Theme: Youth Voices, Sustainable Choices

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).

The International School Bangalore
NAFL Valley Whitefield - Sarjapur Road, Circle, near Dommasandra
Bangalore, Karnataka, 562125
India

Alekhya Banerjee

Alekhya’s passion is Bharatanatyam. Her dance journey started when she was just about 4. What started as fun, has become her biggest passion, her medium of expression and her favorite language of communication. Alekhya has 100+ performances to her credit. She has been choreographing and guiding her school shows since she was in Grade 7 and completed her Arangetram in August 2022. Alekhya is also trained in Visual Arts. But her passion is in painting on unusual surfaces, using various mediums. She loves to create beautiful artifacts from throw-away items like dried leaves, pebbles, old pots and pans etc.

Ishaan Abburi

Ishaan Abburi is a ninth-grade student at The International School of Bangalore (TISB). Outside school, he is passionate about tennis, playing the piano, and chess. He auditioned for this TED talk as it combines many of his interests and strengths, including oration, public speaking, current affairs, and analytical skills. His topic, sustainable farming, was heavily influenced by his love for cooking and using fresh produce.

Maanya Gaadekar

Maanya, a twelfth-grader at The International School Bangalore, is a STEM student with a passion for biology, chemistry, and life sciences, which drives her academic pursuits. Combining her love for English and languages, she also engages in writing for various magazines. Having started at a very young age, she is also passionate about playing tennis. Beyond academics, Maanya's commitment to service is evident in her volunteer work with organizations dedicated to various causes, ranging from environmental conservation to accessible education.

Raajvir Vijay

As a high schooler and entrepreneur, Raajvir has a fervent passion for creating innovative projects and engaging in business and technology competitions. Taking his enthusiasm a step further, he assumed the role of lead organizer for TISBHacks (The International School Bangalore’s annual hackathon) in both 2023 and 2024, establishing it as one of India’s premier student-led hackathons. In his talk, Raajvir will delve into sparking innovation among youth through forums such as hackathons.

Rishyendra Ponnam

A grade 12 student from TISB, Rishyendra Sai Ponnam, is passionate about math and political science, hosting podcasts and leading as the Editor-In-Chief of Historacle. He's also a seasoned performer of theater and an avid public speaker. But beyond his roles, he's driven by a deep desire to inspire growth and development. Through his journey, he aims to spark a fire within his peers, urging them to recognize their own potential for greatness and to embrace the path of progress.

Yash Iyer

Yash Iyer is a senior at The International School Bangalore, a debater, and a social entrepreneur. Yash has founded three social and environmental organizations aiming to feed the underprivileged, upskill and employ migrant workers and channel the global competitive spirit of the youth towards clean-ups. For his social and environmental efforts, he has been commended by MIT Solve and Harvard and recognized by Cambridge as India’s best speaker. Aspiring to study economics or business in the future, Yash hopes to use his learnings to bring social and environmental change.