Squadron Leader Rana TS Chhina (Retd), served in the Indian Air Force as a helicopter pilot. He is currently Director & Editor of the United Service Institution of India (USI) Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies. The author of a number of books, he was Vice President of the Indian Military Historical Society (2004-2020), and a member of the Government of India’s Archival Advisory Board. He is a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Independent Advisory Panel and is actively engaged in promoting the preservation of India’s rich tangible and intangible military heritage. A recipient of the Macgregor Medal for best military reconnaissance, he was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2016 and an Officer of the Belgian Order of Leopold in 2018.
Dr Archna Tyagi, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Military History and Conflict Studies (CMHCS).
With over 20 years of experience spanning government and non-governmental sectors, Dr. Tyagi has played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting India’s military heritage. Currently leading key projects such as the Annual Indian Military Heritage Festival and Project Udbhav, she is dedicated to reviving ancient Indian knowledge for modern defense and strategic studies. She is also actively working towards establishing a National Policy for Military Heritage Tourism.
Dr. Tyagi’s previous role as Senior Consultant at the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) saw her leading vital projects, managing international seminars, and contributing to key cultural and academic initiatives. She has also worked with CARA (Ministry of Women & Child Development), National Bal Bhawan (Ministry of Education), and NGOs like HelpAge India, bringing a diverse and enriching perspective to her work.
Her dedication to Indian military history has earned her the Chief of Army Staff’s Commendation (15 January 2025) for her exemplary work in conceptualizing and executing Project Udbhav. She also serves on the advisory board of the Pythian Games Council of India, is a board member at Alok Bharti Public School, and a lifetime member of INTACH, Delhi.
On a personal note, Dr. Tyagi is an Army wife, married to Brigadier Vipul Tyagi, and a proud mother to Sankalp (20) and Sarthak (18).
Cdr Bhavna Salaria (Retd) is a Senior Researcher Fellow at the Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies (CMHCS), USI. She is an alumnus of INS, Mandovi (erstwhile Indian Naval Academy). With a 14 -year tenure in the Indian Navy’s Logistics Cadre, she brings a wealth of experience from her varied appointments. Post retirement, she has worked both with Public Sector Undertakings and Start-up. A high achiever, she is a gold medallist in her Bachelor’s degree and holds an MBA. Pursuing her passion for dance, she is currently studying Kathak at Pryagraj University.
Gaurav Kumar serves as the Project Leader for the Gallantry Awards Portal project. Previously, he worked as an Associate Fellow and Editorial Assistant at the United Service Institution of India (USI) and has also been associated with the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) as a researcher. Gaurav has an extensive body of work, having published over 100 articles, journal papers, and book chapters on topics such as regional security, peace and conflict, and internal and external threats in India and South Asia. He is the co-editor of two notable books India-Uzbekistan Partnership in Regional Peace and Stability: Challenges and Prospects and India's Emerging Challenges and Way Forward. His expertise and contributions to the field of security and strategic studies continue to influence discourse on critical issues in the region.
Saransh Srivastav is a Research Assistant at the USI. He holds a Master’s degree in History from Ambedkar University Delhi and has previously worked as a researcher with various academic and non-academic institutions. Before joining USI, Saransh worked at the Centre for Community Knowledge, where he contributed as a historical researcher to the Delhi City Museum project in collaboration with the Delhi Archives. His work involved conducting in-depth research and producing dissemination materials on Delhi’s industrial past, as well as developing a ‘Then and Now’ digital map of Shahjahanabad. At USI, his responsibilities include conducting specialised research on wars and military operations undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces post-independence and contributing to the development of an archival repository for the Gallantry Awardees of India as part of a joint project with the Ministry of Defence. His research interests lie in political and social history, urban history, preservation and archiving, and heritage studies, showcasing his dedication to exploring diverse facets of historical inquiry and preservation.
Dhananjay Shinde is a Research Assistant at the USI holds a Bachelor’s degree and has previously worked as a researcher with multiple think tanks. At the United Service Institution of India (USI), he is actively involved in defence and Indian armed forces-related research, contributing extensively to the documentation of India’s post-independence military history. His work focuses on highlighting the valour and sacrifice of Indian gallantry awardees, with significant contributions in the form of articles and write-ups. Additionally, Dhananjay is engaged in content creation and curation for the Gallantry Awards Portal project, ensuring the preservation and dissemination of India’s rich military legacy
Monika Choudhary is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies, United Service Institution of India. Currently, she is working on Gallantry Award Portal project for the Ministry of Defence and skilfully oversees social media initiatives as the Social Media Manager; also she is involved in the Veer Gatha 4.0 project, showcasing her commitment to honouring military valour. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Cluster University of Jammu, followed by a Master’s degree in National Security Studies from the Central University of Jammu. She specializes in research focused on West Asia and Nontraditional threats emanating from the Western Indian Ocean. Her previous experience at the National Maritime Foundation has significantly enhanced her understanding of maritime security and strategic studies.
Shivansh Singh is a talented graphic designer at Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies, United Service Institution with a diploma in graphics and a two-year diploma in AAIP VFX from Arena Animation. With extensive experience collaborating with organizations such as AIGIN ROYAL Group and MEDYLIFE, as well as freelancing since 2020, Shivansh seamlessly blends creativity with technical prowess. He is proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and video editing, enabling him to deliver impactful visual solutions. Among his notable achievements are the design of the book My Book of Restraint and the creation of a VFX video for Arena Animation. A passionate photographer and lifelong learner, Shivansh is eager to contribute to innovative projects that push creative boundaries.
Nutan Sharma is a dedicated Research Assistant at the Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies, United Service Institution of India. She is currently working on the Gallantry Award Portal project for the Ministry of Defence. Additionally, she is involved in the Veer Gatha 4.0 project. Nutan holds a Bachelor's degree in English (Hons) from Delhi University and a Master's degree in English Literature from Chaudhry Charan Singh University (Meerut). Previously, she worked at Infocom Network Limited (TradeIndia) as a Senior Website Content Writer, focusing on B2B content.
Arpita Biswas is a Research Fellow at United Services Institute of India, Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies (CMHCS). She has completed her PhD from the Centre of Russian and Central Asian Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Her research interest focuses on the current Indian defence ecosystem, indigenization efforts, military industrial complex and the intricate landscape of public-private-academia synergy in India as well as understanding the evolution and ramifications of these critical domains. Her Research further centres on the complexities of the growing drone ecosystem and India’s strategic efforts to achieve self- reliance and enhance defence capabilities. Earlier, she has also worked with the National Human Rights Commission for a brief stint of time. In addition to presenting research papers both in India and abroad, her works has also been published in various national and international peer-reviewed journals. Currently, she is working on the “Gallantry Award Portal Project” in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.