President

Samir Saran is the President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India’s premier think tank, headquartered in New Delhi with affiliates in North America and the Middle East. His research focuses on issues of global governance, climate and energy policy, technology policy, and India’s foreign policy.

Samir completed his doctoral studies at the Global Sustainability Institute, UK. He holds a Masters degree in Media Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, and a Bachelors in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, India.

As ORF’s President and member of the Foundation’s Board, he provides strategic direction and leadership to the foundation’s multiple centres on fundraising, research projects, platform design and outreach initiatives including stakeholder engagement. He also serves as the Founder and President of RPIF, the entity responsible for administering the Raisina Dialogue and its associated events.

He curates the Raisina Dialogue, India’s annual flagship platform on geopolitics and geo-economics, and is the founder of CyFy, India’s annual conference on cybersecurity and internet governance. He spearheads the foundation’s efforts to foster new international partnerships and incubate young leaders networks and youth led conversations globally.

Samir is a member of the Global Risks Advisory Board and Chair of the Global Future Council on Geopolitics of the World Economic Forum. He has served as a Commissioner of The Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace. He is a member of the Board of Directors at ORF America and President at ORF Middle East. He is also a part of Board of Governors of East West Centre in the United States.

Samir has authored five books, edited important journals and publications and written several academic papers and book chapters. He is featured regularly in Indian and international print and broadcast media. His latest publications include GeoTechnoGraphy: Mapping Power and Identity in the Digital Age with Anirban Sarma, The New World Disorder and The Indian Imperative with Shashi Tharoor and Pax Sinica: Implications Dawn with Akhil Deo.