About

Cmde Srikant Kesnur, an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, was commissioned in the Indian Navy in July 1986. In his 36 year career he has had extensive experience in maritime operations, training, military academia, leadership, diplomacy and communication. He has been the Captain (Commanding Officer) of two frontline ships - an anti-submarine frigate INS Vindhyagiri and India’s biggest amphibious ship INS Jalashwa - and, in addition, his tours of duty have witnessed several important assignments, prestigious courses and noteworthy tenures - at sea and ashore. His other key appointments include being the Defence Adviser at the High Commission of India, based in Nairobi (Kenya), from Oct 2008 to Mar 2012, with Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Eritrea and Somalia as his area of responsibility as well as being Senior Faculty, at different times, at the National Defence Academy, Pune, at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and at the Naval War College, Goa. He has a PhD from Mumbai University apart from five postgraduate degrees in science and social sciences. He has been Lead Writer and Chief Editor of twelve books/monographs and many journals for the Indian Navy. He has been involved with several academic, creative and corporate outreach endeavours of the Navy. Prior to his retirement on 30 Jun 22, he was the Director of Maritime Warfare Centre MWC), Mumbai and, in addition, also the Officer in Charge of the Naval History Project (NHP). He was conferred the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in the Presidential Awards in 2021, for distinguished services of high order. After retirement, Cmde Srikant Kesnur has dedicated himself to the cause of spreading maritime awareness in the country through teaching, writing, public lectures, podcasts and cinema. He is Adjunct Fellow of National Maritime Foundation (NMF), Delhi and visiting Faculty at Naval War College (NWC), Goa. He is also a consultant for the Indian Navy’s Oral history project. He describes himself as a ‘Maritime Evangelist’.

Swaroop Anand is a startup entrepreneur and military historian with a particular focus on Indian naval history. Trained as a mechanical engineer, he began his professional journey with a leading automobile major. He then obtained an MBA from the Indian School of Business, where he won the prestigious Young Leader Award. He spent over a decade in the startup ecosystem, holding senior leadership roles where he was instrumental in building and scaling businesses across diverse sectors, before starting up on his own in the kids’ fitness space. Swaroop has extensively researched and documented the Indian Navy, its history and its distinguished leaders. He is the author of numerous detailed Wikipedia biographies of India’s naval leaders. In addition, his deeply researched essays and widely read social media threads on naval history have drawn thousands of readers. His work bridges rigorous historical research with engaging storytelling, bringing India’s maritime journey to wider audiences. ​ Through Meluha Maritime, Swaroop seeks to merge his entrepreneurial drive with his passion for maritime history. His vision for Meluha Maritime is to create a bridge between scholarship and society — shaping a renewed understanding of India as a great maritime nation.

Kirti Tejas is an editor, instructional designer, and academic coordinator with close to two decades of experience spanning education, research, and communication. At Meluha Maritime, she oversees editorial and operations management, outreach initiatives, and works closely with subject matter experts in the maritime domain. She also contributes to the Maritime Conversations, coordinating podcasts that explore contemporary maritime themes. Earlier, as Research Associate at the Mumbai Münster Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Mumbai, she managed academic programmes and edited several publications on diaspora studies. Kirti has also worked with organizations such as Accenture, Cactus Communications, and Aranca, gaining wide-ranging experience in instructional design and professional editing. A postgraduate in English Literature from the University of Mumbai, she brings together linguistic precision, analytical depth, and an enduring interest in geopolitics and maritime affairs.