Navtej Singh Sarna is an acclaimed Indian author and retired diplomat, having served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to Israel during his 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service. He is the author of three novels, which include The Exile and Crimson Spring, as well as several works of translation, short stories, and literary criticism. His writings span history, culture, and politics, with contributions to leading publications in India and abroad.

Sunil Sethi is a renowned journalist, columnist, and television presenter who has been a regular columnist with Business Standard since 2000. He hosted the weekly literary show Just Books on NDTV from 2005 to 2013 and authored 'Indian Interiors' and other acclaimed works. He has also scripted documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4.

Vaishna Roy is an accomplished journalist and editor with over 30 years of experience leading editorial teams and crafting compelling narratives. She currently serves as the editor of Frontline magazine. Vaishna is a prominent columnist, contributing to the fortnightly columns “Woman, Uninterrupted” and “Speech Melba” in The Hindu’s Weekend section.

Managing Editor at Outlook, Padmanabhan brings 25 years of experience in journalism and literary criticism. He has also taught journalism at the Times School of Journalism and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. He has also worked with Sunday, BusinessWorld, Economic Times, NDTV, and CNBC and is deeply engaged in book journalism and literary programming.

Mandira Nayar is an accomplished journalist and former Deputy Bureau Chief at The Week, with over two decades of experience covering culture, history, foreign policy, and books. A Charles Wallace Fellow (2015), she is also the Co-founder of Agla Varka, a cultural platform which aims to spark meaningful conversations on Punjab and has reported for The Hindu and The Telegraph.

Milan Vaishnav is a Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. An expert on the political economy of India, he is also the award-winning author of When Crime Pays and host of the “Grand Tamasha” podcast.

Poonam Saxena is a journalist, writer and translator. She has had a distinguished career with The Hindustan Times, where she launched and edited the HT Sunday magazine, Brunch. She translates from Hindi to English, and her translations include Dharmvir Bharati's ‘Gunahon ka Devta’ (Chander & Sudha, Penguin Viking), Rahi Masoom Raza's ‘Scene: 75’ (HarperCollins), and ‘The Greatest Hindi Stories Ever Told’ (Aleph). She was also the co-author of filmmaker Karan Johar's memoir 'An Unsuitable Boy’(Penguin).

Prasannarajan, Editor of Open magazine, is a seasoned journalist with senior editorial roles at The Times of India, Indian Express, and India Today. A prolific essayist and cultural critic, he writes widely read columns and shapes public discourse through his incisive political, literary, and international analyses.

Fathima E.V. is an acclaimed writer and translator from Kerala, and the co-recipient of the 2021 JCB Prize for Literature for ‘Delhi: A Soliloquy’ by M. Mukundan. Her debut translation, ‘A Preface to Man’ by Subash Chandran, won both the Crossword Prize for English Translation and the V. Abdulla Translation Award in 2017. She has also translated ‘Baby Doll: Stories of Gracy’ and poetry for ‘Indian Ink’, and was shortlisted for the inaugural “PEN Presents” UK translation grant in 2022.

Anita Nair, acclaimed Indian author, is celebrated for adult and children’s literature. Her books include 'Ladies Coupé', the ‘Inspector Gowda’ series, and 'The Puffin Book of Magical Indian Myths'. A Sahitya Akademi and Crossword Award winner, her work appears in 30+ languages. She mentors writers through Anita’s Attic.

Deepak Dalal is a renowned children’s author known for adventure stories that explore India’s wildlife and landscapes. His Vikram–Aditya series spans Ladakh, the Andamans, and the Western Ghats, while Feather Tales engages younger readers.

Deepa Agarwal writes for both children and adults and has over 60 books published. A frequent contributor to magazines and journals in India and abroad, she has edited and compiled several anthologies. Among various other awards, she has received the N.C.E.R.T. National Award for Children’s Literature for ‘Ashok’s New Friends’, while her historical fiction ‘Caravan to Tibet’ was on the prestigious IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Honour List 2008.

Mitali Mukherjee is the Director of the Reuters Institute and the Director of the Journalist Programmes at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford. She is a political economy journalist with more than two decades of experience in TV, print and digital journalism.

Sonu Bhasin is an award-winning business author, family business historian, and one of India’s senior women leaders with over three decades of experience across financial and non-financial sectors. Sonu has written six bestselling business books, including ‘Lala Shri Ram: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow’, winner of the 2024 Gaja Capital Business Book Prize. She is also a columnist for The Economic Times and has been recognised among the Global 100 Most Influential for family enterprises.

Sruthijith KK is the Executive Editor at The Economic Times, who has worked in leading roles across business media platforms. He joined ET in late 2023, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous roles, including Editor-in-Chief at Mint. He is known for his deep understanding of the evolving media landscape and his ability to navigate the challenges of digitalisation.