IDN had published this piece way back in Jan 2015, posting it again for the benefit of new IDN Fans:
MAROOF RAZA GILANI:
A vehement proponent & defender of India's sovereignty and national interests, Raza is the undisputed strategic affairs face on the news service channel Times Now and my favorite. His electric presence, impeccable demeanor, the extraordinary acumen, probity, and the dexterity he imparts to debates is remarkable. He is one of the few defense analysts on Indian television who is unbiased, incisive and does not hesitate to articulate his achromatic opinions on any topic or situations. In truth, he is no less a star than his friend and the best anchor in the news service business Arnab Goswami, both form an indomitable pair to smash hypocritical politicians and armchair experts to smithereens. Arnab also has the tendency to routinely goad him when required. He is renowned to mete out his best reserves on the miserable Pakistani panelists Maroof has the distinction of appearing on almost all of India’s leading television channels as an expert on military and security matters. He is a former Indian Army officer, with experience in counter-insurgency operations. He graduated from St Stephen's College, Delhi, has an M.A. in War Studies from King's College, London, and an M.Phil in International Relations from Cambridge University.
He has authored two books and most recently, he has edited a book on Indian terrorism challenges titled "Confronting Terrorism". He is this author's first and automatic choice as the number one analyst who should be in the National Security Advisor's office.
MAJOR GENERAL G D BAKSHI
Maj Gen (Dr) Gagandeep Bakshi, SM, VSM (Retd) is a distinguished army man, his no holds barred vitriol against politicians and panelists of all hue and color is the most entertaining to watch on television. His diatribe is so fierce that most anchors are reluctant to give him ample time to speak. His views are rather unilateral mainly due to his defense background. He has seen the worst of action and worst of the terrorist caboodle during his lifetime.He is a combat veteran of many skirmishes on the LC and Counter-Terrorist operations in J & K and Punjab. He commanded his battalion in active operations in Kargil and was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal. Later he commanded a brigade in Counter-Terrorist operations in the very rugged mountains of Kishtwar and was awarded the Sena Medal for his distinguished services. He subsequently commanded the reputed Romeo Force during intensive Counter-Terrorist operations in the Rajouri-Punch Districts of J&K in the wake of Op Sarp Vinash and succeeded in pacifying the area.
He has served tenures at highly prestigious institutions, he is also a prolific writer on military and non-military matters and has published 24 books and over 110 papers in many prestigious research journals. Like Maroof he is particularly severe on Pakistani panelists.
COMMODORE C UDAY BHASKAR
The commodore appears very rarely on television these days, but when he does, he elicits maximum attention from his viewers, such is the power of his dissertations when it comes to matters of national security and interest. He presents a more mellow adaptation of a defense analyst on TV. He is one of India's leading experts and outspoken critics on security and strategic affairs.
Commodore C Uday Bhaskar is currently a Senior Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi and he retired from the Indian Navy in early 2007 after 37 years service. He is concurrently a contributing Editor at the South Asia Monitor and a Lowy Institute for International Policy & Reuters columnist.
He is a columnist, editor, and contributor of numerous research articles on nuclear and international security issues to reputed journals in India and abroad, He has written edited books on nuclear, naval/maritime and international security-related issues; and has contributed several research articles to journals in India and abroad. His most notable book is Emerging India: Security and Foreign policy perspectives.
AMBASSADOR G PARTHASARATHY
The somber and dapper G Parthasarathy is the refined composition of India's defense analysts. Being a former member of the foreign service helps him to gauge the pulse of a government and its varied mechanizations. During the UPA regime, he justifiably took a hawkish line as he was vociferously critical on the waning diffidence that was creeping into India's foreign relations constituents which had grave and direct ramifications on India's national security & interests. He was the first to smell the potential booby trap that former defense minister AK Antony might lay when it came to defense equipment acquisitions. He knew that the former defense minister had a penchant to adhere to his "squeaky clean" image at any cost. True to what he anticipated, AK Antony's diffidence, his questionable decision-making abilities & the overall policy paralysis that he introduced, eventually relegated the precedence of acquiring vital defense equipment for the armed forces.Gopalaswami Parthasarathy was a former diplomat who retired from active Service in 2000. Prior to his entry to the Indian Foreign Service Parthasarathy was a Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army (1963-1968). He has served as Ambassador of India to Myanmar, 1992-95, High Commissioner of India to Australia 1995-98, High Commissioner of India to Pakistan 1998-2000 and High Commissioner of India, Cyprus 1990-92. He also served in Indian Missions abroad as Second/First Secretary, Embassy of India, Moscow (1969-1973), Deputy High Commissioner to Tanzania (1974-1976), Counselor, (Political and Press), Embassy of India, Washington D.C., (1978- 1981); and Consul General of India, Karachi (1982-1985).
His main areas of interest are developments in India’s neighborhood and issues of economic integration, energy and national security and terrorism. Ambassador Parthasarathy is a widely read Columnist, writing for a number of newspapers and news agencies in India and abroad on foreign policy and national security issues.
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