About the founders
Prof. (Dr.) Nehingpao Kipgen
Prof. (Dr.) Nehginpao Kipgen (25.5.1978–2.5.2021) was a Professor and Executive Director of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P.Jindal Global University. He was a renowned Political Scientist and thinker whose concentrations were in Comparative Politics and International Relations. His general teaching and research interests included Democratization, Global/World Politics, Ethnic Conflict and Identity Politics, Human Rights, Refugees, Maritime Disputes, International Organizations, and Government and Politics of Southeast Asia.
His scholarly work was focussed on Asia, with a specialization in Southeast Asia and Burma/Myanmar. He had presented papers and served as a chair and discussant in several international academic conferences, including International Political Science Association (IPSA) and International Studies Association (ISA). He was also a Board Member (RC18 – Asian and Pacific Studies) of IPSA.
Prof. (Dr.) Pankaj Jha
Dr. Pankaj Kumar Jha (07.07.1973-20.05.2024) was a Professor & Associate Dean (Research) and Founding Director, Centre for Security Studies (CSS), at the Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA). Prior to joining JGU, he made a distinct name for himself in think-tanks and government. From 2005 to 2011, he was Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). From 2012 to 2013, he worked as Deputy Director in the National Security Council Secretariat (2012-2013) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and helped formulate and implement key ideas to strengthen India’s defensive and offensive capabilities. From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Jha worked at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and served as Director of Research there, spearheading important publications and spurring high quality output from a large team of scholars on foreign policy themes.
Professor Jha conceived and developed the Centre for Security Studies (CSS) at JSIA, which produced numerous monographs and briefs. His speciality was to co-author books and shorter works with students of JSIA. The experience of joint research with a senior professor helped make careers for many JSIA students. His Letters of Recommendation and personal networks in think-tanks and research organisations landed so many internships and full-time positions for students. He saw the strategic potential for closer partnership between India and Vietnam a lot sooner than most Indian analysts and thinkers. He had close connections with the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, the military and Communist Party leadership in Vietnam and was engaged in intense dialogue and policy coordination missions with them to enhance India’s position and influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Dr. Jha was one of India’s finest brains in the field of national security. He was one of the handful of people in our country with extensive knowledge and practical experience in the domains of military, intelligence, warfare, insurgency, terrorism and counter-terrorism, and Asian geopolitics. He authored several books, journal articles, briefs and memos that influenced policymakers, thinkers and students across the world.
Dr. Jha was in Danang, Vietnam, and suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest that caused his sad demise. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of scholarship, mentorship, teaching and institution building.
