Abhinandan Slathia is pursuing his M.A. degree in International Affairs: Comparative and Regional Studies (Asia-Pacific) from American University in Washington, D.C. and holds a B.A. degree in International Relations from University of California, Davis. Originally from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India, he immigrated to the United States while in high school and has a keen interest in J&K. His research interests include South Asian security, Indian politics and development, and U.S.-India and India-China relations. He has volunteered with Child Rights & You, an NGO in India. He has also interned with an assembly member in California and with Opening Doors, a non-profit that empowers refugees, immigrants, and low-income citizens. He received the Volunteer of the Year award from the City of Fairfield.