Remembering Maroof Raza.

MAROOF RAZA
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It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of Maroof Raza, a distinguished soldier-scholar and one of India’s most respected voices on strategic and security affairs. His life was a rare blend of military service, intellectual rigor, and public engagement—dedicated to strengthening national awareness of defence and geopolitics.
An alumnus of Mayo College, he carried the institution’s values of leadership and service throughout his career. Though he was from a much senior batch, those of us who share the Mayo brotherhood have always regarded him with pride—as a shining example of the school’s enduring legacy. From Mayo he went on to St. Stephen's College, and later pursued advanced studies in War Studies at King's College London and International Relations at University of Cambridge. This strong academic grounding would later define his authoritative voice on military history and global strategy.
Commissioned into the Indian Army, he served with distinction in the The Grenadiers and the Mechanised Infantry Regiment, and also trained future officers as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy. Those years in uniform shaped his lifelong commitment to the soldier’s ethos—duty, honour, and sacrifice—which remained central to all his later work.
After leaving active service, Maroof Raza emerged as a leading strategic commentator. As Consulting Editor (Strategic Affairs) with the Times television network, he brought defence issues into public discourse through programmes such as Latitude and The Defenders, and through the acclaimed series Tales of Valour broadcast on Times Now, Sansad TV, and Discovery Channel. His calm authority, clarity of thought, and soldierly bearing made him a trusted interpreter of complex security challenges for the nation.
Equally significant was his role as founder-publisher of SALUTE, a magazine dedicated to honouring the Indian soldier. Through its pages he ensured that stories of courage, leadership, and sacrifice reached a wider audience—keeping alive the bond between the armed forces and the society they protect.
He was also a sought-after lecturer across military academies, civil services institutions, corporate forums, and international platforms—sharing insights on geopolitics, leadership, and military history. To countless young officers and professionals, he was both mentor and inspiration.
For those of us linked by the Mayo College tradition, his passing feels especially personal. Though separated by years, we always looked up to him as a senior who embodied the very best of what Mayo strives to instill—service before self, intellectual excellence, and unwavering patriotism.
India has lost a soldier who never stopped serving, even after he took off his uniform; a scholar who made strategy accessible; and a communicator who gave the armed forces a dignified public voice. His legacy will endure in the institutions he strengthened, the minds he shaped, and the national consciousness he helped deepen.
May his soul rest in peace.
Floreat Etona? No—Floreat Mayoensis. The Mayo spirit lives on in him and through him.
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