportunities for India’.

Col Sachin S Mahadik, VSM

Senior Research Fellow

Col Sachin S Mahadik is a 2000 batch Infantry Officer, commissioned and later commanded 3rd Bn The Rajputana Rifles. He is an alumni of NDA (96th Course) and IMA (106 Reg). He has attended DSSC -67 and National War College, USA (Foreign Higher Command Course). The officer has varied experience of serving in diverse operational environment. His staff exposure includes tenures with a Bde HQ in South East Sikkim, Div HQ as part of Pivot Corps as well as with AHQ. He commanded his Unit in Kameng Sector. He has also served as an Directing Staff at DSSC, Wellington. The officer is pursuing research fellowship on the topic ‘Reimaging India’s Strategic Culture in Emerging World Order’.

Capt (IN) Sandeep Gupta

Senior Research Fellow

Capt Sandeep Gupta is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Kahadakvasla and was commissioned in Indian navy on 01 Jul 1991. He is an accomplished MR pilot with more than 3000 hrs of flying experience on various aircraft. He has varied military experience by serving in various IN ships and Air squadrons. He has actively participated in Op Vijay, Op Prakaram and Tsunami relief operations in Sri Lanka. He has been awarded ‘On the Spot commendation’ by CNS for relief work done post devastation by cyclone HudHud in Visakhapatnam and a certificate of Appreciation by government of Sri Lanka for Tsunami Relief operations. He holds a degree in MA(HRM) from Jamia Milia Islamia and is trained in Aviation Safety and Accident Investigation. Presently he is posted as a Senior Research Scholar at USI.

Manah Popli

Research Assistant

Manah Popli is a Research Assistant at the USI Centre for Strategic Studies and Simulation. She is a graduate in International Relations from South Asian University (a SAARC initiative), New Delhi. Where her thesis centred around Films, Criminal Profiling and Visual (In) Security. Her areas of research interest are West Asia, East Asia, and Critical Security Studies.

Anushka Gupta

Research Assistant

Anushka Gupta is currently working as a Research Assistant with CS3, USI. She completed her postgraduation in Politics: International and Area Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia. Previously, she interned with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), DEFSTRAT, and worked for India Research for Peace. She has published work on topics including East Asia, Pakistan's grey-zone warfare, and cybersecurity. Her core interests lie in both traditional and non-traditional security studies.

CS3