Aloke Lal and Manas Lal

Aloke Lal is a rare amalgamation of decorated cop and acclaimed artist. A gold medallist IIT-ian, he joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1975. He served with distinction in the crime-infested belts of the Hindi heartland for thirty-seven years rising to the top rank of Director-General. He received two medals from the President of India—one for ‘long and meritorious services’ and the other for ‘distinguished services’. Even in the time of his most challenging postings, he kept his love for the fine arts alive by holding painting exhibitions and writing newspaper columns. He is the bestselling author of The Barabanki Narcos: Busting India’s Most Notorious Drug Cartel and co-author of Murder in the Bylanes: Life and Death in a Divided City. He is a TEDx speaker and has been a quiz master on television. He also served as the cultural advisor to the Governor of Uttarakhand.

Maanas Lal has built a formidable reputation across genres of art at a young age. Apart from penning hundreds of columns for the print media, he is the co-author of the bestselling Murder in the Bylanes: Life and Death in a Divided City. His work in the fields of painting, photography and digital art has found collectors across the globe. A software engineer and ex- Infoscion, he has used his expertise in technology to develop a unique style of digital painting. He travels the world with a six-string on his back and has starred in viral music videos. He loves teaching, and his soft skills workshops are a regular feature in India’s leading schools and professional institutions. He has been conferred with several prestigious awards for his contributions to art and culture. He is a TEDx speaker. He frequently appears on television debates to talk about subjects that range from global warming to gender inclusivity. He is also a state-level sportsperson. He wishes to become a better reader of books and situations through the course of his life.