Tilak Devasher is the author of three widely acclaimed books on Pakistan: ‘Pakistan: Courting the Abyss’ (December 2016) that was termed ‘easily the best book on Pakistan’ by a noted Pakistani commentator – Khaled Ahmed; ‘Pakistan: At the Helm’ (July 2018), that a Pakistani reviewer in Dawn termed as ‘a book that any future leader of Pakistan ought to have by their bedside, simply because it is the sum of all that has gone before’; and ‘Pakistan: The Balochistan Conundrum’ (July 2019) that a Pakistani reviewer in Dawn held was ‘far better than the books written on the subject by our own academics and writers.’
Tilak retired as Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Government of India in October 2014. He is currently a member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and also a Consultant with the Vivekananda International Foundation.
During his professional career Tilak served in J&K, Delhi and abroad. He specialized in security issues, especially pertaining to India’s neighbourhood. Post retirement, he has continued to take a keen interest in such issues with special focus on Pakistan.
Tilak has taken to writing after superannuation. Apart from his books, he has written articles for a host of newspapers, magazines and think tank journals. He is a regular contributor to the Indian Express, Tribune and occasionally to India Today. He also appears frequently on TV talk shows.