Kathmandu Chronicle: Reclaiming India-Nepal Relations

In recent decades, Nepal's history has been marked by tumultuous events and transformations, and its relations with India by sharp fluctuations. From the Maoist insurgency to the hijacking of IC 814, from the Palace Massacre that wiped out King Birendra and his entire family to the coup by King Gyanendra against democracy, among others, the much-vaunted India-Nepal 'special relationship' has repeatedly experienced setbacks, some of them with long-term implications.

What are the real causes of regular anti-Indian eruptions in Nepal, and why is there so much mutual distrust and suspicion despite India's best intentions? Anecdotal, definitive and deeply researched, Kathmandu Chronicle opens a window to many stories of India-Nepal relation that largely remain untold and therefore unknown till date.

K.V. Rajan is a former Member of the Indian Foreign Service, retired as Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. During nearly forty years of diplomatic service, he was entrusted with diverse responsibilities which covered political, economic, cultural, academic, media-related and multilateral work and developed intimate knowledge about most countries and major international institutions in the world. His diplomatic service outside India included the following (in the capacity of Head of Mission) France, USA, Zambia (with concurrent accreditation to Botswana, Angola, Namibia and South Africa and (then) Rhodesia, Algeria, UK and Nepal. As India's longest serving Ambassador to Nepal to date (1995 to 2000), and subsequently in various other capacities, he has unmatched personal experience of Nepal and understanding of various aspects of India-Nepal Relations.

Rajan's additional responsibilities at different levels of seniority in the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India included Adviser to the External Affairs Minister; Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the African Union; Co-Chair, Iran-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline Project; Special Adviser to the Foreign Secretary of India; Head of Coordination Division, Ministry of External Affairs; Head of Europe Division, Ministry of External Affairs.

Rajan is a frequent speaker in India and abroad on international issues. He is the author of several articles on Foreign Policy issues for the leading publications, and Editor of an anthology of essays by distinguished senior former Ambassadors, The Ambassadors Club (HarperCollins).

Atul K. Thakur is a Policy Professional, Columnist and Writer with specialisation in the interface of economics and politics. His interest in writing and research is quite diverse and reaches to the areas of Public Policy & Affairs, Macroeconomic Policies, International Affairs and Sustainability, with special focus on South Asia. He is an alumnus, inter alia, of Banaras Hindu University and Pondicherry University and has worked across the sectors, spanning Public Policy & Affairs, Management Consultancy, Think Tank, Journalism; Publishing and Media. As an author/editor, India Now and in Transition (Niyogi Books, 2017) is his second and widely acclaimed book. In 2013, he edited India since 1947: Looking Back at a Modern Nation (Niyogi Books), a major non-fiction book on modern India. In 2021, he curated and edited (with Nepal's Former Finance Minister Mr Madhukar SJB Rana), An Alternative Development Paradigm for Nepal (Vajra, Kathmandu).

Among others, he has extensively written for The Kathmandu Post, The Hindu, Firstpost, News18, The Indian Express, Financial Express, The Economic Times, DailyO, Mail Today, The Pioneer, Tehelka, Outlook, Mainstream, The Daily Star, Daily Times, Republica, The Record, India Quarterly (ICWA), Strategic Analysis (IDSA), ORF, Gateway House. As a public intellectual and industry insider, he plays an important role in shaping India-Nepal economic cooperation.