Theme: The Changing Faces of Taboo

The words ‘rigid rules of yesterday that have become obscure and obsolete today’ describes precisely what the global society is incessantly countering with innumerable questions and logic. In short, they describe - Taboos. While for centuries taboos have shunned countless into oblivion, it is time that we wage a war against them using our intellect, logic and diligence.

IIT Guwahati
Kamrup
Guwahati, Assam, 781039
India

Alana Golmei

Lawyer, Humanitarian

Alana Golmei, a lawyer with the spirit of a humanist, has been relentlessly helping the NE Indians via ‘The North East Support Centre & Helpline’ since 2007. Her meaningful efforts have touched over 600 lives directly, possibly many more and have helped sensitize the authorities regarding the issue. She also runs Pann Nu Foundation and was awarded the ‘DCW Achievement Award’ on the occasion of International Women’s Day in 2016.

Anamika Barua

Professor of Economics

Anamika Barua, an Associate Professor of Ecological Economics at IIT Guwahati, is a keen enthusiast of emerging topics of water security, ecological footprint and trans-boundary water governance in an uncertain and changing world. Particularly, she sincerely believes in the reality of adverse climate change and its undeniable imminence. In the concept of the omnipresent taboos she sees an opportunity to give birth to a series of limiting rules, which can help hinder us in our incessant endeavor to harm the environment. When executed today, these set of rules can become the basis of awareness among people tomorrow, due to the unquestionable belief enjoyed by any generic taboo.

Arup Kumar Dutta

Journalist, Conservationalist

Arup Kumar Dutta is an Indian writer and journalist based out of Guwahati in Assam. He has written 16 books for adults and 17 adventure novels for young people . In 2014 he was awarded the Life Time Achievement Honour by Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children, New Delhi, the Indian chapter of the International Board of Books for Young People. He has also won numerous awards including the Shankar's Award in 1979, conferred to mark The International Year of the Child. He has been awarded the civilian award Padma Shri by Government of India in 2018.

Binita Jain

Teacher

In an effort to encourage meaningful conversation about depression, TEDxIITGuwahati has invited Binita Jain to speak about her experiences. While her incredible story of losing her husband to terrorists, going on to winning the prestigious competition KBC and then becoming a successful teacher at a coaching institute is inspiring, it is her struggle with sorrow, desolation and dejection that she wants highlighted in her talk on 10th of February 2019.

Milin Dutta

Trans-activist

Milin Dutta, a person who proudly calls himself a transman, tackled his challenging life quite fearlessly. From being born with a female body, to realising that he was different, to spreading awareness about different sexual orientations, his journey has been quite eventful. Dutta has contributed to spreading awareness about the LGBT community to the general public in the USA and India by being an active founder of various social groups such as ‘Out in the Backyard’ (USA) and ‘Xukia’ (Guwahati, India). His work in the Minnesota state even earned him the Community Leadership award winner in 2016.

Pragnya Ramjee

Student

Pragnya Ramjee is an undergraduate B.Des Student at IIT Guwahati and in her own words is a ‘confused climber, devourer of books, mountains and hard terrains with a combination of raging curiosity and extreme tenacity’. Her unique experiences with people made her wonder whether being completely non-judgmental was even realistic. Via her talk at TEDxIITGuwahati on 10th February, she intends to address the fundamental desire of each one of us to categorise things and humans and how the prevalent taboos are aiding in that process.

Zoma Sailo

Mentor and Part of Light After Dark, an all-blind band

Zoma Sailo, the founder of an all-blind band called ‘Light After Dark’, believed in the musical acumen of students at Bethany Society and encouraged the exceptional foursome - Lyngdoh (19, bass guitarist), Khongpai (21, drummer), Pajuh (23, guitarist), Nongklhaw (25, drummer and singer) to perform for the crowd. In his talk at TEDxIITGuwahati Sailo will share his thoughts on the need to start a meaningful and open dialogue on the issue of disability, following which the foursome will ignite the stage with their melodious talent