Pavan K. Varma is a writer-diplomat and now in politics, where he was a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, and earlier Advisor to the Chief Minister of Bihar, with the rank of Cabinet Minister. He I the author of over a dozen best-selling books, including Ghalib: The Man, The Times; The Great Indian Middle Class; The Book of Krishna; Being Indian, Becoming Indian; Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker; Chanakya's New Manifesto, and The Great Hindu Civilisation: Achievement, Neglect, Bias and the Way Forward. He has been Ambassador in several countries including Bhutan, Director of The Nehru Centre in London, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Director General, ICCR, and Press Secretary to the President of India.

A popular columnist and TV commentator,
Mr Varma has occupied several political posts. He has won several awards and honorary doctoral degrees acknowledging his contribution to the fields of diplomacy, literature, culture and aesthetics.