China Scoop

Rahul Mahajan | Research Analyst | China and International Affairs

Dr. Rahul Mahajan is an Indian scholar of contemporary China and the Editor-in-Chief of Chinese Pulse, an independent monthly magazine based in Bengaluru. With over two decades of focused research and engagement, he brings evidence-based, historically grounded analysis to debates on Chinese politics, economy, society, and international relations.

Born in 1975, Dr. Mahajan’s interest in China was shaped early by family discussions on regional history and the transformative economic shifts of the 1990s. He holds a B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Delhi (1996), an M.A. in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (1998), an M.Phil. in Modern Chinese History from SOAS, University of London (2000), and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oxford (2004). His doctoral research examined institutional dynamics and elite politics in reform-era China, informed by extensive fieldwork in Beijing and Shanghai.

Fluent in Mandarin, with reading knowledge of classical Chinese texts, Dr. Mahajan began his career teaching East Asian studies at the University of Delhi (2004–2010). He later led a China research programme at a leading think tank (2010–2018), where he authored a widely cited book on China’s internal politics and its regional implications. His analysis has appeared in prominent Indian and international publications.

In 2024, he founded Chinese Pulse to address the growing gap between strategic importance and analytical rigour in discussions on China. The magazine brings together scholars and practitioners from Asia, Europe, and beyond, emphasising long-form essays, data-driven analysis, and expert debate—deliberately steering clear of sensationalism, partisan framing, or simplistic narratives.

As Dr. Mahajan notes, “Discussions of China often swing between exaggeration and dismissal. Chinese Pulse seeks precision, context, and intellectual honesty to support better-informed perspectives and engagement.”

He continues to mentor younger researchers, deliver invited lectures, and pursue fieldwork across Asia while residing in Bengaluru.