Curator

Avatans Kumar, an award-winning journalist, author, speaker, and linguist, is an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he taught linguistics and Hindi as a foreign language. He also holds an MBA from Webster University and has worked in IT for several years. He is a recipient of the California News Publishers Association and the San Francisco Press Club journalism awards.

Avatans is the curator of BluIOne Ink’s Gods in Exile, an anthology of short stories based on Meenakshi Jain’s book Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples. He has also contributed chapters in Westland Books’ Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade and BlueOne Ink’s Padma Bharatis: Ordinary Indians Extraordinary Triumphs.

He has also been involved in translating original English works into Hindi. Notable works include Prof. Subhash Kak and Ambassador Arun Sahu’s poetry collections प्रकाश और छाया का पथ and इग्वाना और अन्य कविताएँ respectively.

About the Authors

Aditi Banerjee

Aditi Banerjee is a bestselling author based in the US. Her debut novel, The Curse of Gandhari, was published by Bloomsbury India in 2019 and her second, The Vow of Parvati, came out in 2022. Her third book, Hindu Love Stories: Dharmically Ever After, is a collection of stories from Hindu literature and history. She co-edited Invading the Sacred: An Analysisof Hinduism Studies in America in collaboration with Rajiv Malhotra and has authored several essays in publications such as The Columbia Documentary History of Religion in America Since 1945 and Buddhists, Hindus, and Sikhs in America: A Short History. Her articles have appeared in Outlook magazine and other publications. Aditi is a devout practitioner of Hinduism and frequently writes about Hinduism and the Hindu-American experience. Aditi is a practicing attorney at a Fortune 500 financial services company in the US and a member of the Indic Academy. She completed her executive MBA programme from Columbia University, New York, and earned a juris doctor from Yale Law School. She is a magna cum laude graduate in international relations from Tufts University, Massachusetts.

Aditi Gopinath

Aditi Gopinath is a freelance copywriter, content writer, and Bharatanatyam dancer. She holds a master’s in dance and is currently pursuing a master’s in psychology. Her academic interests include the cognitive effects of dance and potential therapeutic applications. With her educational background, Aditi is always on the lookout for opportunities to engage in research and writing.

Aneesh Gokhale

Aneesh Gokhale has established himself as a significant voice in the discourse of Indian history through his authorship of Lachit, The Indomitable, Battles of the Maratha Empire, and Sahyadris to Hindukush. These works have been widely acknowledged for their contribution to a deeper understanding of key historical events and figures. In addition to his books, Mr. Gokhale’s analyses have appeared in numerous online and offline publications, including DNA and Swarajya, and he has shared his expertise through over thirty public addresses at various forums, such as Pune Lit Fest, Pondy Lit Fest, INTACH (Delhi), Wadia College in Pune and Thakur College in Mumbai and other notable occasions in India. As a recipient of the Jadeja Motwani Fellowship, he is presently engaged in scholarly research on the Indian Shipping Industry during the British Raj. Mr. Gokhale’s dedication to historical inquiry is pursued in conjunction with his professional responsibilities as an officer in the Merchant Navy.

Deepa Duraiswamy

Dr. Deepa Duraiswamy holds degrees in engineering and management and an interdisciplinary PhD for her thesis on Temple Management in the Agamas. Deepa spent her early childhood in an idyllic village house attached to a thousand-year old Siva temple – an experience that now drives her thirst for delving deeper into the Saiva philosophical world and the temple ecosystem and bringing this ancient way of life to a wider audience in a relatable context.

Devamalya De

Devamalya De is a civil engineer by training, a heritage revivalist by calling. For over two decades, he has shaped skylines across India and Bahrain, guided by an IIM-Kozhikode lens that sees blueprints as epics and concrete as cultural memory.

He is the author of Maxims for Modern Warfare, the contemplative poetry collection Ailyak, and Sravasti Aritro Upakhyan, an  anthology of Bengali poems that trace urban love and quiet rebellion. His contribution to the Amazon bestseller Living a Wealthy Life offers a deep dive into purpose and fulfilment beyond wealth, exploring the inner contours of a truly meaningful existence.

A regular contributor to platforms like Indica, India Today, Goa Chronicle, and Kreately, Devamalya writes with a singular mission: to reconnect with the spirit of Bharat: its stories, symbols, and timeless strengths.

From building cities to reviving civilizational memory, Devamalya De builds with intent and an unwavering compass pointed at the past we inherit and the futures we dare.

Kavita Krishna Meegama

Kavita Krishna Meegama is a student of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji, of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, and has continued her Vedānta studies from the same paramparā. She enjoys writing and teaching Indic language, culture, and thought. Previously her stories have been published in INDICA anthologies (Aryaa and Shared Roots) and also on Dhīti – the Bṛhat blog. Currently she is the Director University Relations (IKS), at Bṛhat Education Trust.

Pranshu B Saxena

An avid reader of history and ancient texts, Pranshu B Saxena inherited love for writing and reading along with diabetes from his forebears. This madhurmeha (and madhumeha) stuck with him through his education on three continents. He enjoys delving into details of stories to find hidden truths which his young students at Vidyalaya enjoy. His stories have been published in INDICA anthologies (Unsung Valor, Flight of Deities, Shared Roots, Adrsya, Gods in Exile) and on RealMahabharata of VedaVyasa. His writings on Epics, cricket and history are available on various portals. Pranshu resides in New Jersey where he shares his life with lifelong collection of books.

Rajesh Ramachander

Rajesh Ramachander is an engineer and AI researcher with a deep interest in the intersection of technology, history, and spirituality. His professional work in artificial intelligence focuses on pushing the boundaries of innovation, while his personal pursuits draw him toward Vedic studies and ancient Indian texts.

Rajesh is particularly fascinated by the hidden narratives within the Puranas and their relevance in understanding our collective past. He believes that reconnecting with authentic history can help shape a more conscious and thoughtful future.

Beyond his work in engineering, Rajesh spends time immersed in ancient scriptures, seeking insights that bridge the wisdom of the past with the possibilities of the present.

Shubhra Prakash

Shubhra Prakash (शुभ्रा प्रकाश) is a writer and performer passionate about telling stories through theater and music, including Indian forms like Nautanki and Swaang. Her latest work Fontwala—realized as a solo play in English, an ensemble play in Hindi, and a digital exhibition—explores memory, identity, and the digitization of Indian letterforms. As a writer on the educational comic Priya’s Mask, her work was recognized by NPR and BBC. Shubhra is proud to have her writing featured alongside fellow artists, including work inspired by Flight of Deities by Dr. Meenakshi Jain.

Surela Chakraborty

Surela Chakraborty is a senior feature writer with her career spanning over more than a decade. Her articles were published in both digital and print media. She enjoys writing poems, short stories and information-based pieces on art, history, travel, culture, health and wellness. Apart from writing she enjoys listening to music, strumming the guitar, reading and cuddling her pets Truffles and Mowgli. She lives in Kolkata with her husband Ratul Chakraborty, in-laws and parents.