In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Manipal Centre for Humanties
Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
Manipal, Karnataka, 576104
India

Dr H Sudarshan Ballal

Dr. H. Sudarshan Ballal holds the position of the Chairman, Manipal Hospitals. He is also the Chairman of Stempeutics Research and a distinguished alumnus of the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. Dr Ballal is the recipient of numerous awards like the Rajyotsava Award, Dr. B. C. Roy Award, Aryabhata International Award and has also been a Padma Awards nominee. Dr. Ballal has been involved in numerous Social Responsibilities aimed at improving the conditions of the economically disadvantaged sections of society and of those afflicted with serious kidney issues who are unable to access good quality medical care. He launched Pediatric Kidney Transplants for disadvantaged sections of society. A clinician par excellence, a teacher and a compassionate Physician, Dr. Sudarshan Ballal will take the stage now.

Nikkiey Chawla

Nikkiey Chawla is a motivational speaker, content creator and makeup artist who made history by becoming India’s 1st Transgender Model. Born in Punjab and settled in Mumbai, she has the perfect combination of that industrious and entertaining, influential and vibrant personality. She made her debut on Indian TV in 2011 with MTV's Crunch Reality show 'Emotional Atyachar' followed by a feature in the short film Qaid produced By Nykka. She was also invited as the celebrity speaker at the 'ZINDAGI LIVE IBN7' and other reality shows. This success of hers has not only opened gates for transgender people to enter the glamour world but also given the community a sense of hope that if she could do it, they can too.

Sneha Biswas

Sneha Biswas is the founder and CEO of Early Steps Academy, a global education venture to make school children confident in the real world. She completed her graduation from IIT Kharagpur and later went to the Harvard Business School for her MBA and graduated with distinction. Sneha has held senior leadership positions in multiple elite global organizations and has won the CEO’s award for excellent leadership and execution in the maiden waters of East Africa. Her aim is to revolutionize what and how students learn by making education relevant and engaging.

Sneha Singhi Upadhaya

A celebrity chef with a massive social media following of more than 150k. Sneha Singhi is an influential figure in culinary arts and has been awarded the 2018 BBC Pastry Chef of the Year. An alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, she established her first cafe in Kolkata at the young age of 19.

Srijan Deshpande

Srijan Deshpande is a jack-of-all-trades inhabitant of the world of Hindustani Raga Music. He continues to study this music under the guidance of the acclaimed singer-musicologist Pt. Satyasheel Deshpande, whose unfettered, empathetic, and critical approach to the tradition has made a deep and lasting impact on him. Through his work at various important archives of Hindustani music, he has been exposed to and tries to imbibe an eclectic mix of perspectives towards music-making in this tradition. Apart from making music on stage, Srijan writes about music in academic as well as more human English and has taught music at various universities in India. Srijan is currently immersed in his doctoral research project on the alterity of Pt. Kumar Gandharva's music at the Manipal Centre for Humanities, MAHE Manipal.

Vijay Raghav Varada

Vijay is an obsessive tinkerer, inventor, storyteller, and entrepreneur who works at the intersection of art, design, and technology. He is the founder and CEO of the startup Fracktal Works which he started at the age of nineteen, specialising in 3D printing solutions. Vijay actively contributes to open source hardware projects, particularly assistive technologies for the blind and renewable energy, which have won numerous accolades. He is also an author, writing technical books for children, published in multiple international languages.