C. Uday Bhaskar
Commodore Chitrapu Uday Bhaskar is a retired military officer who served in the Indian Navy. He is one of India's leading experts and outspoken critics on security and strategic affairs. Commodore Bhaskar is currently the Director of the Society for Policy Studies (SPS), an independent think-tank based in New Delhi, India. He has the rare distinction of being the head of three think tanks during his career - the earlier two being the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF). He is a columnist, editor, and contributor of numerous research -articles on nuclear and international security issues to reputed journals in India and abroad. He is also a life member of the United Service Institution (USI) of India. His daughter, Swara Bhasker is a Hindi film actress. Early life. Chitrapu Uday Bhaskar was born on 2 March 1951. He hails from Godavari belt of Andhra Pradesh. He is alumnus of Sainik School, Korukonda. Uday Bhaskar married Ira Bhaskar, a professor of Cinema studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and author of "Islamicate Cultures of Bombay Cinema". He has two children, a daughter, and a son. His daughter is Bollywood actress  Swara Bhaskar. Career. He served in Indian Navy till 2007 for 37 years. He was associated with Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) from 1990, served as Deputy director from 1996 to 2004, and as an Officiating director of IDSA from 2004 to 2005. Later, was appointed as secretary to the Government of India's task force on "Global Strategic Developments". He retired in 2007. He worked as an editor of "Maritime affairs" and "Strategic analysis" - currently, serving on the editorial board of "Contemporary Security Policy". He edited books on nuclear, maritime, and international security related issues; and contributed  over sixty research-articles to reputed journals, both in India and abroad—US Naval Institute Proceedings, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - and in books published by the US Naval War College and Royal Navy Defence studies. Currently, he is a life member of United Services Institute (USI), a member of advisory panel of the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, chairman of the Middle East Institute in New Delhi, director of National Maritime Foundation, and a frequent (guest) lecturer at the Indian National Defence College, including other military colleges. This strategic analyst regularly  writes columns for some of the country's leading English publications such as The Indian Express, Reuters, Dainik Jagran, The Economic Times, and several alike.