Col Mayank Chaubey

About the Author

Col Mayank Chaubey (Retd) is a former Indian Army officer, diplomat-trainer, and strategic thinker whose career spans nearly three decades at the intersection of defence, diplomacy, and civilisational engagement. Commissioned into the Indian Army, he served in a range of operational, instructional, and leadership roles, developing a deep understanding of security, discipline, and human leadership in complex environments. Following his military service, he transitioned into the world of diplomacy and international engagement, serving as Director at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (2014-2020), India's premier institution for training foreign diplomats. In this role, he mentored and interacted closely with envoys and officials from over a hundred countries, designing and delivering immersive programmes that went far beyond classrooms, introducing participants to India's lived culture, philosophy, and civilisational ethos. Col Chaubey's work has focused on presenting India not merely as a strategic actor, but as a civilisation, one that communicates through behaviour, hospitality, restraint, and shared human experience. His approach blends the clarity of military training with the sensitivity required for cross-cultural dialogue, earning him respect among diplomats, educators, and policy practitioners alike. An author, speaker, and commentator on geopolitics, leadership, and soft power, he brings a rare practitioner's insight to conversations about diplomacy's human dimension. A Fauji in Foreign Affairs : My Conversations with the World's Envoys is his first book and reflects his belief that the strongest bridges between nations are built not through authority or assertion, but through understanding, humility, and honest conversation. He continues to engage with policy forums, educational institutions, and public platforms, advocating a values-driven, people-centric approach to diplomacy rooted in India's civilisational confidence.