Leki Tshewang is a Bhutanese singer with the Traditional Performing Arts and Music Division. Dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich musical heritage of Bhutan, he has also represented the country on international platforms. In 2024, he performed a Gujarati song during the visit of the Prime Minister of India, and in 2021, he traveled to Bangladesh to present a Bangla song. Through his work, Leki continues to bridge cultures and foster goodwill through the universal language of music.

He is a Sr. Instructor at the Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA). He joined RAPA as a trainee in 1996. After graduation, he served as an artist and as a Jr. Instructo. His expertise is in traditional music and mask dance. He holds National certificates II & III. He has represented Bhutan in several regional and international Cultural Program exchanges. He has also participated in the Coronation of His Majesty the King and the Royal Wedding Program in 2008 and 2012.

Vikas Swarup is a former Indian diplomat and internationally acclaimed author, who gained global recognition with his debut novel Q&A, which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. His other works include Six Suspects, The Accidental Apprentice, and The Girl with the Seven Lives (2024). His books are translated into 47 languages, and he holds four honorary doctorates.

Padma Shri awardee, an academic, historian, a Himalayan traveler. He has worked on several aspects of Himalayan history such as local movements, the freedom struggle and the culture of Uttarakhand. He is the founder of the People’s Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR.) He has published a number of books, research papers and popular articles. . A collection of his essays Dastan-i-Himalay (2 volumes) is being published by Vani and another work The Chipko Movement ( Hari Bhari Umeed)

Mayur Sharma has spent 16 years running around India and the world in search of food and adventure on his cult show ‘Highway On My Plate’ on NDTV Good Times and ‘Road Tripping with RockyandMayur’ on History TV18. He co-authored two Gourmand World Award winning books based on the show. Mayur currently works with Zomato as an Ombudsman. Feel free to ask him separately what that means.

Sujeev Shakya is a Himalayan citizen who traverses diverse worlds of management consulting, think tanks, leadership, writing, and speaking. He is the convener of the Himalayan Future Forum in Kathmandu, hosted by the Nepal Economic Forum, which he chairs. He has authored Unleashing Nepal and Unleashing The Vajra, both published by Penguin. His books in Nepali, Arthat Arthatantra and Arthat Pariwartan, are published by Nepalaya.

Rakhshanda Jalil is a Delhi-based writer, translator and literary historian. She has written over 30 books and published over 50 academic essays. Her latest book is Love in the Time of Hate: In the Mirror of Urdu (Simon & Schuster, 2024). She runs an organisation called Hindustani Awaaz devoted to the popularisation of Hindi-Urdu culture. She has been awarded the Kaifi Azmi Award for her contribution to Urdu and the first Jawad Memorial Prize for Urdu-Hindi translation.

Rohini Rana is a seasoned culinary aficionado and former army wife. Her first book “The Rana Cookbook, Recipes from the Palaces of Nepal”, came out of her passion to cook. She continues her culinary odyssey in her second book "The Nepal Cookbook, 108 Regional Recipes" sharing the diverse flavours of Nepal's culinary mosaic.

Anish Dayal studied Physics from St Stephen's College and read law at Cambridge. He practiced law for 25 years and was then appointed Judge of the Delhi High Court. He pioneered a kids library initiative in his hill home village - Jungalia Gaon, Bhimtal. A passion for writing led to ‘ Can it Get Verse’, a poetry book for kids and all those who want to be one!

Saurabh Kirpal read law at the University of Oxford and did his Masters in law at the University of Cambridge. He practices at the Supreme Court as a Senior advocate appearing for prominent personalities of India. A self-described ‘accidental activist’, he is also a trustee of the Naz Foundation Trust, the NGO that first fought for decriminalization of homosexuality in India. He is the author of Sex and the Supreme Court, and Fifteen judgments: Cases that shaped India’s financial landscape.

Uday Pratap Singh is a News Editor & Anchor at NewsX, iTV Network. . He is a seasoned media professional, with over twelve years of experience in broadcast journalism. He anchors their prime-time debates, bulletins and programs and understands the pulse of the heartland covering top political stories of the country including the 2014, 2019 & 2024 General Elections. He is an alumni of The Doon School, Dehradun and graduated from University of St Andrews in Scotland with an MA (Honours) .

Jennifer is an expert in snow leopard behaviour and tracking in Ladakh. She is a naturalist, trekker and a guide with extensive field experience in ornithology. For over three decades, Jennifer Nandi's been criss-crossing the landscape of India, leading birding and safari trips on tailor-made experiences for her clients. From luxury cruises in the Sundarbans to tiger-tripping at the less-frequented reserves, she's done it all. She has an in-depth knowledge of the astroverse. She lives in Delhi

Priya Kapoor is Editorial Director at Roil Books, where she oversees the publishing list and the day-to-day functioning of the company. She has commissioned and edited bestselling books such as Dongri to Dubai by Hussain Zaidi; Taj Mahal Foxtrot by Naresh Fernandes, Black Warrant by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury, and The RTI Story by Aruna Roy. She is also the co-founder of CMYK, India’s only chain of bookshops dedicated to art and illustrated books.

He is the region's finest naturalist and the founder of the internationally acclaimed eco-lodge Vanghat at Corbett. He has recently been shortlisted as a nominee for the Green Hero Award by NDTV for his conservation efforts in Uttarakhand. Among his numerous contributions towards conservation, he has dedicated the last 15 years of his life in the forests of Uttarakhand working towards eradication of the Lantana Weed with the forest department

He is a podcaster, writer and film-maker. He has directed documentaries as well as commercial projects and is currently the video production lead at the Heartfulness Institute in Hyderabad. He hosts the popular podcast Kanhacast. He was the founder-director of the Naini Photofest and formerly the President of the Film and Arts Guild of Uttarakhand.

S Natesh is a botanist who taught at Delhi University for nearly a decade. He moved to the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, and headed several divisions there. He received the Biospectrum Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution towards raising the Indian Bioscience Sector to new heights. A new plant species, Aponogeton Natesh, has been named in his honour. He is an honorary fellow at Ashoka Trust for Research in Energy and the Environment.

Chetan Mahajan, is the co-founder of the Himalayan Writing Retreat in Satkol, Uttarakhand. He is a Penguin published author. His writing also appears in Outlook Magazine, the Mint, HT Brunch, the Hindu Business line and the Scroll. He is currently working on his book “Tara And Vishnu” and co-authoring a non-fiction book titled, “ The Indian Writers Handbook."

Dr Anju Khanna, is a former professor of English who first served as director and now is a mentor for Madhuban-Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi Branch. She has lived, worked, and researched the Talla Ramgarh region since 2000. She set up Project Khushali for schools and women’s livelihoods, which now is a model for others to emulate and create their own local village focus .

Emma Horne is a boutique travel expert for the Indian subcontinent. She travelled to Nepal in 1979 and took to the region's enormous potential in the field of travel and tourism for the UK market. In 2015 she started Emma Horne Travel, a bespoke travel company in India aiming to highlight all aspects of the diversity of the subcontinent.

Anjali Capila is a well-known scholar and author, who has written about the lives and traditions of women of the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalayas. As part of Project Khushali at Madhuban she has co- created the magic behind t book - “Through the Looking Glass: Ecology, culture & food traditions of Ramgarh.

She's a powerful voice in the well-being space, who creates profoundly engaging conversations & outcomes in the mental health & wellness domain. In her previous avatar, she anchored the pivotal role of Editorial Lead for BusinessWorld and launched the new vertical ‘BW Well-being World’. She is also a ‘Key Contributor’ for Deepak Chopra's film “The Mindfulness Movement”. Her own platform, Pursuit of Balance with Nina Kler, creates content on all aspects of well-being towards mental health.

Ambreen Khan is the communications head for the Indian Express. She believes that the world only seeks innovative minds. Therefore, she dabbles with diverse work interests that offer her opportunities to keep herself motivated and moving ahead. Based out of Delhi, she is also associated with IHCL for collaborations & brand makeovers.

Vijayluxmi Bose is an academic and communications specialist. She has published short stories and co-authored publications for the Madhuban Sri Aurobindo Ashram – Delhi Branch. For the past five years she has been a valuable team member of the Madhuban community.