Ajai Shukla

In 2008-09, Ajai Shukla shifted base to the northeast, living and researching for a year in Arunachal Pradesh, for a proposed book on India’s assimilation of Arunachal Pradesh as a full-fledged state of the Indian union.

In 2006, Ajai Shukla covered the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, during the Israel-Hezbollah war.

From 2006 onwards, Ajai Shukla began writing as a consulting editor for Business Standard, a leading Indian business daily newspaper. His writing covers a wide range of strategic issues, including defence policy, procurement and industry.

In 2003-2004, Ajai Shukla covered the Iraq War and the US occupation of Iraq. During this period, he also reported from Syria, Jordan and Kuwait.

From July 2001, Ajai Shukla worked as a war correspondent for New Delhi Television (NDTV). After the 11 September World Trade Center terrorist attack, Ajai Shukla went into Afghanistan and, for the next three months, he covered the entire campaign to remove the Taliban from power. He also covered the attack on Tora Bora, near Jalalabad, on Osama bin Laden’s cave complex, from where Osama bin Laden escaped into Pakistan’s tribal areas.

Ajai Shukla was born in Mumbai on 23 January 1959. He was commissioned into an elite army tank regiment, 4 HORSE (Hodson’s Horse), in 1979, after training for three years (1976–78) at the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune and another year (1979) at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He served for 22 years, eventually taking pre-mature retirement from the army after successfully commanding 4 HORSE.