MY INDIA, MY GODS Vol. 2 is an anthology of creative nonfiction edited by Sahana Ahmed and Capt Shakil Ahmed. The illustrations are by Akshaya Zachariah. We are delighted to introduce you to the contributing writers.

Capt Shakil Ahmed is a multi-dimensional leader with twenty-eight years of prolific experience. A notable Indian Army veteran, he received the coveted ‘Sword of Honour’ from Officers Training Academy, Chennai, in March 1997. Beyond his professional pursuits, he enjoys exploring new destinations, reading, and golf.

Born in Tezpur, Assam, Amitabh Atreya is the Chief Operating Officer of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League, where he oversees development, operations—including live broadcast—communication, community relations, and management. 

With over two decades of experience in the media and entertainment industry, Amitabh has established a distinguished career as an executive producer and director, specialising in documentary filmmaking, factual content, live sports broadcasting, one-offs, series/web-series, and corporate films. He has worked extensively across Indian mainstream markets as well as international television platforms.

N. Radha Aurora is a yoga enthusiast with a passion for holistic living. With a flair for words, she weaves tales of her own experiences, leading readers on introspective adventures. Her heart thrives in her role as a special educator, and she advocates for an inclusive environment that enables persons with special abilities to flourish. 

A coffee aficionado, Radha finds solace in quiet moments spent sipping a freshly brewed cup. She draws inspiration from the gentle spirit of horses and envisions herself curled up with a book and a journal, enjoying walks with family and pets in the hills—far from the chaos of the city.

Misna Chanu, a post graduate in Botany, is a bilingual poetess, children’s writer, author, translator, and an editor. Writing is not her hobby or passion but a call of her soul. As an author and an editor, she has published twelve books of poetry and short stories. Her poems have been translated into fifteen international languages and published in journals, anthologies, and magazines worldwide. She was born and brought up in Assam.

Lt Col Arindam Chaudhuri (Retd) holds an MA in Conflict, Security, and Development from King’s College London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from XLRI, Jamshedpur. A distinguished veteran of the Indian Army, he served for 20 years, specialising in counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir. He played a key role in the response to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack at the Taj Hotel. He was awarded the General Officer Commanding Commendation Card for his exemplary service. 

Beyond his military and strategic expertise, he is a passionate writer, expressing his thoughts on geopolitics, national security, and the human experience.

Rahul Gaur is a podcaster, writes poetry and articles, and nourishes his soul with the written word. His poetry and essays have been part of Hindi and English anthologies, publications like Jansatta, First India, and The Hooghly Review. His poetry book, Teen Chavanni, Kul Pachahattar, was recently published. 

An engineer and management professional, he works with a manufacturing company. He hosts a literary podcast Majhdhaar and blogs at majhdhaar.blogspot.in. 

Contact: rahuljigaur@gmail.com 

Karan Mujoo was born in Srinagar in 1986. His debut novel This Our Paradise was published by Penguin in May 2024. His work has appeared in fiftytwo.in, Tribune, Outlook, Arré, Firstpost, and Aainanagar. He tweets @mujoo_karan.

Malini Nair is a management and human resource professional who runs her own corporate consulting company following a long and successful leadership career in the corporate sector. 

A leadership coach and corporate trainer, her interests range from reading, music, and the arts to travelling, theatre, and cooking, with a special passion for storytelling. 

Her works have been published in TMYS (Tell Me Your Story) anthologies, Kitaab, The Wise Owl Magazine, Strand International, and Artoonsinn. Nature remains her greatest source of inspiration.

Kristika Neog is a fashion designer by profession and a wordsmith by passion. Hailing from the vibrant land of Assam, now based in Kolkata, she brings a unique blend of cultural nuances to her craft. 

With a portfolio that includes stints at AND, Zink London, and her current role at Manyavar, she weaves style and elegance into every thread. When not designing, she can be found penning words, belting out tunes, or taking on roles that bring characters to life. Creativity knows no bounds!

Tejaswinee Roychowdhury likes to write, mostly fiction and poetry, has publications across the world, and edits The Hooghly Review. She has been nominated for the Best of the Net anthology, the Pushcart prize, longlisted for the Wigleaf Top 50, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Law from the University of Calcutta. You can follow her around on X @tejaswineerc; she seems nice but her eccentricity might disappoint you.

Kevichübei-ü Rutsa has over half a decade of counseling practice. Her work includes conducting workshops on mental health and counseling in educational institutions in and around Kohima, where she has helped raise awareness and provided guidance to students, educators, and communities. 

Mitra Samal is a poet, writer, and IT consultant based in Bhubaneswar, with a passion for both literature and technology. Her works, including poems, stories, essays, and reviews, have been published in The Hooghly Review, Muse India, Borderless Journal, Madras Courier, The Chakkar, and Kitaab, among others. 

An avid reader and a Toastmaster, she loves to speak her heart out. She can be found on Instagram @am_mitrasamal and on X @MitraSamal.

Muskan Saxena, an economic development professional from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, specialises in government and public advisory. Educated in London, she discovered that she felt ‘more Indian when abroad’.

A follower of Hinduism, Muskan respects all religions and draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, enriching her cultural and spiritual understanding. She is a Country Advisory Council Member at G100, a member of the South African BRICS Youth Association, and a United Nations volunteer.

She advocates for women in leadership, new-age skills for India, and the role of youth in economic growth.

Meeta Sengupta is an internationally recognised specialist in the education sector. Her work has shaped policy, teaching methods, and the next generation’s enthusiasm in education. Her work has been widely disseminated through her numerous television and podcast appearances, her published writings, her invited panel and keynote speaking at various national and global conferences. She is also widely quoted in national and international media. Meeta also enjoys reading her stories and poems at writer gatherings.

Sudeept Shrivastav is a (reluctant) software engineer but a storyteller at heart and a seeker at his core. A biker based in Pune, revelling in the freedom of a happily unmarried life, he writes about sports, cinema, and society. 

His debut book Class of 2000 chronicles India’s resurgence following the match-fixing scandal, and he is currently working on its sequel, Reign of Gold. A bilingual writer, he has been published in CineMahaul and made his fiction debut with the recently released anthology Ripples II. 

An organ donor and advocate for social equity, he believes in making a difference through both words and actions. He can be reached at sudeeptwrites@gmail.com.

Garry Singh is a versatile professional with a successful track record as an Army officer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He has proudly represented India by establishing knowledge brands across Asia and played a crucial role in guiding companies through various stages of their life cycle. Garry’s expertise spans risk advisory, market research, initiation, growth, mergers and acquisitions, and winding-off, showcasing his astute business acumen.

Shristee Singh is a volunteer for the Art of Living family. She has contributed to a plethora of journals and anthologies. Her book Cosmic Vibes won first prize at the Asian Literary Society for Best Poetry Book in English. She has been recognised as an ‘Author with an Impact’ by MomsLeagueGlobal in Mumbai. 

Her literary work has been honoured with the Bharat Award International for short story writing and the Rabindranath Tagore Poiesis Award for Excellence in Literature for poetry.

Dr (Prof) Vikram Singh is an educationist and retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. He held the post of Director General of Police in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) from June 2007 to September 2009. After serving as the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor of Noida International University, he is currently its Chancellor.

Dr Singh has been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry twice, Indian Police Medal for Gallantry twice, Indian Police Medal for Long and Meritorious Services, President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services, and Kathin Seva Medal twice.

Siji Varghese is a TEDx speaker, behavioral facilitator, and founder of Leaders in Lipstick®. With 27 years of experience, she specialises in leadership training and empowering women, having impacted 75,000+ participants globally through over 1,000 workshops.

She is based out of Mumbai.

Nitesh Mohan Verma writes poems and short stories in both Hindi and English. His poetry collection I Hear the Dead features 21 poems on the theme of war. A regular performer at poetry events across India, he has participated in over 100 such gatherings. 

Originally from Ranchi, Nitesh now resides in Mumbai, where he works as an independent business strategy consultant.