Course Scholars

Brighty Ann Sarah

Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) under the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme. She serves as an Assistant Editor for The Conflict Weekly and The World Today, and part of the NIAS Pakistan Reader team.
 
She is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies at the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai.

GP Commentaries
CW Note
The US-Iran War, Week 22:
End of pause, Return of hostilities and Expanding conflict geography
Conflict Weekly #342, 30 July 2026, Vol 7, No. 29

July 2026 | CWA # 2213

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Bengaluru

CW Note
The Houthis target Saudi Arabia:
A new front in the US-Iran War
Conflict Weekly #341, Vol 7, No. 28, 23 July 2026

July 2026 | CWA # 2204

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
US-Iran War, Week 21:
Resumption of attacks and the Strait of Hormuz impasse
Conflict Weekly #341, Vol 7, No. 28, 23 July 2026

July 2026 | CWA # 2203

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
The US-Iran negotiations:
Tenuous Ceasefire, Renewed Threats and the Contest over the Strait of Hormuz 
NIAS Conflict Weekly, Vol. 7, No. 339, 03 July 2026

July 2026 | CWA # 2172

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
The US-Iran MoU:
Asymmetric Gains and Implementation Challenges

June 2026 | CWA # 2149

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
The US-Iran War, Week Fourteen:
Intensifying Domestic Pressure and the Lebanon Question

June 2026 | CWA # 2132

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Column
Conflicts in the Middle East
The US-Iran War Week Thirteen: Escalating Hostilities, Tenuous Ceasefire and Tense Negotiations

May 2026 | CWA # 2120

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
The Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire:
Nominal Truce and Persisting Violations 
The renewed Israel-Hezbollah clashes, triggered by Hezbollah’s retaliatory strikes on Israel at the onset of the US-Israel war against Iran, shattered the fragile November 2024 ceasefire.

May 2026 | CWA # 2104

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Column
Conflicts in the Middle East:
Escalating Israeli Aggression in Lebanon I UAE’s Covert Manoeuvres 
Lebanon’s leadership has emerged assertive in its stance against Israel’s ceasefire violations and entrenching occupation.

May 2026 | CWA # 2091

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
The US-Iran War, Week Ten:
Fraying Ceasefire, Renewed Negotiations and the Risk of a Stalemate
The 14-point plan proposed by the US emphasises the immediate reopening of the strait over the long-term resolution of the conflict.

May 2026 | CWA # 2090

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
The US-Iran War, Week Nine:
Deadlocked Negotiations, Competing Agendas and Domestic Pressure
Washington appears willing to sustain the pressure on Iran and higher global oil prices to force a more comprehensive deal on American terms rather than accepting a quick, limited reopening that could allow Tehran to regroup.

May 2026 | CWA # 2083

Brighty Ann Sarah | Brighty Ann Sarah is a Research Assistant with the Global Politics team at the Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

CW Note
Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire:
Asymmetric Terms, Fragile Truce and Israeli Occupation

April 2026 | CWA # 2074

Brighty Ann Sarah | Ms Sarah is a Research Assistant at NIAS and Assistant Editor of NIAS Conflict Weekly.

Continuing Israel-Hezbollah Confrontation
Expanding Israeli Military Operations and the Reshaping of Southern Lebanon

March 2026 | CWA # 2036

Brighty Ann Sarah

Continuing Israel-Hezbollah Confrontation
Attacks in South Lebanon, Beirut’s Conundrum, and Tel Aviv’s Greater Goals
Conflict Weekly #323, 13 March 2026

March 2026 | CWA # 2020

Brighty Ann Sarah

The US-Iran Negotiations in Geneva
Ambiguous Conclusions and Escalating Fears of Military Action
Conflict Weekly #319-320, 20 February 2026

February 2026 | CWA # 1975

Brighty Ann Sarah

CW Column: Conflicts in the Middle East
US threats against Iran, and Phase Two operations in Gaza
Conflict Weekly 317, 30 January 2026, Vol 7, No. 4

January 2026 | CWA # 1952

Brighty Ann Sarah

TWTW Note
The Pentagon’s National Defence Strategy: Four major takeaways 

January 2026 | CWA # 1947

Brighty Ann Sarah

CW Note
Syria: The State victory over the Syrian Democratic Forces

January 2026 | CWA # 1944

Brighty Ann Sarah

CW Note
The War in Gaza: Trump’s Board of Peace and the Challenges to Phase Two

January 2026 | CWA # 1941

Brighty Ann Sarah

CW Note
Protests in Iran: Continuing Stalemate and Shifting US Position

January 2026 | CWA # 1936

Brighty Ann Sarah

GP Insights
Thailand-Cambodia Border Confrontation: A military escalation and diplomatic fallout

July 2025 | GP Insights # 932
Brighty Ann Sarah

Other Scholars

Abhimanyu Solanki is a Research Intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, and is part of the NIAS Pakistan Reader team, contributing to the PR Daily Brief. He is also a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and PhD scholar in the Department of Political Science at the University...

Acsah H is currently and intern at NIAS. She is pursuing postgraduate studies at the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations at Manipal Institute of Social Studies, Humanities and Arts, MAHE, Manipal, Udupi. Her research interests include Outer-space governance and regulation.

Adwaith Sankar is a final-year undergraduate student pursuing Political Science and International Liberal Studies through the NUS-Waseda Double Degree Programme. He is currently a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Akshath Kaimal is a Research Associate with NIAS Area Studies-Pakistan, and is a postgraduate in International Studies and International Humanitarian Action

Ankit is a Ph.D. scholar at NIAS, his research interests lie South Asia, peace studies and oral history. His research topic is on political economy of external debt in Pakistan (1971-2021).   Research activities In the STIR program, he is currently assisting in preparations of PR evening...

Aparna A Nair is an undergraduate student at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai. Her research interests lie in East Asia (China), the Arctic Region, Planetary Governance and Gender Studies.

Avaneesh S is an intern at NIAS. Currently, he is pursuing post gradaute studies at Pondicherry University. His research interests include South Asian geopolitics & Security studies, Conflict & Counterterrorism studies and Energy Transition in Asia.

Lekshmi MK is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), working with the Area Studies-Pakistan Programme and the NIAS Polar and Ocean Studies initiative. She also serves as an Assistant Editor for The World Today and The World This Week. Her research interests include...

Madhura Meenakshi Tanikella is an an intern at NIAS. She is also an undergraduate student at the School of Liberal Arts, Alliance University, pursuing a bachelor's in Political Science and Economics. Her interests lie in conflict studies, foreign policy, and international relations. 

Manikranth Chakravarthula is a doctoral student at the Conflict Resolution and Peace Research Programme, School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

Namrata L Ghanghatkar is a postgraduate student at the Department of Public Policy, Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, RUAS, Bengaluru. She is currently a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. 

Padmashree Anandhan is currently a project associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore. Her research for the NIAS Europe Studies under the Area Studies initiative focuses on protest movements, conflicts, energy, economic, migration...

R. Preetha is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) - Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR) Programme. She serves as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week and The World Today, and is also part of the NIAS Pakistan Reader team. She is currently...

Priyanka Makhijani is a postgraduate student at the Department of Public Policy, School of Social Science, Ramaiah University of Applied Science. She is currently a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Ms Rohini Reenum is a Doctoral Student at the Science, Technology and International Relations Programme, School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies. Her areas of interest in terms of research are Maritime Security, Ocean Governance, International Relations Theory,...

Sreemaya Nair is currently pursuing her under graduation at the Department of International Relations, Peace Studies and Public Policy, St Joseph's University, Bengaluru.  Her research interests include Gender Studies, India and its neighbourhood, and Public Administration.

Urja R Kudalkar is a postgraduate student at the Department of Public policy, School of Social Science, Ramaiah University of Applied Science. She is currently a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

Yesasvi Koganti is currently pursuing under-graduation at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai.  Her research interests include China–Europe relations; Pakistan–Afghanistan conflict dynamics in India’s Neighbourhood; Emerging security challenges...