News
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
REINS, RESOLVE, AND THE COURAGE TO BEGIN
My first understanding of leadership began with discomfort.
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Failure Didn't Break Me It Built Me
Let's discuss failure—not the kind that defines me, but the kind that refines me.
1 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
I RECEIVED THE "WORLD'S GREATEST WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR AWARD" BY THE US BASED SUCCESS MAGAZINE, FIRST WOMAN IN 104 YEARS
With each setback that I faced on my way towards achieving my goal, I kept going with a belief that it is teaching me to change my ways rather than changing my goal.
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
WOMEN in Sri Lankan Politics
A Legacy of Leadership and Democratic Progress
3 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
LETTER TO MY 18-YEAR-OLD SELF
To the Girl I Once Was
3 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
FIRST STEPS, LASTING LEGACY
\"I was the First Girl to get a First Class Honours Degree in BSc Agricuture at Makerere University, Uganda\"
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
BREAKING NEW SKIES
My journey has been shaped by many “firsts.”
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Why Saying "NO" Isn't Easy
Why refusal feels harder for women — and what behavioural science reveals
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Message
Across societies and cultures, the stories of women have always been powerful sources of resilience, creativity and transformation. Yet for much of history, many of these stories remained largely within families and communities rather than in public spaces where they could inspire wider change.
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Things Designed by Women (You Probably Didn't Know!)
The everyday world - quietly shaped by brilliant women
1 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
The Psychology of Colours
What Women Leaders Say — Without Speaking
1 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
FROM THE HIMALAYAS TO THE BALTICS
A Diplomat's Journey of the Firsts
3 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
THE MENTOR WHO MADE THE DIFFERENCE
As I step into my 26th year with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), I find myself reflecting on a journey filled with learning, growth, and deep gratitude. Looking back, it is not just the years that stand out, but the people, opportunities, and moments that shaped my professional and personal life.
3 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
The 9-5 Was Never Designed for Women
Rethinking work through the lens of history
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
The Quiet Architects of My Journey
Every year when we begin work on the Women’s Day Special Edition, we ask ourselves a familiar question: how do we move beyond the predictable? How do we step outside the well-trodden path of statistics, panel discussions, and ceremonial praise, and instead arrive at something more intimate—more human?
3 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
DEAR MEN, THIS IS WHAT WE WISH YOU KNEW
I wish men knew how often I measure my words before I let them leave my mouth.
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
The 18 Year Journey of the International Women's Day Awards by the Public Diplomacy Forum
Honouring Legacy and Celebrating Leadership
2 min |
Special Edition 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
India's Strategic Engagement with Africa
A Path to Resilience and Cooperation
4 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
A Philosophy of Just Enough
The world never really runs out of wisdom, it simply hides it in the most unexpected places. Sometimes in rituals, sometimes in words, sometimes in everyday habits so ordinary that they almost escape notice. As I write this closing note for this edition, I find myself drawn not to grand political ideas or sweeping global shifts, but to a quiet philosophy from Japan that carries a surprisingly powerful message for our restless modern lives, Hara Hachi Bu.
3 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
The HundredYear Marathon: China's Secret Strategy To Replace America As The Global Superpower, by Michael Pillsbury
This book looks at China’s plan to outpace the United States as the superpower in the world. Based on his years of work in U.S.-China ties, Pillsbury says that China’s rise is not only about money or deals but is part of a secret plan based on old Chinese beliefs and tactics. It acts as a warning for Western leaders, saying that the U.S. has helped China rise due to mistakes and not knowing what Beijing wants.
3 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
HOW UPI CAN BECOME INDIA'S NEXT SOFT-POWER EXPORT
When political scientist Joseph Nye defined “soft power” as the ability to shape outcomes through attraction rather than coercion or upfront reward, he was describing a form of influence that works best when it feels voluntary, convenient, and even natural.
6 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Deal Behind the Deal
India-EU S&T Cooperation Will Define the Future of the Partnership
5 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Historic India-EU Free Trade Deal Finalised
After nearly 20 years of negotiations, India and the European Union have finalised a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) — described by leaders as the “mother of all deals,” marking a defining shift in global economic partnerships.
1 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
The Atlantic Umbrella is Folding, and Europe is Relearning Power
A Europe that wants to survive Trump-proofing will have to spend more, produce more, and de-risk more. An India that seeks lasting global standing will have to convert demographic and economic scale into defence-industrial outcomes that allies can bank on.
5 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Deeper India-UAE Strategic Partnership
Outcomes of the 2026 UAE Presidential Visit
5 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
India's Maritime Partnership Exercises (MPX) and Regional Stability
The Indo-Pacific is undergoing a profound realignment, defined by a cynical struggle for strategic positioning beneath the threshold of war.
4 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
BEYOND 'SAFETY'
India AI Impact Summit 2026 and the Shift to AI Impact
4 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
India's Emergence As A Major Economic Powerhouse of The Globe
The recent economic data projecting India's GDP growth rate for FY 2026-27 at 7.0 per cent by the RBI is a good indicator of its economic prowess, as it is way ahead of all the G20 nations, including Germany, Brazil, and China.
5 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
Ursula von der Leyen
Architect of Strategic Partnership and Global Leadership
3 min |
February 2026
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
India-Seychelles Ties Enter a New Phase
Understanding President Patrick Herminie's First State Visit to India
5 min |