Pavan K. Varma(2021)
Pavan K. Varma is a writer-diplomat and now in politics where he was till recently an MP in the Rajya Sabha, and earlier Advisor to the Chief Minister of Bihar. Author of over a dozen best-selling books, including Ghalib: The Man, The Times, The Great Indian Middle Class, The Book of Krishna, Being Indian, Becoming Indian and Chanakya’s New Manifesto, he has been Ambassador in several countries including Bhutan, Director of The Nehru Centre in London, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Director General, ICCR and Press Secretary to the President of India. Varma was conferred an Honorary Doctoral Degree for his contribution to the fields of diplomacy, literature, culture and aesthetics by the University of Indianapolis in 2005. In 2018, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management for his book Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism’s Greatest Thinker. This book has also won the Atta Galatta-Bengaluru Literature Festival prize for the Best Book of Non-Fiction for 2018. In 2012, Varma was conferred Bhutan’s highest civilian award, the Druk Thuksey, by His Majesty the King of Bhutan. Varma has received the Kalinga International Literary Award 2019. Varma’s latest book is The Great Hindu Civilisation: Achievement, Neglect, Bias and the Way Forward.
