About

I’m Mahesh Vaishnav — a civilizational thinker and writer studying how India understands itself as a living tradition, and how different civilizations articulate the human journey without being forced into borrowed frameworks.

My work draws on rigorous academic training (PhD and postdoctoral research) and a decade of strategic leadership in Defence, where I advised senior military leaders, Ministers and the Permanent Secretary on technology (including AI), governance and complex capabilities. This combination of scholarship and practice allows me to integrate evidence across domains and uncover insights that conventional siloed approaches often miss.

I also teach Sanskrit using a modern, applied method that blends contemporary vocabulary — from AI to geopolitics — with classical grammar. I treat Sanskrit not as a relic of the past but as a living intellectual instrument for making sense of our world.

I'm currently writing a book that explores India’s civilizational memory in conversation with other traditions — how civilizations differ in their understanding of human purpose, meaning and knowledge. By widening the comparative lens, the book seeks to understand India on its own terms and situate it within a broader civilizational story.

Here, I share essays on Indian civilization, comparative historiography and how ancient wisdom can illuminate modern life. If you’re curious about India and other civilizations beyond the usual narratives, or simply seeking clarity in an age of information overload and accelerating technology, you’re in the right place.

What I Write About

• Civilization — essays on Indian civilization, comparative thought, and how different traditions interpret the human journey.
• Sanskrit — modern Sanskrit learning and how classical language sharpens contemporary understanding.
• Technology — understanding AI and technological acceleration and how they reshape the human experience.

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