Strategic Analyst
One of South Asia’s leading strategic analysts, Gokhale started his career in journalism in 1983. In the past 38 years, he has led teams of journalists across print, broadcast and web platforms. A specialist in conflict coverage, Gokhale has lived and reported from India’s North-east for 23 years, writing and analysing various insurgencies in the region, been on the ground at Kargil in the summer of 1999 during the India-Pakistan war, and also brought live reports from Sri Lanka’s Eelam War IV between 2006-2009.
An alumni of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Hawaii, Gokhale now writes, lectures and analyses security and strategic matters in Indo-Pacific and travels regularly to China, US, Europe, South and South-East Asia to speak at various international seminars and conferences. Gokhale, a distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Airpower Studies, is also a popular visiting faculty at India’s Defence Services Staff College, the three war colleges, India’s National Defence College, College of Defence Management and the intelligence schools of both the R&AW and Intelligence Bureau. He owns and runs two important digital platforms, bharatshakti.in and StratNewsGlobal.com (stratnewsglobal.com). He tweets at @nitingokhale
Senior Advisor
Dr. Harinda Vidanage is Founding Director, Centre for Strategic Assessment (CSA), Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Sri Lanka (KDU), he was formerly Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), prior to his assignment at the BCIS he was Assistant Professor of International Relations, St. Lawrence University, New York from 2012 – 2016. He was the first civilian academic to head the Department of Strategic Studies 2020-2023 at the KDU.
Dr Vidanage is Member of the Board of Management of Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute of International Relations & Strategic Studies (LKI), Think Tank of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Sri Lanka, Honorary Fellow at Stratenewsglobal.com, and research fellow at Nepal Institute of International Cooperation (NIICE). Expert Member of the South Asia Cyber Security Governance review group of Geneva Centre for Security Governance (DECAF). Senior Advisor to Centre for Legal & Security Studies (CLASS).
As a renowned public intellectual in the field of International Affairs, Indian Ocean Region, Cyber Policy, and Strategic Studies Dr Vidanage contributes regularly to electronic and print media analyzing current global political developments. Dr Vidanage is widely consulted by state agencies for policy input and review.
Director of the Centre for Leadership, Governance and Democracy, UNITAR International University
Prof. Dato’ Dr Jesbil Singh A/L Bahadur Singh is a seasoned public servant and academic with over four decades of experience in government, defence, and higher education. He served in the Malaysian Ministry of Defence from 1975 to 2007, retiring as Deputy Secretary-General (Management), where he led strategic portfolios including finance, human resources, IT, and international defence cooperation. From 2007 to 2024, he held senior leadership roles at the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM), including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry Relations & Corporate Affairs), Director of the Centre for Leadership and Professional Development, and Research Fellow at the Centre for Defence and International Security Studies (CDISS). He also founded and led UPNM Holdings Sdn Bhd, the university’s commercial entity. Currently, he is Director of the Centre for Leadership, Governance and Democracy at UNITAR International University. Prof. Jesbil Singh holds degrees in law, public administration, and business, and has been recognised with numerous national honours, including France’s “Chevalier de l’Ordre”, for his contributions to defence diplomacy and education.
Deputy General Manager Human Resource Management at Commercial Bank PLC
Mr. Isuru Tillakawardana is presently heading the Human Resources Management function in Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC as the Deputy General Manager Human Resource Management. He is a Board Director of Commercial Bank Development Company PLC, a subsidiary of Commercial Bank and also a Director of Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd an associate Company of Commercial Bank. He also a Non-Executive Director of Commercial Bank of Maldives. Prior to Joining the Bank Mr. Tillakawardana has held leadership positions in heading organizations in Sri Lanka ranging from Manufacturing, Insurance as well as in the Colombo Stock Exchange. He is a past President and a Fellow member of Association of HR Professionals Sri Lanka. He holds a MBA from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, LLB and MA (International Relations) from University of Colombo. He also holds a Diploma in International Relations from Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies. He is a Graduate Member of Sri Lanka Institute of Directors.
Senior Lawyer
Mr. Indika Perera is a senior Lawyer and a lecturer who has more than twenty-four years employment experience in litigation, training, facilitation, program planning, management and administration, monitoring and evaluation (M n E) in conflict and political transformation areas. The work experience relates mostly to training of Local and very high-level Sri Lankan politicians and to university level academic teaching. Indika has been a visiting-lecturer at the Conflict Resolution and Peace-building under graduate course (B.A.) and Mass Communication (M.A.) course of University of Kelaniya and at Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) Colombo for many years. Indika has been a resource person at KDU, National Defence College and Staff college Batalanda. His main research interests include Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), Political Communication and Marketing, Security Sector Governance, ADR, Peace building, Conflict Transformation and Counter Insurgency.
MBBS, Msc, MD (Medical Administration) Dip HRM, Dip PM, Dip SCM PGDIR, Doctor of Business Administration,Doctor in Public Health (HC)
Dr Hamdani Is a seasoned healthcare professional with a diverse background encompassing roles at both national and regional international levels. My expertise lies in health administration, strategic coordination of healthcare initiatives, crisis management and diplomatic engagement. With a focus on delivering effective and efficient healthcare solutions, I bring a wealth of experience in leading initiatives related to pandemic (COVID-19) response operating in extreme dynamic situation, donor coordination activities and medical technological services. He is currently Minister Counselor designate to High Commission of Sri Lanka in Delhi.
