CMDE (Dr) SRIKANT B KESNUR, VSM, (Retd)
Adjunct Honorary Fellow
National Maritime FoundationAreas of Research
- Indian Naval History
- Indian Maritime History
- Interface between Military and Media
- Armed Forces and Public Culture
- Maritime and Defence Diplomacy
- African Studies (with emphasis on East Africa and WIOR)
Experience
- Cmde Srikant Kesnur, an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, was commissioned in the Indian Navy in July 1986. In his 36 years career he has had extensive experience in maritime operations, training, Professional Military Education (PME), leadership, diplomacy and communication.
- He has been the Captain of two frontline ships – an anti-submarine frigate INS Vindhyagiri and India’s biggest amphibious ship INS Jalashwa – and, in addition, his tours of duty have witnessed several important assignments, prestigious courses and interesting tenures – at sea and ashore.
- His other key appointments include being the Defence Adviser at the High Commission of India, based in Nairobi (Kenya), from Oct 2008 to Mar 2012, with Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Eritrea and Somalia as his area of responsibility as well as being Faculty Member, at different times, at the National Defence Academy, Pune, at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and at the Naval War College, Goa.
- He has a PhD from Mumbai University apart from five postgraduate degrees in science and social sciences. He has been Lead Writer and Chief Editor of twelve books/monographs and many journals for the Indian Navy. He has been involved with several academic, creative and corporate outreach endeavours of the Navy.
- Prior to his retirement on 30 Jun 22, he was the Director of Maritime Warfare Centre MWC), Mumbai and, in addition, also the Officer in Charge of the Naval History Project (NHP). He was conferred the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in the Presidential Awards in 2021, for distinguished services of high order.
- After retirement, Cmde Srikant Kesnur has dedicated himself to the cause of spreading maritime awareness in the country through teaching, writing, public lectures, podcasts and cinema. He describes himself as a ‘Maritime Evangelist’
Education
- PhD on the subject ‘Defence Diplomacy’, at the Mumbai University (Department of African Studies)
- PG diploma in Mass Communications from KC College, Mumbai
- M Phil in Strategic and International Studies (Mumbai University)
- MSc in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University
- MSc in Telecommunications from Kochi University
- MA in History from Mumbai University
- Short capsule course on Electronic Warfare (Maritime Operations) in Israel
- Short capsule course on UN Crisis Management in Sweden
- Defence Services Staff College, Wellington
- the Naval Higher Command Course at the College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai
- Joint Air Warfare Course at College of Air Warfare, Hyderabad
- BSc from Jawaharlal Nehru University