Ambassador Melkulangara Bhadrakumar was a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service. His assignments included the Soviet Union, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Turkey.
He is a specialist in Afghanistan and Pakistan affairs, and writes on energy and security issues for several publications including The Hindu, Deccan Herald and Asia Online. He lives in New Delhi.
He is the eldest son of the late MK Kumaran (1915–1994), a famous Communist writer, journalist, translator and actvist from Kerala.