India is almost certainly the oldest maritime nation on earth — with 5,000 years of continuous seafaring history, and an unbroken thread from Lothal to the INS Vikrant.
Commodore Dr. Srikant B. Kesnur (VSM, retd.) — captain of two frontline Navy ships, former Defence Advisor in Nairobi, Director of the Maritime Warfare Centre in Mumbai — traces India’s maritime arc with rare command authority. From the Harappan dockyard at Lothal to the Maurya and Gupta empires’ star-navigation trade networks, through the Chola dynasty’s extraordinary maritime expansion that carried Ramayana culture across Southeast Asia, to Kanhoji Angre’s guerrilla tactics that held the Portuguese and British navies at bay for decades.
A crucial civilizational distinction anchors the conversation: India’s maritime presence in Southeast Asia was not colonial — it was the settlement model, not the subjugation model. Local cultures were never erased; they adapted Ramayana to their own sensibilities. This is why there are twenty distinct versions of Ramayana across the region. The session closes at Shivaji’s era, with a promise to continue into modern naval operations — the 1971 war, anti-piracy missions, and India’s nuclear submarine programme — in a future sitting.
About The Speaker:
Commodore (Dr) Srikant B. Kesnur, VSM (Retd) is an Indian Navy veteran. He had a distinguished career spanning 36 years, during which he held various appointments involving, command of two ships, maritime operations, training, military education, leadership, diplomacy, and communication. He holds a Ph.D. and five postgraduate degrees. He has been the Lead Writer/Chief Editor of many books/monographs published by the Indian Navy.
Cmde Kesnur has received several awards for his service, including the Vishisht Seva Medal, the CNS commendation, and the Lentaigne Medal (at DSSC). After his retirement, he has been involved in various activities, including teaching and writing on Maritime issues. He is also a motivational speaker and shares his experiences and insights with military and civilian professionals.
Rahul Dewan is a tech entrepreneur, angel investor, blogger, social activist, and Yoga & Meditation practitioner. In 2016, he founded SangamTalks – the largest YouTube channel for documentation of ‘Indian Knowledge Systems’ (IKS) and untold Indian History. Having exited his software services business (600 people) successfully, he now dedicates his full time to Dharmic causes. He is currently on a mission to raise 1000 Crores for Hindu civilizational causes, and to campaign for making Hinduism Missionary again.
