Pavan K. Varma

Pavan K. Varma is a writer-diplomat and currently a politician: he was a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, and earlier Advisor to the Chief Minister of Bihar, with the rank of Cabinet Minister.  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 of India to several countries as well as Director of The Nehru Centre in London, Director General, ICCR, and Press Secretary to the President of India.  His book Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism’s Greatest Thinker won the Atta Galatta-Bengaluru Literature Festival prize for the Best Book of Non-Fiction 2018.  In 2012, he received Bhutan’s (where he had served as Ambassador) highest civilian Award, the Druk Thuksey, by His Majesty the King of Bhutan.