Shankkar Aiyar is a prominent India-based political economy analyst, columnist and author. His path-breaking book “Accidental India: A History of the Nation’s Passage through Crisis and Change” has fetched him national acclaim as a public intellectual. Accidental India, an in-depth study of the political and economic history of modern India,... Read more
Shankkar Aiyar is a prominent India-based political economy analyst, columnist and author. His path-breaking book “Accidental India: A History of the Nation’s Passage through Crisis and Change” has fetched him national acclaim as a public intellectual.
Accidental India, an in-depth study of the political and economic history of modern India, examines the country’s transformation through the arresting angles of seven game changers, one for each decade since 1947. The book argues and establishes that the turning points in the country’s history were not the result of foresight or planning but serendipitous consequences of major crises that had to be resolved at any cost. As a best-seller Accidental India has received fulsome praise from academics, policy makers and business icons.
In 2017, Shankkar Aiyar published his second book, “Aadhaar — A Biometric History of India’s 12 Digit Revolution”. Listed as a bestseller on public policy for over a year, Aadhaar–A Biometric History chronicles the setting up of the world’s largest biometric identity system. Released by the President of India and received by the Prime Minister of India, Aadhaar is an unusual dramatisation of contemporary history and of the political and economic changes, has been published and is globally available in five languages. The third book, “The Gated Republic – India’s Public Policy Failures and Private Solutions”, is scheduled for release at the end of February. Aiyar is working on his fourth book which looks at demographic, technological and climate change on politics and public policy.
As a political economy analyst, Aiyar specialises in the interface of economics and politics. He has worked with the Indian Express and was Managing Editor at India Today. He has covered every election since 1984 and the political economy since 1991. A journalist for over three decades – his 1991 scoop on a bankrupt India pledging its gold reserves made national headlines – he has won awards and been at the helm of a national newspaper and newsweekly.
Shankkar Aiyar has authored a study on India’s Socio-Economic Fault Lines and its 100 worst districts. His investigation on 25 years of political corruption, Smoking Guns, is part of an anthology. He has been a Wolfson Chevening Fellow at Cambridge University where he studied the Lifecycles of Emerging Economies.
Aiyar writes for The New Indian Express, Bloomberg Quint and Amar Ujala besides other newspapers on invitation on how politics impacts people, governance and the economy. He is invited to decode the interface of politics and economics for Indian and international audiences.
Shankkar Aiyar is a Visiting Fellow at IDFC Institute where he is focussed on economic imperatives and political impulses that drive public policy.
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Shankkar Aiyar's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Shankkar tailored to your event.
Shankkar Aiyar speaks on Authors, Journalists & Moderators. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Shankkar to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Shankkar Aiyar for events worldwide, subject to Shankkar's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Shankkar Aiyar is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Shankkar can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Shankkar Aiyar on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Shankkar can offer.
Shankkar Aiyar delivers keynotes in English, Hindi. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Shankkar Aiyar's areas of expertise include Authors, Journalists & Moderators. To get a clear sense of Shankkar's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Shankkar Aiyar can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Authors, Journalists & Moderators is relevant. Details of Shankkar's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Shankkar Aiyar is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Shankkar Aiyar, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Shankkar's current availability for your dates.