Theme: Blindspots

We as humans are bound by fundamental or in some cases contrived, limitations or perhaps gifts of nature and society enforced onto us through our cognition and in many ways through the physical world. Be it in the case of modelling the universe or dissecting a tissue in the lab — the data that our senses perceive or the models our brain cognizes and constructs always contain an inherent unreachable spot, that not only escapes our scrutiny but which makes the very scrutiny possible. These limitations or gifts that we refer to as blind spots have left several questions unanswered, impossible to answer, or just unquestioningly ignored. These blindspots exist across all levels and layers of description — from scientific to societal. They lurk under those humdrum, common places of society (e.g., back when slavery wasn’t considered ethically wrong) and it takes a great effort to go against the flow of normalcy and think outside the box.

For better or worse, we’ve been living our lives with many blind spots, and recognizing what these are, brings us one step closer to solving some of the greater problems of our world. Through this interdisciplinary TEDxYouth (virtual) conference we are planning to gather a range of perspectives on the notion of blindspots and one’s own relationship to it — professional, academic or personal.

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Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400054
India

Aastha Munjal

PhD Candidate

Aastha Munjal is an Integrated PhD candidate at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore where she studies the molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance. As a science communicator, she explores cornerstone ideas, developments, and innovations in Life Science on her blog ‘BioEssence – A Science Outreach Initiative.’

Aishwarya Chodankar

Architechture Major

As a former student at R.N.Podar, Aishwarya was presented with the opportunity to deliver a talk at the TED Ed Weekend 2016 in New York City. At present, she is in her final year, pursuing a degree in architecture at the University of Mumbai. She recently interned at Abha Narain Lambah Associates further strengthening her interest in architectural heritage and conservation and hopes to amalgamate the learning in her upcoming thesis. Her zeal for experimentation also led her to put up a life-size installation at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival and briefly work with STIRworld as an architectural journalist.

Archita Arun

Interdisciplinary Artist

Archita Arun is an interdisciplinary artist and scholar starting a PhD in Performance Studies at Northwestern University. She is a recent graduate of NYU Abu Dhabi, where she studied Theater and Creative Writing. She most recently conceived and performed SAFAR| सफ़र, a site-specific walk that examined intergenerational performances of femininity through oral histories and embodied writing. As part of her PhD, she is interested in thinking through the affective excess of brown materiality, and hopes to develop new lenses for theorizing brown desire and pleasure. In her talk, Archita will explore the multiple registers of the “blindspot” and the existing, ableist language underscoring sight in a sensorial hierarchy. She will draw from disability studies, speculative fiction, and visual art to ask—what comes after ocularcentrism?

Pranshu Poddar

Data Scientist

Pranshu is a Philomath who enjoys interdisciplinary projects aimed at creating social impact. Currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in liberal studies and arts, he is also working with Yale Radiology in the field of cancer diagnostics as a data scientist. An entrepreneur at heart, Pranshu is currently working on his third tech startup in an attempt to calculate the carbon and ecological footprint of the products we purchase. A poker player who started out as a stats enthusiast in the game now uses his skills to predict outcomes for football games and create simulations. Pranshu has always found interdisciplinary personal projects intriguing and integrates his hobbies with his skills, his Game of Thrones draft league and F1 simulator standing as a testimony of the same. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and making self-care products in an attempt to break away from structures and live a self-sufficient life.

Ritika Mazumdar

Financial Consultant

Ritika graduated from RN Podar in 2014 and went on to pursue a bachelors in economics from Delhi University. Subsequently, she completed her MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford specialising in development economics. As part of her professional career, she has interned with the National Stock Exchange of India, Mint newspaper and carried out field research in microfinance in rural Bangladesh. She currently works as a financial consultant in London specialising in business valuations in the context of litigations and international arbitrations.

Shineel Tilwani

Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur since the age of 17. Shineel’s journey has taken her around the world. She has been the creative force behind the making of THOA. She is now on a mission to inspire every single person to celebrate who they are, with all their imperfections and create a social impact through her flagship brand - THOA. Previously, Shineel has led leadership initiatives for brands like TATA Power, The Arvind Group, Wishberry and Air Vistara.

Shivam Garg

RIBA Architect

Shivam Garg is an award winning RIBA Chartered Architect, currently practicing in Gloucestershire, England. As a child, he declared his intention to pursue a career in architecture, at age six, during his early years in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Since then, he has obtained a Bachelors degree from the University of Mumbai, a Masters degree from the University of the West of England, and work experience in India, France, and now the UK.

Siddharth Chinoy

Technophile

Siddharth graduated from RN Podar in 2007 and majored in Computer Science from IIT Bombay, completing his bachelors and masters with a focus on information architectures, optimization theory, distributed systems and robotics. With a firm focus on rapidly applying emerging and nascent technologies to solving complex problems, Siddharth has racked up a decade of executive experience in architecting sustainable, lean ventures that balance design-led innovation to create socio-economic impact. He believes the key to achieving these breakthroughs is empathetic design and applying first principles thinking to break down and reformulate issues. Siddharth has deployed products in diverse places – from the high tech chambers of Sony Japan, to the dusty villages of Maharashtra, and the packed stadiums of IPL, Cricket and Hockey World Cups. He is an ex-grantee of BMGF and USAID and a fellow with the Startup Leadership Program.

Som Phene

PhD Candidate

Som Phene is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He graduated from IIT Bombay, winning the Institute Silver Medal and the Undergraduate Research Award. His research interest is mathematical foundation of physics.