Sh. Pavan K. Varma

Shri Pavan K. Varma is an Indian author, former diplomat, politician, and public intellectual, widely respected for his writing on Indian civilisation, culture, history, philosophy, and public affairs. A distinguished member of the Indian Foreign Service, he has served as India's Ambassador to Bhutan, High Commissioner to Cyprus, and a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

Born on 5 November 1953 in Nagpur, he graduated in History from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, where he stood first in his class, and later earned a law degree from the University of Delhi. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976 and held several important diplomatic positions, including Press Secretary to the President of India, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Director of the Nehru Centre in London, and Director General of the ICCR. Alongside his diplomatic career he became a bestselling author, with books including The Great Indian Middle Class, Being Indian, Ghalib: The Man, The Times, Krishna: The Playful Divine, and Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker.