Board of Trustees

Mr. Naresh BK has nearly two decades of professional experience on national security issues including preparation of assessments and policy papers; collating and maintaining a database of critical inputs; and making presentations for strategic dialogues with foreign countries. He has served in the Joint Intelligence Committee under the Prime Minister’s Office, Govt of India (2012-2020) and worked with important think-tanks and university including the Foundation for National Security Research (2008-2012); the Indian Council of World Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India (2020-2023); and Rashtriya Raksha University (2023-2024). He has a Masters in Political Science, M. Phil (2004) and is in final submission for a doctorate degree at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi on Energy Security in India and Immediate Neighbourhood.

Dr. L. Venkateshwaran have over two decades of professional experience in government relations, stakeholder management, public engagement and research and development. Dr. Venkateshwaran is also currently a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council, Washington DC. Previously, he has served in the National Security Council Secretariat under the Prime Minister’s Office, Govt of India, New Delhi; as a Visiting Research Fellow under Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Ministry of National Defense, Taipei (2026); a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre for International Scholars, Washington DC (2020-2022 and 2023-2025) and a Kodikara Research Fellow at the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo (2013). Dr. Venkateshwaran was a liaison officer on behalf of India’s Ministry of External Affairs for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra to Tibet (2019) and has undergone training at the Sushma Swaraj Foreign Services Institute, Ministry of External Affairs (2019). He was also Director, School of International Cooperation, Security and Strategic Languages and Dean, Research and Publications with the Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India (2020-2023); Assistant Professor, Manipal University, Manipal (2010-2012); Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Master’s Program, St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru (2012- 2014); and Research Officer at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi (2006). Dr. Venkateshwaran has also worked with Amb Randolph P Eddy, former UN Diplomat and Director, US National Security Council at Gerson and Lehrman Group Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, a market research firm (2006-2009). He has Masters, Master of Philosophy and Doctorate Degrees in Politics, International Relations and Area Studies. As Managing Trustee, Dr. Lokanathan coordinates activities of the Board of Trustees and liaisons with the Executive Committee. As Director, Strategic Relations, he oversees the institution's relations with Impact Partners and Beneficiaries. He also supervises matters related to the institution's administration, finance, legal and human resources.