Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
मनोहर पर्रिकर रक्षा अध्ययन एवं विश्लेषण संस्थान

D. Padma Kumar Pillay

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Colonel Dr. Divakaran Padma Kumar Pillay (Retd.) has seen action in several disturbed areas of the country. He earned a Shaurya Chakra for gallantry beyond the call of duty in Tamenglong, Manipur where he is remembered for the evacuation of wounded children despite having himself received life threatening injuries. On his retirement, the villagers made him an honorary member of their tribe for his humanitarian actions and in recognition of the development initiatives taken by him in the region including a national highway sanctioned by the Government of India.

Col. Pillay has held several assignments in his 29-year career in the Indian Army. Besides several field assignments, he was selected by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to serve at the Military School, Bangalore to inspire cadets to join the Armed Forces. In 2003, he was selected for Project Beta which delivered a handheld PDA for use by the Infantry in counter insurgency operations. This was a very unique military-funded IT enterprise. For his contribution to the project, he was awarded the COAS Commendation Card in 2005.

In January 2006, he was selected as Planning Officer (Defence) in the Planning and International Cooperation (PIC) Division of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Being the first service officer in the MoD secretariat, he handled issues ranging from defence policy and strategy, implementation of the Group of Ministers report on reform of national security system, defence cooperation with foreign countries, issues of multilateral forum as well as matters pertaining to institutions like the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). He has also represented India at various international forums including the UNOG for CCW conferences, UNGA, Shangri La Dialogue, ASEAN and UNEP, among others

After the tenure at MoD, he served on a yearlong fellowship at MP-IDSA in 2009, where he prepared a report on the benefits of joint exercises with the foreign countries. He was subsequently selected as Senior Defence Specialist in the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), where he served from 2010 to 2017. He has been a member of several national level task forces including that on Defence Modernisation and Indigenisation headed by Shri Ravindra Gupta and the Task Force on Defence Diplomacy, which brought about significant changes in policy. He was also a member of the NSCS-nominated Task Force on Environmental Security. 

Currently, Col. Pillay is pursuing research on violent extremism at MP-IDSA as well as a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) project on Action Plan to Counter Radicalisation of Indian Youth. He was nominated as a member of the Advisory Committee for Commemoration of the First War with Pakistan (October 1947-December 1948) by the National Archives of India. He subsequently produced a well-researched exhibition on the accession of Jammu and Kashmir. In December 2018, he was nominated as Brand Ambassador to the Disabled in the Army, having been wounded in action and showing remarkable grit and recovery, by the COAS in a ceremony held at the Northern Command along with living Param Vir Chakra awardees.

In December 2018, he was also deputed as a Military Advisor with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for After Action Review for the wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. He was the first Indian armed forces officer selected as an Armed Forces Delegate with the ICRC. He re-joined MP-IDSA in May 2019.

Col. Pillay holds a Ph.D. from the Panjab University and his thesis deals with the debate between human and national security. Besides university courses, he has attended several military training programmes in India and abroad on diverse subjects relating to conflict resolution, human rights, security sector reform, humanitarian civil-military coordination, strategic negotiations, rehabilitation and relief, disaster risk management and environmental law. Some of the courses attended are: New Issues in Security course at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (2007), Switzerland; the UNOCHA course on Civil Military Cooperation at Bangkok (2014); and International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance, Barcelona, Spain (2014).

He has been invited to present papers at international conferences, notably at the Martens Reading at St. Petersburg, Russia in May 2019 and at the ICRC South Asia in July 2017. He regularly conducts international humanitarian law (IHL) training for the UN missions at courses conducted by the Centre for UN Peacekeeping in New Delhi. He also delivers lectures at universities and colleges including at the UGC-HRD courses. He is a regular strategic affairs commentator on Indian radio and television as well as a motivational speaker, including at TED. He was a recipient of the CNN–IBN Special Achievement Award in 2012.

Research Fellow

Publication

DPK Pillay Delivers Keynote Address at International Conference on ‘Asia’s Maritime History and Identity at Cultural Crossroads’

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay delivered a Keynote Address at the International Conference on ‘Asia’s Maritime History and Identity at Cultural Crossroads’, on 23-24 January 2025. The Conference was organised by Kristu Jayanti College Bangalore, in collaboration with the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

  • Published: 27 January, 2025

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DPK Pillay’s Article ‘One Rank One Pension: A Saga of Broken Promises and Hard-Won Battles’ Published in Blitz India

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘One Rank One Pension: A Saga of Broken Promises and Hard-Won Battles’ has been published in Blitz India on 13 November 2024.

The journey of OROP reflects India’s commitment to recognizing veterans’ sacrifices, not just lip service during election seasons. Timely revisions and continuous dialogue with veterans are crucial to fulfilling OROP’s true spirit.

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  • Published: 19 November, 2024

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Money Control.com Quotes Col DPK Pillay on India-US Ties Post Trump’s Win

Money Control.com quoted Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay in its article ‘India-US Ties to get stronger post Trump win, trade issues could create friction: Experts’, published on 06 November 2024.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

  • Published: 8 November, 2024

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A trusted partner: India set to expand defence, maritime ties with Tanzania

DPK Pillay’s Article ‘A trusted partner: India set to expand defence, maritime ties with Tanzania’ Published in Blitz India
Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘A trusted partner: India set to expand defence, maritime ties with Tanzania’ has been published in Blitz India on 10 September 2024.

India has long been a trusted partner in training Tanzanian military personnel, and this relationship is set to expand, says Col Pillay.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

  • Published: 18 September, 2024

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India’s Transformative Journey from MDG to SDGs: Localisation of SDGs Sign of Political Commitment

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘India’s transformative journey from MDG to SDGs: Localisation of SDGs sign of political commitment’ has been published in the 12-18 August 2024 issue of Blitz India.

India collaborates with various stakeholders, including governments, private entities, and civil society organisations, to drive impactful SDG initiatives. Additionally, localisation of SDG frameworks has been a key strategy, with efforts tailored to meet the unique needs of specific regions and communities, says Col Pillay.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

  • Published: 13 August, 2024

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Gaza epitomises challenge in CONFLICT RESOUTION; A 75th Anniversary review of Geneva Conventions

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘Gaza epitomises challenge in CONFLICT RESOUTION; A 75th Anniversary review of Geneva Conventions’ has been published in Blitz India on 25 July 2024.

THE ongoing conflict in Gaza vividly illustrates a tragic display of humanitarian law violations perpetrated by both Hamas and Israel, exposing the inadequacies of international humanitarian law in restraining atrocities and steering the conflict towards continuous destruction, writes Col Pillay.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

  • Published: 29 July, 2024

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Delivering on Agnipath’s Promise: Creating Pathways within and Beyond Military Service

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘Delivering on Agnipath's Promise: Creating Pathways within and Beyond Military Service’ has been published in the Vivekananda International Foundation’s (VIF) website on 28 June 2024.

The Agnipath scheme is a significant initiative aimed at modernizing India's armed forces and creating a younger, more technologically adept military. However, for the scheme to reach its full potential, it is crucial to address the challenges faced by Agniveers who are not retained for their transition to civilian life and maximize their post-service opportunities, writes Col Pillay.

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Disclaimer:The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

  • Published: 1 July, 2024

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New COAS Appointment Puts Controversy to Rest

Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA. Col DPK Pillay’s article ‘New COAS appointment puts controversy to rest’ has been published in The Blitz India on 15 June 2024. The controversy surrounding General Pande’s extension had generated debate about the Model Code of Conduct during elections, with some Opposition parties alleging that the extension was a violation of the MCC. However, the appointment of Lt General Dwivedi has put the matter to rest, allowing the Army to focus on its priorities and challenges ahead, says Col Pillay. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

  • Published: 15 June, 2024

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