EXPERTS

Cynthia Petrigh is a Distinguished Fellow at NIICE. She is an international expert with over 25 years’ experience researching peace processes in African, Asian, and Middle Eastern settings, both in the field and in HQs, and the founder of Beyond Peace. She has advised mediation processes, armed forces, the UN and civil society, including in Asia where she served as a representative to the ceasefire monitoring mission in Mindanao, and a UN peace advisor in Nepal. Cynthia specialises in contextualising peacebuilding interventions; in designing inclusive multistakeholder approaches; and in grounding initiatives in local cultures. A founding member of the International Contact Group for the peace talks on Mindanao, she has collaborated with the ASEAN University Network, the Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR), the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), and the International Institute of International Law in San Remo. She has authored acclaimed publications on best practice in conflict resolution, training armed groups and armed forces on compliance and in monitoring and reporting. In a broken world faced with multiple crises, Cynthia makes the case for a renewed multilateralism across the divide, based on trust and dialogue.

Prof. Ian Hall is a Distinguished Fellow at NIICE and Professor of International Relations at Griffith University. He is also an Academic Fellow of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne. Prior to his appointment at Griffith, he taught at the University of St Andrews, the University of Adelaide, and the Australian National University. He served as a co-editor of the Australian Journal of International Affairs between 2018 and 2023. He has held visiting appointments at the Australian War College, Nanyang Technological University, and the University of Warwick. His research focuses on India's international relations and Indo-Pacific affairs. His research has been supported by multiple grants from the Australian Research Council, the Department of Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. He is a co-lead of the Blue Security DFAT Regional Maritime Exchange program directed by Prof. Bec Strating at La Trobe University. He is the author of three books, including Modi and the Reinvention of Indian Foreign Policy (Bristol University Press, 2019), the editor of several volumes and special issues, and has published many scholarly articles and chapters. His research has appeared in the Australian Journal of International Affairs, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, European Journal of International Relations, International Affairs, and Third World Quarterly.

Professor Hideshi Tokuchi is a Distinguished Fellow at NIICE. He joined the Defense Agency (the predecessor of the Ministry of Defense) of Japan in 1979 and served as the nation’s first-ever Vice-Minister of Defense for International Affairs from 2014 to 2015 after completing several senior assignments including the Director-General of Defense Policy Bureau, of Budget and Equipment Bureau, of Personnel and Education Bureau, and of Operations Bureau. He has been the President of the Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS) since June 2021. He teaches international security studies as a visiting professor at National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Tokyo in 1979, and his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (M.A.L.D.) degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1986. His recent articles include: “The revision of Japan’s National Security Strategy – A new opportunity for enhanced Japan-Europe security cooperation,” The European – Security and Defence Union, Issue 44, November 2022, pp. 12-13; “Toward a New Blueprint for Japanese Security,” nippon.com, October 17, 2022; “EU-Japan security cooperation in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” The European – Security and Defence Union, Issue 42, May 2022, pp. 22-23; and “The Gray Zone in the Definition of Gray-Zone Warfare: Challenges for Japan-U.S. Cooperation,” Johnathan Greenert ed., Murky Waters in the East China Sea: Chinese Gray-Zone Operations and U.S.-Japan Alliance Coordination, NBR Special Report No. 90, May 2021.

Research Director, Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), Nepal

Sumitra Karki is the Director at Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement. She served as the Program Coordinator and Research Associate from July 2017 to April 2024. Her research focus is on issues related to Gender, Non-Traditional Security Issues and Geopolitics of China and South Asia. She holds Master’s in Sociology from Tribhuvan University. She has co-edited 'Human Rights and Human Security in South Asia' published by Adroit Publishers, New Delhi. She is the editor of the newsletters published by NIICE and regularly contributes to national and international dailies.

Sunil Kumar Chaudhary works as Research Fellow at Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE). Previously he worked as Research Associate at NIICE. He works on the economic policy of South Asia and China. His research interests are International Economics, Development Economics, Environmental Economics, Applied Econometrics, and Economic Policy. He holds a Master’s Degree in World Economy from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. He was awarded Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Scholarship to pursue Bachelor’s from Osmania University, India. Previously, he has worked as Research Associate at Foundation for Organizational Research and Education (FORE), New Delhi. He has presented papers at several national and international conferences and has published research articles in international journals.

Leiden University, Netherlands

Bibek Dhoj Thapa is Program Coordinator and Research Associate at NIICE. His research interest lies in areas of Nepal's Neighborhood Studies, Security and the emerging trends on Cybersecurity. He was a Visting Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies at Sichuan University, China and conducted research on "EV Collaboration between China and Nepal". He is currently pursuing his Masters at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Tribhuvan University.

Mira Rai is a Research Associate at NIICE. Her research interests include International Politics, Geo-politics, Diplomacy, Peacebuilding, International human and humanitarian rights and Development corporations. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Political Science and International Relations from Ewha Woman’s University, Seoul, South Korea.

Dr. Hoimonti Barua is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. She focuses on issues related to Bangladesh and South Asia. She was awarded prestigious ICSSR Fellowship. Dr Barua holds her PhD from the Centre for South Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She has published several articles and participated at National and International Conferences.

Dr. Soumya Awasthi works as Research Associate at NIICE. Her area of specialization is counter-terrorism, religious radicalization and issues related to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. She is also a consultant at Tony Blair Institute, UK. She holds her PhD from Center for International Politics,Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Previously, she worked with Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), New Delhi and has been the Visiting Fellow at United Services Institute, New Delhi. She has published several articles and chapters for journals and books. She has presented paper at International and National conferences.

Dr. Shrabana Barua works as a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. Her research focuses is on geopolitics of South and Southeast Asia, particularly China, India and Myanmar. She is a Doctoral Candidate at the Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She holds her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Political Science from Hindu College, University of Delhi. Previously she worked with Gateway House, Mumbai. She has published several articles and book reviews at reputed journals and presented papers at national and international conferences.

Chhimi Dorji is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. His research focus is Environment, Hydropower, Trans-boundary Water politics, Energy Planning and Sustainable Development. He holds an MSc in Environmental Systems – Energy, Environment and Society, from California State University, Humboldt in the USA and Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) in India. He also holds a postgraduate course in Energy Planning and Sustainable Development from University of Oslo, Norway. He has been associated with number of projects related to Environment, Hydropower, Urban Planning, etc under Asian Development Bank, UNDP, Austrian Development Agency, World Bank, Druk Green Power Corporation, and others. He has also worked for more than a decade as government renewable energy and environment engineer for the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology of Bhutan and the erstwhile Department of Energy (now Department of Hydropower and Power Systems) of Bhutan.

Ambassador Anil Trigunayat is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. He specializes on International Relation and Diplomacy. His core areas of interest and expertise are trade, investment and Economic Diplomacy and takes special interest in developments in Middle East, Africa and Russia. He is currently the President of MIICCIA Chamber of Commerce & Industry. As a member of the Indian Foreign Service, he has served in the Indian Missions in Cote d’Ivoire, Bangladesh, Mongolia, USA, Russia, Sweden and Nigeria, Libya and Jordan. In the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) he has worked in the Economic, West Asia and North Africa and Consular Divisions. He also served as Director General/Joint Secretary for the Gulf & Haj Divisions in the MEA, New Delhi. Thereafter, he worked as Deputy Chief of Mission in the rank of Ambassador in the Embassy of India, Moscow. Prior to his superannuation in May 2016, he served as Ambassador of India to Jordan and Libya and High Commissioner to Malta (June 2012 – May 2016). He is a post Graduate in Physics from the Agra/Kumaon University and also studied Russian History, Culture and Language at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. As a visiting fellow he also conducted research work on “WTO and Regional Trading Blocs” at the Oxford University. He is a member of the All India Management Association/Delhi Management Association as well as that of Oxford and Cambridge Society of India and the Association of Indian Diplomats (former Ambassadors). He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation apart from being a Board Member of Peaceful Mind Foundation. He is the Honorary Member of the International Trade Council, Brussels and Honorary Adviser to BRICS Chamber of Commerce.

Professor Shahab Enam Khan is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. He focuses on Security, Foreign Affairs, and Public Policy. He is currently serving at the Department of International Relations at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. He is a Director at the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute. He has served as Advisor/ International Consultant/ Board Members of various international organizations, i.e. UNDP Maldives, UNDP Bangladesh, UNODC, UN Women, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), USAID, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK, and Regional Center for Strategic Studies, Sri Lanka, and Jaago Foundation, Bangladesh. He also serves as a member of several high-level committees formed by the Government of Bangladesh. He led pioneering PVE research for UNDP Maldives, UN Women, and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is credited for drafting several key public policy documents for the Government of Bangladesh. Professor Khan is regularly cited and interviewed by international and national media. He has completed professional courses on Global Security from Harvard University, received an MA in International Political Economy from the University of Manchester, and Bachelor of Social Science in International Relations degree from the University of Dhaka. He has completed fellowships at the University of Delaware, USA and University of Birmingham, UK. Professor Khan is a NESA Center, National Defense University, Washington DC, USA Alumnus and a Senior Fellow at the Hainan Institute of World Watch, Hainan, China.

Dr. Abhiruchi Ojha is Visiting Fellow at NIICE. Her research interests span International Politics and Gender Studies with specific focus on women’s participation in politics, gender dynamics of conflict & peace, gendering Artificial Intelligence and developing non-western perspectives on International Relations. She combines her research and teaching with gender advocacy. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics & Governance at Central University of Kashmir. She completed her PhD in International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, India where she was awarded with Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Doctoral Fellowship. Her doctoral thesis was on the dynamics of gender and citizenship in Post-apartheid South Africa. She was a visiting research fellow at Centre for the Advancement of Non-racialism and Democracy (CANRAD), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She has previously taught in Lady Shri Ram College for Women (University of Delhi), Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (Jamia Millia Islamia) and Ambedkar University Delhi. She has been part of several research projects, including one on the impact of Dalit women in Indian politics for International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada and Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS). Her publications include ‘Two Decades of Development: Gender and Citizenship in Democratic South Africa’, ‘Issues of Under-representation: Mapping Women in Indian Politics’ and ‘Women's Political Representation in the 16th Lok Sabha: Continuity, Contestation or Change’. She is presently working on a book on Gender and Nationalism in South Asia.

Dr. Mirwais Balkhi is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. His research focus are Regional Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Foreign Policy, Nation-State Building, International Theory and International Security. He is also a Faculty Member at Georgetown University, Qatar. Dr. Mirwais Balkhi joined the Ministry of Education of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in 2018 as the Minister of Education. He holds PhD in International Relations (with specialisation in West Asian Studies) from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. He has published numerous academic articles both in English and Persian; including the books “Saudi Arab’s Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan; 1991-2014”, “Balkhis of India” and “A Critique on Afghanistan’s Regional Integration”. Dr. Balkhi has also edited the book ‘Afghanistan After 2014’. Dr. Balkhi has also worked as the Deputy Ambassador (DCM) of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi and previously as the head of Africa and Middle East Desk in the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) and as the Chief Editor of the CSS’ Quarterly Journal of Strategic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to joining the CSS, Dr. Balkhi was a lecturer at the Law and Political Science Faculty at American University of Afghanistan & several other Private Universities.

Dr. Harinda Vidanage is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. He specializes in the areas of International Security & Cyber Politics. He is currently Head of Department and Senior Lecturer at Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies at the Gen Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and 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 taught courses on International Relations, Global Governance, International Security, Technology & Warfare and global implications of Cyber politics. Dr. Vidanage graduated from University of Colombo Sri Lanka with first class honors for Political Science. He gained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom in 2009. His professional experiences include appointments as Adviser, International Affairs to the Sri Lankan President 2006 – 2010 and the role of Consultant to the Sri Lanka Prime Minister during 2004- 2005 on International Affairs. He is frequently consulted by the Sri Lanka Army and Air force for the academic advancement and international security related programs.

Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is Visiting Fellow at NIICE. Presently he serves as a Senior Fellow at the Millennium Project in Washington DC. In 2021 Asanga served as a Senior Researcher for Social Impact (USA), conducting a Political Economic Analysis (PEA) in Sri Lanka for USAID. Asanga has led two Government think tanks providing strategic advocacy. With almost two decades of experience in the Government sector in advisory positions to working at Foreign Policy and Defence think tanks, he was the founding Director General of the National Security Think Tank under the Ministry of Defence (INSSSL) until January 2020. Before this, he served as the Executive Director at the Foreign Policy think tank (Kadirgamar Institute LKIIRSS). His recent book is on Sri Lanka’s Geopolitical challenges ‘Conundrum of an Island’ (Published by World Scientific, Singapore). Author of ‘Sri Lanka at Crossroads’ (2019) and ‘Towards A Better World Order’ (2015). He is a keen commentator on Geopolitics, International Relations and South Asian Security matters and has written extensively and published in international journals and think tanks. He served as a Visiting Professor for Geopolitics and Global Leadership (NKU, USA), Visiting Lecturer for International Security (Colombo University, Sri Lanka), and International Political Economy (the University of London in Colombo RIC). Asanga is an Alumnus of the US State Department IVLP, National Defense University (NESA, NDU) in Washington DC, APCSS(Hawaii) and YGL World Economic Forum (Geneva).

Dr. George I. H. Cooke is a diplomatic historian. He was recruited to the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, and served for more than a decade before leaving for an academic career. Whilst stationed at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Paris, he was also at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). He pursued his tertiary education at the University of Colombo and the Open University of Sri Lanka, and is an alumnus of the Netherlands Institute of International Relations – Clingendael. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of Colombo and a visiting lecturer at the National Defence College, Sri Lanka Air Force Academy, the Defence Services Command and Staff College, and the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute. He is the Initiator of the Awarelogue Initiative, and was a Visiting Fellow at the Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand. His main areas of research include diplomacy, foreign policy, regionalism and integration.

Dilrukshi Handunnetti is Visiting Fellow at NIICE. She is a Director and Trustee and the former Executive Director of the Center for Investigative Reporting, Sri Lanka. She is a lawyer by training. In last 25 years of her career as a journalist, she has worked across South Asia including some of the unsafest places to train journalists primarily in investigative journalism, conflict sensitive reporting, media ethics, media law and gender. She has extensively reported on politics, international affairs, environment, health, gender and labour migration. Dilrukshi was the researcher for IFJ's Gender in the Media Landscape research in 2013-2014. She is the recipient of the 'Journalism of Courage and Impact' award conferred by East West Center. She is a Jefferson Fellow, Democracy Fellow and the winner of several prestigious journalism fellowships throughout her career. She has also served in top editorial positions and served as Senior Associate Editor of The Sunday Observer and as Consultant Editor of The Weekend Express.

Hadza Min Fadhli Robby is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. He is an Assistant Professor at Department of International Relations, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta. He completed his B.Pol.Sc. (Hons) degree at the Department of International Relations, Universitas Gadjah Mada and M.Sc. degree at the Department of International Relations, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Türkiye. His core research areas are Turkish Studies, South Asian Studies, and issues related to religion and global politics. He’s currently also working as Executive Director of Embun Kalimasada Cultural Centre, a cultural institution specifically dedicated to exhibiting artworks and publishing monographs on Indonesian Islamic culture. Hadza has contributed op-eds in several media, such as The Print, Republika (Indonesian Newspaper), The Conversation and others.

Dr. Passang Dorji is a Visiting Fellow at the Nepal Institute of International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), Nepal. He is an independent scholar, journalist and consultant based in Bhutan. He served as a Member of Bhutan’s National Parliament from 2018-2023. While in Parliament Dr. Passang was the Chairman of the National Assembly of Bhutan’s Human Rights and Foreign Relations Committee, Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Bhutan Civil Liability Bill, and Member of Economic and Finance Committee. He also served as the founding President of the Journalists’ Association of Bhutan and was a Cofounder and Board Director of Bhutan Transparency Initiative, an NGO advocating corruption-free Bhutan. Dr. Passang Dorji holds a Ph.D in Asian and International Studies from City University of Hong Kong and Master of Management from the University of Canberra, Australia. His Ph.D thesis is titled: "The Sino-Indian Competition over Bhutan and Nepal: Small State Responses to Great Power Politics" (2018). His recent publications include "Crafting Bhutan-China Ties: Small State Agency in Emergent Diplomatic Relations", which was accepted by Asian Perspective. His commentaries and analyses appeared on The Diplomat, Observer Research Foundation’s Online Publications and Nepali Times.

Lucas Meier is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. Lucas Meier is a researcher, analyst, and mediator currently serving as the Senior Program Officer at the German Southeast Asian Center of Excellence (CPG), an academic institute and think tank headquartered at the Faculty of Law at Thammasat University in Bangkok. In this role, Lucas acts as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief and South Asia Regional Editor for CPG’s "Asia in Review," a weekly publication that informs global decision-makers about developments in law and politics in Asia. As a mediator qualified under German law and by the International Mediation Institute (IMI), Lucas also serves as the Deputy Head of CPG’s Mediation Center (CMC). Additionally, Lucas is an active member of the "Human Rights" and "ESG" working groups at the German Institute for Compliance (DICO e.V.), which unites Germany’s leading compliance practitioners and scholars. Lucas has an interdisciplinary academic background in Cultural Studies, Intercultural Communication, and Political Science. He holds an MA in Cultural Studies from Goldsmiths' College, University of London, and a BA in Cultural Studies/Political Science from Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany.

Dr. Zeno Leoni is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. He is an Assistant Professor in Strategic Studies at the Defence Studies Department of King's College London - based within the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom - and an Affiliate to the Lau China Institute of the same university. Dr. Leoni's research focuses on US and Chinese grand strategies, and changing world order. He published extensively in this area, and his latest book is A New Cold War: US-China Relations in the 21st Century (Bristol University Press, 2024). Dr. Leoni engages with international media regularly, and his analyses have appeared in The Guardian, The Financial Times, BBC News, France 24, South China Morning Post, Corriere della Sera, Voice of America, ABC, among many others. Dr. Leoni also teaches militaries from all over the world, and in 2024 he was an Adjunct Professor at The Republic of Indonesia Defence University.

Lobzang Dorji is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. He has specialized in anthropology, international development, human rights, and rural development with a robust focus on gender equality, stakeholder engagement, and multisectoral strategies. Dorji is a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology at Vilnius University, Lithuania, where his research explores traditional and spiritual healing practices in Bhutan. With academic achievements including Master’s in International Relations from Pondicherry University, India, and diplomas in Human Rights and Rural Development, he has also developed curricula for various undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including modules on gender, political science, and environmental history. Dorji's professional footprint spans academia, consultancy, and policy development. He has worked with organizations like DCAF Geneva, International Developmental Institute, Humber, Canada and Royal University of Bhutan, contributing to capacity-building initiatives, research, and community development. A prolific speaker, he has presented at international forums addressing topics such as cultural heritage, geo-politics, gender equality, and security sector governance. Dorji is deeply committed to fostering inclusion and social equity, evidenced by his leadership roles in developing gender policies and promoting accessibility in education. His interdisciplinary expertise and impactful initiatives have earned him recognition as a thought leader and advocate for sustainable development in Bhutan and beyond.

Hannah Haegeland is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE. Currently, she is based in Baltimore finishing her dissertation at Johns Hopkins University where she works between the Department of the History of Science and Technology and the Department of Political Science. She was a Fulbright Fellow (US Department of State), American Institute of Indian Studies Fellow (US Department of Education), and Boren Fellow (US Department of Defense). As a South Asia security analyst, she is interested in the roles of science and technology in global histories, especially global South Asian histories. Before joining Hopkins, she helped to lead international engagement for the Cooperative Monitoring Center (CMC) at Sandia National Laboratories, promoting global security in the 21st century through technoscientific engagement. She has also worked on nukes and regional security as a South Asia analyst at the Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington, D.C.

Manila Prajapati is a Research Associate at NIICE. She works with Center for Neighbourhood Studies. She did her Bachelor in Art majoring Political Science and Journalism from Khwopa College, Tribhuvan University. Previously, she has worked with online portals of Nepal and also as a Program presenter at Radio Masti.

Rakshya Baral is a Research Intern at the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), working with the Center for Neighbourhood Studies. She is a 5th-year law student at Kathmandu School of Law with research interests in International Law and legal policy. Rakshya has previously interned at the Secretariat of the Federal Parliament of Nepal.