Meera Kumar

Meera Kumar is a New York-based public relations professional. She has worked with the Asian Development Bank, the State University of New York, New York University, and several Fortune 20 companies. She started her career as a journalist writing for various media outlets in Southeast Asia, including the ‘Bangkok Post’ and ‘The Nation.’  

Recent projects

Japan Times Courtesy: The Japan Times
19 May 2014 The Japan Times

ADB could use some ‘Abenomics’

The Japan Times, an English-language newspaper in Japan, has published an article written by Meera Kumar, a regular contributor to Gateway House. In this article, Meera analyses the need for reforms in the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

ADB Courtesy: Press Information Bureau
29 April 2014 Gateway House

Envisioning a new Asia

As the Asian Development Bank – the region’s leading international financial institution – prepares to convene for its annual meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, it needs to reassess its approach to address the reality beyond the glowing headlines of a region on the rise

duty Courtesy: Alfred A. Knopf
4 April 2014 Gateway House

Book review: Igniting a debate on U.S. war policy

‘Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War’ paints an unflattering and scary picture of the workings of Washington. The book stresses that U.S. presidents have too often been too quick to use military force

thewarthatendedpeacewebsite Courtesy: Random House
11 February 2014 Gateway House

Book review: Exploring the origins of World War I

In 'The War that ended Peace: The Road to 1914', Margaret Macmillan delves into the decades leading up to 1914, as she explores why Europe abandoned years of peace to plunge into World War I

Little america Courtesy: Bloomsbury
3 January 2014 Gateway House

Book review: The American quagmire of war in Afghanistan

In 'Little America: The War within the War for Afghanistan', Rajiv Chandrasekaran examines the U.S.’s Afghanistan policy and the murky realities on the ground to narrate a story of discordant missteps

no exit Courtesy: Cambridge University Press
28 November 2013 Gateway House

Book review: Improving U.S.-Pakistan ties

In ‘No Exit from Pakistan: America’s Tortured Relationship with Islamabad,’ author Daniel Markey analyses the complex U.S.-Pakistan bilateral and suggests ways for Washington to improve the relationship.

from the ruins of empire Farrar, Straus and Giroux Courtesy: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
8 November 2013 Gateway House

Book review: Shifting the focus of history to Asia

In ‘From the Ruins of Empire’ Pankaj Mishra challenges conventional views of world history, and examines the intellectual awakening of Asia and its response to colonisation by focussing on the work of three thinkers

the blood telegram Courtesy: Knopf
15 October 2013 Gateway House

Book review: A riveting retelling of a tragedy

In ‘The Blood Telegram’ Gary Bass jolts us into recalling one of the most horrific genocides of the last century that occurred during the creation of Bangladesh