Claude Arpi is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) born in 1949 in Angoulême, France. He settled in India 49 years ago. He is a Distinguished Fellow, Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (Delhi). Claude Arpi earlier held the Field Marshal KM Cariappa Chair of Excellence from the United Service Institution of India (USI) for his research on the Indian Presence in Tibet 1947-1962 (in 4 volumes – Vij Publisher). He is the author of many books on Tibet, China, India and the Indo-French relations. He also contributed to the ORCAxISDP Special Issue "The Dalai Lama's Succession: Strategic Realities of the Tibet Question."