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).

PES University
100 Feet Ring Road
Banashankari Stage 3
Bangalore, Karnataka, 560085
India

Ajay Lakhotia

Ajay Lakhotia is an entrepreneur at heart and an investor at the soul. He has been a visionary angel investor, venture capitalist, and founder, who has successfully led Global Funds and their strategies for investments in India for over a decade. Ajay Lakhotia’s startup, “Stockgro”, which he founded in the wake of the pandemic, has seen exponential growth over the two years. Ajay Lakhotia has made headlines ever since and is one of the most talked about finance wizards globally. From being on the cover page of the most prominent entrepreneurial magazine “Entrepreneur”, to being an influential individual in the BW Business Club’s “Top 40 under 40”, he is truly a visionary entrepreneur.

Dinesh Kashikar

Dinesh Kashikar, affectionately known as Kashi, is the Director of Teacher Training for the global Sri Sri School of Yoga in India, bringing more than 15 years of training to aspiring yoga teachers in the various dimensions of the study and practice of yoga and meditation. Having had his initiation in the path of yoga at the tender age of seven and with a background in Sanskrit, he immersed himself in the quest for unraveling ancient wisdom and researching the spirit and science of Yoga. After finishing his bachelors and Masters in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious IIT Mumbai, he dropped the dazzling delights of the corporate world to join the Art Of Living foundation. He has traveled the length and breadth of the globe taking basic and advanced courses on yoga and meditation, transforming the lives of thousands. He is also a research associate at the Vaidic Dharma Sansthan and a member of the Steering Committee for Yoga for the Quality Council of India, a government body that upholds the current certification process for yoga professionals.

Dr. Anindita Banerjee

Dr. Anindita Banerjee received her PhD from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida. She worked on the synthesis and optimization of reversible circuits, quantum circuit optimization, and quantum communication protocols. During her Ph.D., she was a visiting scholar at the University of Calgary and later at the University of Brunswick Canada. After her Ph.D., she worked as an Assistant Prof. at Women's College of Engineering, Durgapur. Later she joined as a Research Associate at Bose Institute, Kolkata, where she spearheaded the group leading to the successful demonstration of single photon experiments. She was awarded CSIR Pool Officer in 2016. She has published more than 20 Journal publications. She has co-authored a book on Optical quantum computation and quantum communication published in SPIE Spotlight Series. She worked as Quantum Research Head and VP at QuNu Labs Pvt Ltd focusing on quantum-safe solutions for cyber security. She has led the scientific R&D at Qnu Labs and played a key role in developing India’s first Quantum Technology Product in Quantum Key Distribution and Quantum random number generator. She is at present working as an Adjunct scientist at CDAC Corporate Research and Development Departments in CDAC Headquarters at Pune and leading the quantum vertical.

Dr. V Krishna

Dr. V Krishna is the Dean of Student Affairs of PES University and also a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He received his Ph.D. from Visveswaraya Technological University in 2013 and has over 28 years of experience in teaching, research, consultancy and administration. He has been an invited speaker at various different national and international conferences. Better known as VK Sir in college, he handles the workings of the numerous student clubs and cultural fests that take place throughout the year. He is the faculty head of NINAADA - PES University's students' Forum for Indian Culture and Heritage and also an accomplished mridangam artist who regularly performs with top musicians across the country. Such a multifaceted and diverse individual is sure to provide our audience with an incredible talk!

Megna Jain

Megna Jain is the founder and CEO of an online bakery called Dream a Dozen. Specialising in gifting and celebrations, they have individual and corporate clients pan India. She employs an all-women kitchen that includes people from lesser privileged backgrounds, with disabilities and from LGTBQ+ communities, having worked with 100+ corporates in the last 4 years. At the age of 18, she started selling cupcakes to her university’s cafeteria and never looked back. The business has been featured in leading publications like Vogue, among others. More recently, she featured in “#EveryWomanADiamond”, an ad campaign by the jewellery brand Tanishq. A colossal inspiration, magnificent personality and gentle soul, her talk will ignite a sense of unabated women empowerment.

Safdhar Adoor

Safdhar Adoor is the CEO of SteppingOut and co-founder of VRO Hospitality which is home to flagship brands like Mirage, Plan B, Cafe Noir, Nevermind, Badmaash, One night at Bangkok, and Tycoons. Being ambitious from the very beginning, he led the Little Eco Friends, a pro environment initiative to reduce plastic consumption across India at the young age of 10, an undertaking that went on to win Volvo’s Young Environmentalists award in Sweden. Mr. Adoor graduated as a civil engineer from MSRIT, where he co-founded Rices Obliquity an Event Management Company that gained entry into Malaysia within a span of 3 years. He then founded SteppinOut which was later acquired by Swiggy and went on to become a co-founder of VRO Hospitality which is presently one of the fastest-growing hospitality chains in India. His talk is sure to be a vibrant blend of entrepreneurial knowledge and voracity.