ORF President Samir Saran to join East-West Center's Board of Governors

Honolulu [US], July 11 : The East-West Center's Board of Governors has elected Dr Samir Saran, head of India's leading think tank, as one of the board's five international members.

Dr Saran, who is President of the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF), will begin his term at the board's next semiannual meeting in October, a EWC release said.

The East-West Center was established by the United States Congress in 1960 as a national educational institution to foster better relations and understanding among the peoples of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific islands through programs of cooperative study, training, and research.

The Center's Board of Governors members and its President Suzanne Vares-Lum extended Dr Saran a warm welcome.

"We are delighted that Dr. Saran has agreed to join us on the EWC Board of Governors. His expertise as a leading thinker in the critical region of South Asia will be invaluable in helping to guide our special institution," Board Chairman Dr James K. Scott said.

Dr Saran said he is honoured to join the East-West Center Board of Governors at a pivotal moment for the future of the Indo-Pacific region.

"New partnerships, innovative ideas and strong communities can help us achieve prosperity in the region and beyond, and institutions such as the East-West Center will play a leading role in helping us achieve these. I look forward to working with my fellow board members in furthering the mandate and mission of the Center," he said.

The East-West Center Board of Governors consists of 18 members. The Governor of Hawai'i appoints five members, the US Secretary of State appoints five members, and these ten members in turn elect five members from Asia and the Pacific.

There are also three ex-officio members - the Governor of Hawai'i, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the President of the University of Hawai'i, the release said.

The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue.

The release said Dr Saran's research focuses on issues of global governance, climate change and energy policy, technology and media, and India's foreign policy. He also spearheads the ORF's efforts to foster new international partnerships and incubate young leaders' networks and youth-led conversations globally.

Dr Saran curates the annual Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship platform on geopolitics and geo-economics, and is the founder of the CyFy annual conference on cybersecurity and internet governance.

He has authored four books and is featured regularly in Indian and international media.

He will be speaking at the East-West Center in Washington on "India in the World" on Tuesday.