With 16 speakers, from across India and Morocco, Lebanon and Bahrain and almost 1600 guests, TEDx Bangalore, poised to be India’s largest TEDx event, brings together inspirational stories of innovation and success. In keeping with the theme “Challenge—” , the speakers will share their experiences on how they have challenged the status quo, long-held societal beliefs and their own limitations to develop ideas and opportunities that have proved to be immensely progressive for their communities and countries.
Sartaj Anand, the curator, says the event is aimed at being a discovery platform for the city. “TED is often viewed as elitist. We didn’t want to focus on personalities who are already well-known, but on people who have almost made it or who will make it.”
The main event has been divided into three sessions: BLR to Bangalore, Down South and Outsourced. Speaking on what each session entails, Sartaj says: “Bangalore is not what it used to be. It’s changing, but we’re not stopping to look at it. In the first session, we re-introduce Bangalore to Bangaloreans,” says Sartaj. The Ugly Indian, an anonymous group who clean streets, Nitin Pai, co-founder and director of the Takshashila Institution; Naresh Narasimhan, architect and creative entrepreneur; Abhishek, founder of the Holystoked Collective and MNBR Prasad, current Deputy Commissioner of Police Bangalore (traffic east) are the speakers chosen for the first session. Down South, the second session, has speakers from outside Bangalore. “We need to have conversations with India,” says Sartaj, adding, “there are speakers such as Aditi Gupta and Tuhin Paul who are well-known for their initiative Menstrupedia, an issue that is very important for every girl,” says Sartaj, a parallel entrepreneur, who currently runs a boutique consulting firm, Egomonk.
Jadav Payeng, a Mishing tribe environmental activist who planted 1,400 acres of forest in Majuli, Shobha Murthy, founder of Aarambh, are among the other speakers in this session.
The last session, Outsourced looks at an important aspect of the city: Bangalore as an IT and outsourcing capital. “There’s a speaker from Morocco who is trying to create a million jobs. Maybe we can learn something from him that will benefit us. Another speaker Ibrahim Nehme from Lebanon started a quarterly magazine targeting the global Arab Diaspora. He uses media, narrative and storytelling to share positive sides of the Diaspora in an attempt to build bridges in the community,” says Sartaj.
“Tamadher Al Fahal is an Arab woman and designer who has written this really interesting book, Diary of a Mad Arabian Woman that will work well in the Indian context, It helps bring out individual voices against misogyny and sexism,” adds Charanya Chidambaram, a member of the TEDx team, who is an entrepreneur and a former TEDx speaker.
The team at TEDx has found other, more innovative ways for Bangaloreans to engage with like-minded individuals. “Food is a great equalizer,” says Sartaj. “At our lunch break, we intend to initiate meaningful conversations. The lunch boxes have been built for two people, so that it can be shared.”
What’s more, TEDx is a non-profit event, where money “is not the motive,” Sartaj emphasises. “If we remove money, we change it into being a conversation.”
The event will be held on Sunday, from 9.30 am to 6 p.m., at MLR Convention Centre, Whitefield.
For details visit >www.tedxbangalore.com