Ajay Patnaik was Professor at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India. He was also the Dean of the School of International Studies, JNU. He has authored four books: Central Asia: Geopolitics, Security and Stability (2016); Nations, Minorities and States in Central Asia (2003); Central Asia, between Modernity and Tradition (1995) and Perestroika and Women Labour Force in Soviet Central Asia (1989). He was also Executive Editor of the journal Contemporary Central Asia.