Theme: Confluence in Conflict

In a dynamic world with fast changing paradigms, strife and chaos are engulfing all positions within society. With this year's theme, TEDxIIMShillong looks to create a platform that explores ideas to usher the emergence of consonance and cohesion.
With speakers from varied fields such as technology, art, sports, adventure and many other walks of life, we aim to create a powerful and exciting confluence of the inherent incongruity which has now become ubiquitous in today’s competitive and fast-paced world.

Pinewood Hotel
Pinewood Hotel
Shillong, Meghalaya, 793001
India

Anamika Khanna

Fashion Designer

One of the leading fashion designers in the country, Anamika Khanna has distinguished herself through her elegant creations that have the perfect amalgamation of Indian textiles and western tailoring. Her timeless and yet innovative designs combine definite structures with the desired fluidity. She was not only the first designer to launch an international label in 2004, but also the first female Indian fashion designer to showcase her collection at the Paris Fashion Week in 2007. Anamika's outfits are regularly sported by prominent Bollywood personalities, both in films as well as otherwise. Often selected among the most powerful women in India, Anamika also has interest in Indian classical dancing and painting.

Diwakar Vaish

Robotics researcher

Diwakar Vaish, head of Robotics and Research at A-SET Training and Research Institutes, is well renowned for having developed of the first all-Indian 3D printed humanoid robot. His other works include developing mind-controlled robotics and an unmanned ground vehicle that changes its shape as per the landscape. Diwakar is also behind the world’s cheapest prosthetic hand that is soon to be launched. A guest lecturer at IITs, BITS, NITs and VIT Vellore; Diwakar is one of the youngest lecturers at IITs at the age of 23. After recognition from former presidents of India Smt. Pratibha Patil and Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, he is at present working on mind cloning.

Krushnaa Patil

Mountaineer

In the summer of 2009, Krushnaa Patil at the age of 19 became the youngest Indian woman to successfully climb the Mount Everest. She was also the first Indian woman to reach the highest summits in Antarctica, South America and Europe; having completed ultimate peaks in six out of the seven continents. After studying at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, her Everest triumph won her the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Outstanding Woman Achiever in 2009. Another feat worth mentioning is her enthusiastic participation in a cycling rally with the 'Women Adventure Network of India' from Kolkata to Kanyakumari (3000kms) in Feb 2011. With active interests in rafting, paragliding, rowing, and horse riding; Krushnaa is at present also pursuing her MA from Pune University in Political Science.

Pravin Thipsay

Chess Grandmaster

An Indian Chess Grandmaster, Pravin Mahadeo Thipsay has won the Indian Chess Championship seven times and received many laurels for the same as well, including the esteemed Arjuna Award from the Government of India and the Dadoji Kondeo Award from the Government of Maharshtra. In the year 1997, he was also conferred the title of International Chess Grandmaster by the International Chess Federation. At his peak in 1981, Thipsay had an impressive ranking of 141 in the world. Married to the International Woman Master Bhagyashree Sathe Thipsay, Pravin currently works as a chess trainer at his institute- Thipsay Chess Academy.

Richa Singh

Entrepreneur

Richa Singh is a conceptualizer and co-founder at YourDOST, an online start-up that allows people to connect with expert life coaches and psychologists conveniently as well as anonymously. A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Richa has interned at the University of Siegen in Germany. She then went on to work with organizations such as D. E. Shaw & Co., Investopresto and Mu Sigma; mainly responsible for strategic product planning. Selected as an INK Fellow in 2015, Richa strives to solve complex problems by coming up with simple solutions with the help of her technological skills. An entrepreneur at heart, Richa is dedicated to her platform to help people deal better with stress.

Ritumoni Das

Women Uplifment

Ritumoni Das is a co-founder at Kat-Katha, a non-profit spreading smiles across 77 brothels that have over 4,000 women and their children. Three years ago she began her journey with Gitanjali Babbar to be with the women in red light district of Delhi, to listen to their stories and to walk towards the vision of ending forced sex-work. The primary approach adopted at Kat-Katha is RISE (working for their rights, integration within and outside community, alternative livelihood and education). Ritumoni was awarded the Zila Mahila Samman by the Government of Delhi for what Kat-Katha is delivering at GB Road, a red light district. Ritumoni is also a PhD scholar at the Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Sridhar Lakshmanan

Social Entrepreneur

An alumnus of IIM Ahmadabad and also a Duke of Edinburgh award holder, he has previously worked with United Nations Development Programme, Mahindra Satyam and Philips amongst others. He started working in a remote community of 1000 people in Malaiyur between Madurai and Dindugal where one has to trek 1.5 hrs to reach the nearest community. He has Undertaken programmes on distribution Energy efficient stoves and LED lights to tribal communities in Javadhu hills. Sridhar aims to endlessly strive to strike a balance between commercial and social development interests and also between the academic and practical issues for the stake holders in all his endeavours.