Renowned author Amitav Ghosh is one of the most influential thinkers of our generation. Among his acclaimed works are The Shadow Lines, The Hungry Tide, The Ibis Trilogy and, most recently, Smoke and Ashes: A Writer’s Journey Through Opium’s Hidden Histories. He is a recipient of numerous awards including India’s highest literary honour, the Jnanpith. Across form and genre, he explores intersections of culture, society, politics and the natural world - answering the most pressing questions of today.

Durjoy Rahman is an eminent philanthropist, art collector, and the founder of Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation (DBF). His collection is curated with meticulous, multidisciplinary consideration and a bona fide appreciation of art. His decades-long journey in this endeavour inspired him to establish DBF - a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting arts and culture from South Asia, facilitating cross-cultural dialogue and encouraging innovative, discursive narratives to challenge the global status quo.

Jogen Chowdhury is a revered artist, recognised as a pioneer of the expressionist style in contemporary India. He is known for a distinctive fusion of traditional and modern elements, masterful lines, cross-hatchings and careful distortions in his textural, uncanny depictions of the human condition. Chowdhury has received numerous honours for his work, his pieces housed in major museums and featured in exhibitions worldwide. In addition to his own artistic legacy, he has been pivotal in establishing key institutions dedicated to nurturing artists and the necessary evolution of visual language.

Prateek Raja is the co-founder of Experimenter, among the most innovative and influential art galleries in India. With co-founder, Priyanka Raja, he has steered the gallery as a trendsetter in the art scene, known for avant-garde, multidisciplinary programming. Beyond exhibitions, their initiatives include performances, workshops, publishing and learning programmes vital to the creative economy and curatorial practice.

R. Siva Kumar is an art historian, writer, critic and curator. His primary research is in early Indian modernism with a focus on the Santiniketan school. His work has been instrumental in shifting perspectives on the subject. Regarded among the country’s most erudite scholars, he has held several esteemed offices including that of principal at Visva Bharati where he is now Professor of Art History.

Rakhi Sarkar is an art curator and the founder-director of the Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), regarded as one of India’s premier art centres. They have curated over two hundred acclaimed exhibitions in the country and abroad and regularly encourage emerging artists through such initiatives as the Art Mela. She continues in her efforts to make art accessible for new talents and young collectors.

Rustom Bharucha is an esteemed writer, critic, director and dramaturg, recognised for his vast contributions to the study of interculturalism, secularism and oral history. He has authored several seminal works - including Another Asia, Terror and Performance, and The Second Wave - and conducts workshops around the world exploring important socio-political themes and the complicities of theatre and performance in their manifest reality. He continues to influence a whole generation of artistes and scholars.

Siddhartha Mukherjee is a distinguished oncologist, biologist and writer, best known for the Pulitzer-winning The Emperor of All Maladies - part of a trilogy including The Gene: An Intimate History and The Song of the Cell, all influential in shaping public discourse on health and medicine. For his great contributions to science, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. He continues to make strides in the field, inspiring paradigm shifts in cancer pathology, biological therapies and pharmaceutical treatments.

Sugata Bose is the Gradiner Professor of History at Harvard University. An historian and former MP, his scholarship has significantly shaped our understanding of South Asian and Indian Ocean history. He served as the Founding Director of Harvard’s South Asia Institute. His seminal works include His Majesty’s Opponent, The Nation as Mother, and most recently, Asia after Europe - a new history of the century that saw great shifts in the balance of global power, as well as the struggle to determine Asian identity.

is a renowned literary scholar, known for his immense contributions to Renaissance studies, textual analysis and translation. He is now Professor Emeritus at Jadavpur University, where he also founded the School of Cultural Texts and Records - pioneering digital humanities in India. He has authored several works, edited collections and served as General Editor for the Oxford Tagore Translations series. His translations of Bengal’s luminaries have expanded the reach of Bengali literature in global discourse.

Supriya Banerjee is the visionary founder of Galerie 88, a trailblazing gallery in Kolkata renowned for its promotion of contemporary art and the works of both domestic and international stalwarts. Since its inception in 1988, Banerjee has organised over three hundred exhibitions in Galerie 88 as well as other coveted venues across the country and globe. She has worked with some of the world’s most illustrious artists, including M.F. Hussain, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamsee, Meera Mukherjee, Ganesh Pyne, Somnath Hore and K.G. Subramaniam. Her legacy continues to fuel the art ecosystem and inspire generations of practitioners.

Malavika Banerjee is a notable cultural entrepreneur, recognized for her work in organizing literary and cultural events. She is the director of the Kolkata Literary Meet (Kalam), a significant literary festival in India that brings together authors, thinkers, and artists from around the world.

Jeet Banerjee is a driving force in promoting sports in India, with a particular focus on cricket and chess. As the co-founder of Gameplan, he is dedicated to supporting and developing contemporary Indian art and culture, while significantly advancing various sports initiatives across the nation.