From Chevening fellow to cyber security leader in India’s Ministry of Defence

For Vivek Yadav, the Chevening Cyber Security Fellowship was instrumental in helping him build long-term relationships with global cyber security leaders and leading UK institutions, universities, and government partners. Today, Vivek is at the forefront of India‘s digital and AI agenda, serving as Director for IT and Cyber Security at the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

When Vivek was selected for the Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship in 2023, he arrived at Cranfield University with over 14 years of experience in military systems, national research laboratories, and senior government roles. He was already an established technical expert, but the fellowship offered something more: a broader perspective and an international cohort of experts to collaborate with and learn from.

During the fellowship, Vivek had the opportunity to work alongside experts from both the UK and Japan, which exposed him to new ways of thinking about complex challenges.

The mix of UK academic rigour, Japanese systems thinking, and Indian policy realities created an environment where assumptions were constantly challenged, not just in formal settings but during informal conversations too.

‘Some of the most valuable learning did not happen in lectures’, Vivek reflects. ‘It came from conversations that challenged how I saw problems I thought I already understood.’

The UK gave me a mirror. I returned to India not just with new knowledge, but with a clearer understanding of what we are doing well, and where the greatest opportunities for growth lie.

The power of the Chevening network

For Vivek, the Chevening network has continued to shape his career long after completing the fellowship. Through the global alumni community spanning governments, universities, and international institutions, he has gained access to trusted peers around the world.

Relationships that would typically take years to build only took months, thanks to the Chevening network.

Whether he is seeking insight into AI governance, cyber incident response, or digital regulation in another country, Vivek has been able to draw on the connections formed during his fellowship experience.

Leading the way forward

Before Chevening, Vivek described himself as a confident technical leader. By the time he returned, he had taken his leadership to the next level.

Throughout the fellowship, Vivek was repeatedly challenged to articulate complex ideas such as quantum cryptography, AI threat modelling, and digital sovereignty to audiences with vastly different professional vocabularies. Learning to translate technical ideas with strategic clarity refined both his thinking and communication skills: capabilities he continues to rely on today.

Attending global forums where cyber security is actively debated also reshaped his sense of responsibility.

Chevening did not simply expand my horizons. It raised my sense of obligation to put that expanded perspective to work in service of something larger than my own career trajectory.

Creating an impact beyond the fellowship

Since completing the fellowship, Vivek’s influence has continued to grow.

Recognised as a leading expert in his field, he was recently invited to serve as a panellist at the India AI Impact Summit, where he contributed to national discussions on India’s sovereign AI stack.

His message was clear: a nation that does not own its AI infrastructure cannot fully own its future.