Abhay K. is a poet, editor, translator, artist, and diplomat. His works include numerous poetry collections and editorial projects, such as The Book of Bihari Literature. His latest book, Nalanda (Penguin Random House), chronicles the history of Nalanda and its global influence. His poems have appeared in more than a hundred literary journals, including Poetry Salzburg Review and Asia Literary Review.

Aditi is a Nainital-based visual artist and graduate of the Delhi School of Art. Working with pen, ink, and watercolours, she creates intricate compositions layered with depth, and emotion. Her career as an educator and IB teacher trainer, with experiences across India and East Asia, enriches her artistic practice. Having worked with institutions such as Vasant Valley, Pathways, and Dubai International School, she brings cross-cultural insights. Her art reflects nature, memory, and imagination.

Dr. Alka Pande is an art historian and curator whose work spans decades in India and abroad. Author of 14 books on Indian arts, under the 108 Portraits series, she has curated exhibitions internationally and received the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, the L’Oréal Paris Femina Women Award, and the Amrita Sher-Gil Samman. She currently serves as consultant art advisor and curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at India Habitat Centre.

Anuradha Roy is the award-winning author of five novels, published in sixteen languages, including Sleeping on Jupiter and All the Lives We Never Lived. She has won the Sahitya Akademi and DSC Prize for Fiction, with her books longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. She is also a designer at Permanent Black. Her forthcoming book, Called By The Hills – A Home in the Himalayas, releases in December.

Arundhati Nath, whose debut collection of translated Bengali ghost stories, The Phantom’s Howl, has been described as ‘pitch-perfect’, has almost three decades of experience in content writing, editing, event curation and marketing. She is currently Director of Content & Communication at Teamwork Arts, producer of the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival and other well-known art, music, and literary festivals across the world and India. She has recently begun work on her second book.

Gargi Rawat is a senior news anchor and environment reporter with NDTV 24x7. She was part of India’s first wildlife news show called Born Wild, and anchored the Hindi version of Safari India. Having done an award-winning documentary series, she has travelled the Ganga and reported on the state of the river and challenges faced in its cleanliness. She is the author of Tiger Season, a fictional work, inspired from her years of journalism.

Janhavi Prasada, a cultural entrepreneur, is the founder of Himalayan Echoes: Festival of Literature and Arts. A published author on M.K. Gandhi, she conserves and promotes Uttarakhand literary and cultural heritage, especially the Himalayas. A peace activist in technology, she began her journalism career with The Pioneer before moving to ANI/Reuters, BBC, and HTV Wales. She runs Porcupine Media Pvt. Ltd. and has curated nine editions of Himalayan Echoes, fostering dialogue across cultures.

Kavita Khosa is the founder & CEO, Purearth and Pure Purpose Foundation (PPF) and PUREARTH, a purpose-driven skincare brand born from her years of work across the Himalayas with women’s self-help groups and Ayurvedic wisdom. A former Wall Street lawyer and Deutsche Bank director, she is now an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga teacher, and author of Beauty Unbottled (Penguin, 2022), advocating for sustainability, conscious beauty, and women’s empowerment.

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.

Muzaffar Ali is an acclaimed filmmaker, painter, fashion designer, and cultural impresario. He is the founder of Jahan-e-Khusrau World Sufi music festival and the Wajid Ali Shah Festival in Lucknow. He gained world acclaim with Umrao Jaan (1981), celebrated for its music, poetry, and painterly imagery, winning him the Filmfare Award for Best Director. The all time classic has been restored in 4K re-release. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri Award and the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award.

Navroze Dhondy, an alumnus of the University of Allahabad, has shaped the Indian Advertising industry over 4 decades. His career began with LINTAS (LOWE), then moved to HTA (JWT), and later served as CEO of TBWA–ANTHEM and PERCEPT. Founder and MD of Creatigies Communications since 2002, he has brought fresh perspective to Indian brands in India and abroad. He is a passionate poet, writer and photographer.

Neha Sinha is an award-winning conservationist and author of Wild and Wilful, which profiles fifteen iconic Indian species. She writes passionately about India’s wildlife and habitats, often championing the “unloved” creatures and Himalayan birds. An INLAKS scholar, she studied literature at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and Conservation at Oxford University. She contributes regularly to leading publications and can be found sharing her insights on Twitter and Instagram (@nehaa_sinha).

Niharika Bijli is Lead Strategist at PVR INOX Ltd., with a degree in Cinematic Arts from USC and a diploma from the New York Film Academy. At PVR INOX, she drives brand strategy, innovative campaigns, and curates films for festivals and re-releases. She is also a writer and ad filmmaker based in Mumbai, and was recently credited as Creative Director on _Brahmāstra_.

Pinky Anand is a distinguished Senior Counsel, an arbitrator with 4 decades of litigating before the Supreme Court, High Courts and Tribunals. She has represented India at international forums such as BRICS and SCO. An alumnus of the Delhi University and Harvard Law School, she served twice as the Additional Solicitor General of India. She has led landmark cases for Navdanya, including the Naphal wheat patent case, and has authored Raising The Bar.

Rahul is an eco-architect, entrepreneur, and educator from Himachal. He is the founder of NORTH, a creative, cultural, and social organization in Naggar. Through experimenting with vernacular techniques, publishing firsthand research on Himalayan craftsmanship, & fostering grassroots-level systems, he designs resilient natural buildings & empowers local communities. Recognized by prestigious organizations and media, he was featured in AD India’s Sustainability Issue 2023 as Man of the Mountains.

Rujuta Diwekar is one of India’s leading public health voices and among the most followed nutritionists worldwide. Her books have sold more than 1.75 million copies, and her videos have over 300 million views. In 2025, she released her 10th & 11th books, The Commonsense Diet and Mitahara. Known for her simple, clear approach, Rujuta promotes eating local, seasonal, and traditional foods, steering health discourse towards sustainable well-being for both people and planet.

Shagun Singh is the Founder-Director of Geeli Mitti Foundation, Tuk-Tuk Gilhari Animal Sanctuary and Founder of Tales2Live Hospitality. Geeli Mitti pioneers in ecological housing and sustainable living initiatives in the Himalayan region. Recognised by Vogue as one of India’s leading women crusaders of climate change, and a speaker at the Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit in Abu Dhabi, she writes a weekly column on sustainable living for Dainik Jagran.

Shailaja Khanna is a 5th generation sitariya from the Senia tradition. She writes on music prolifically, lectures on the Arts at IGNCA, and advises private and government organisations on music festivals.

Shiveshwar Singh was born and raised in Nainital. After 35 years in advertising with Mudra, Rediffusion, and FCB, his last stint was with Innoceam as their National Creative Head. He now enjoys running his homestay Clifton Cottage and playing tennis.

Born in Mussoorie, Stephen Alter has written over 25 books, largely inspired by the Himalayas. His work has won the Banff Mountain Book Award, the Kekoo Naoroji Award and the Green Book of the Year Award. Educated at Woodstock School and Wesleyan University, he has taught at the American University and was a writer-in-residence at MIT. He founded the Mussoorie Writers Mountain Festival. His latest works include The Cobra’s Gaze and The Greatest Game.

Sujeev Shakya is a Himalayan citizen navigating the varied realms of management consulting, think tanks, leadership, writing, and public speaking. He convenes the Himalayan Future Forum in Kathmandu, organized by the Nepal Economic Forum, where he serves as chair. He has authored Unleashing Nepal and Unleashing The Vajra, both published by Penguin, along with two Nepali titles, Arthat Arthatantra and Arthat Pariwartan, published by Nepalaya. His new book Nepal 2043 – Road to Prosperity (Penguin)

Uday Pratap Singh is a Senior Editor at NewsX, iTV Network, anchoring prime-time debates, bulletins and programs. With over twelve years of experience, Uday has covered top political events including the 2014, 2019 & 2024 General Elections. Earlier with Headlines Today, he now hosts the Entertainment segments at NewsX and interviews leading figures from Bollywood & Hollywood. An alumnus of The Doon School and Hindu College, he holds an MA honours from the University of St Andrews.

With over 25 years of leadership in luxury hotels and global hospitality chains, Vikram Berry is Area Director, Marketing and Communication, South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group. He leads marketing strategy, digital initiatives, CRM, public relations, and brand portfolio compliance across the region.