{{Short description|Indian soldier and journalist (1959–2026)}} {{Sources|date=February 2026}} {{EngvarB|date=March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Major (Retd.) | name = Maroof Raza | honorific_suffix = (7 May 1959 – 26 February 2026) | image = | caption = Maroof Raza | birth_date = {{Birth date|1959|5|7|df=yes}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|2026|2|26|1959|5|7|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_place = Gurugram, India | burial_place = New Delhi, India | allegiance = {{flagicon|India}} India | branch = 24px Indian Army | unit = 20px The Grenadiers | battles = | service_years = 1980–1994 | rank = 15px Major | alma_mater = Mayo_College<br>St. Stephen's College, Delhi<br>Indian Military Academy<br>King's College, London<br>Cambridge University. | service_number = }} '''Maroof Raza''' (7 May 1959 – 26 February 2026) was an Indian Army officer with experience in counter-insurgency operations. He had more than 20 years of experience as a mentor, anchor, correspondent, lecturer, writer and a commentator on issues of National Security and Strategic Affairs.
==Education== Raza was educated at Mayo College, Ajmer<ref name="tnie">{{Cite news |last= Online Desk|first= |date=27 February 2026 |title=Major Maroof Raza, who brought the soldier’s voice to public discourse, passes away |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2026/Feb/27/major-maroof-raza-who-brought-the-soldiers-voice-to-public-discourse-passes-away |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260227102130/https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2026/Feb/27/major-maroof-raza-who-brought-the-soldiers-voice-to-public-discourse-passes-away |archive-date=27 February 2026 |access-date=2 March 2026 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> and subsequently graduated with in History from St Stephen's College, Delhi, had an M.A. in War Studies from King's College, London, and an M.Phil in International Relations from Cambridge University.
==Career==
===Armed forces=== Raza served in the Indian Army from 1980 to 1994. He served in the Grenadiers and the Mechanised Infantry Regiment. Later he was appointed as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy.
===Fellowship=== In 1994, he was awarded the Times of India Fellowship. He held Visiting Fellowships at the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi, at the Henry L. Stimson Centre, Washington and at the War Studies Department of King's College, London.<ref name=maroofrazawebsite /> Between 1998 and 2007, He was a visiting professor at Middlesex University and its Regional Director (for South Asia). He continued to lecture extensively in India and abroad on India's Security Concerns, until his death.
===Anchor===
Raza anchored and presented many TV series showcasing Indian Defence and National security themes over two decades. Some of the popular multi episode TV series shows he has anchored include "Line of Duty", "Latitude", "India Risk Report" and "The Defenders".
For Times Now, he anchored a 20-part series on the Indian armed forces, titled ''Line of Duty''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/the-stigma-attached-to-the-arms-business-must-go-away-maroof-raza-115010300573_1.html |title=The stigma attached to the arms business must go away: Maroof Raza | Business Standard News |publisher=Business-standard.com |date=3 January 2015 |access-date=22 November 2016}}</ref> An episode from this series, on the Siachen Glacier won an Award in the military documentary section at the Film Festival in Rome in 2005. This TV series has entered the ''Limca Book of Records'' as India's first military reality show.
For Times Now, he anchored a strategic affairs show titled [http://www.timesnow.tv/Weekend-Shows-/Latitude/videolist/4426271.cms "Latitude"] between the years 2013 and 2023.
For ET Now, he anchored a bi-weekly show titled [https://iirisconsulting.com/blog/india-risk-report/ "India Risk Report"] in partnership with IIRIS Consulting.<ref name="maroofrazawebsite">{{cite web|url=http://www.maroofraza.com |title=Maroof Raza |publisher=Maroof Raza |date= |access-date=11 July 2012}}</ref>
For Sansad TV, he anchored the series "The Defenders", between 2021 and 2023. The series, over 80 episodes, showcased the strength of the Indian military, its formations and operations to the common citizen.
=== Strategic Affairs Commentator=== Raza appeared on almost all of India's leading television channels as an expert on military and security matters and on BBC's World Service radio programmes. He was the Strategic Affairs Editorial Adviser to Times Now and also the Editor-at-Large of FAUJI INDIA Magazine. He was the Mentor of Security Watch India.
===Columnist=== His articles were published regularly in leading newspapers of India. He was a consultant and strategic affairs expert on Times Now.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/times-now-censured-for-not-revealing-defence-analyst-s-business-interests/1051671/ |title=Times Now censured for not revealing defence analyst’s business interests |publisher=Indian Express |date=29 December 2012 |access-date=22 November 2016}}</ref> Apart from his appearances on news debates, he published and wrote for ''Salute'' magazine<ref> [https://saluteindia.org/ Salute India]</ref>
===Public speaker=== His knowledge, experience, and his association with leading TV channels including TIMES NOW, NDTV, BBC, and more made him one of the most sought-after speakers internationally on the subjects of National and International Risk and Security Affairs.
===Advisor=== Raza also acted on the Board of Advisers – Strategic Risk and Global Geo-Political Experts with [https://iirisconsulting.com IIRIS Consulting].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iirisconsulting.com/team/|title=IIRIS Team|website=IIRIS Consulting|page=https://iirisconsulting.com/team/|via=(By IIRIS Consulting)|access-date=7 December 2018}}</ref>.
===Actor=== Maroof had a guest role in 2014 Bollywood film ''Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Seven-reasons-why-Holiday-A-Soldier-Is-Never-Off-Duty-is-a-must-watch/articleshow/36049904.cms |title=Seven reasons why 'Holiday — A Soldier Is Never Off Duty' is a must-watch – Times of India |publisher=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date= |access-date=22 November 2016}}</ref>
==Writing== Raza authored and edited many books. ''Low-Intensity Conflicts: The new dimension to India’s military commitments'' and ''Wars and no Peace over Kashmir''. He edited a book titled Generals and Governments in India and Pakistan. As the General Editor of Military Affairs series of Har Anand Publications, from 2001, he edited twelve volumes. Most recently, he edited a book on Indian terrorism challenges titled Confronting Terrorism (Penguin Books, India).
* ''Low Intensity Conflicts:'' The new dimension to India’s military commitments by Maroof Raza (Kartikeya Publications, 1995) {{ISBN|9788185823089}} * ''Wars and No Peace Over Kashmir'': An Evolutionary Assessment of Indo-Pak Relations by Maroof Raza (Spantech & Lancer, 1996) {{ISBN|978-1897829165}} * ''Confronting Terrorism'' by Maroof Raza (as Editor) (Penguin India, 2009) {{ISBN|9780670083695}} * ''Generals and Governments in India & Pakistan'' by Maroof Raza (as Editor), (Har-Anand Publications, 2021) {{ISBN|978-9391504335}} * ''Kashmir's Untold Story'' by Iqbal Chand Malhotra and Maroof Raza(Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021) {{ISBN|978-9390358625}} * ''Contested Lands:'' India, China and the Boundary Dispute by Maroof Raza (Westland Non-Fiction, 2021) {{ISBN|978-9357768412}} * ''Shourya Gatha:'' Bharat Ke Veer Senani (in Hindi) by Lt. Col. Sheodan Singh and Maroof Raza (Eka publishing, 2021) {{ISBN|978-9390679751}} * ''Essays on Military Affairs'' by Maroof Raza (Har-Anand Publications, 2024) {{ISBN|978-8119798803}}
==Awards== * ENBA 2020: "Best in-depth series" award: Raza's series "Tales of Valour" with Times Network.
==Death== Raza died from cancer in Gurugram, on 26 February 2026, at the age of 66.<ref>[https://www.timesnownews.com/india/remembering-maroof-raza-indias-most-responsible-voice-on-national-security-article-153701949 Remembering Maroof Raza, India’s Most Responsible Voice on National Security]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://iirisconsulting.com/blog/india-risk-report/ India Risk Report] * {{IMDb name|6968590}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Raza, Maroof}} Category:1959 births Category:2026 deaths Category:Indian male journalists Category:Indian television journalists Category:Alumni of King's College London Category:Indian Army officers Category:Deaths from cancer in India