Theme: Unravelling the Parallax

TEDxVITPune is a University TEDx Event affiliated to Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune. Started in 2015, TEDxVITPune 2019 shall be the fifth anniversary edition of this student-driven endeavour to highlight great ideas within the local community of VIT, Pune. Instilled with the spirit of Ideas Worth Spreading, TEDxVITPune has made its place within the TEDx Community by virtue of its spectacular showcase of ideas and an equally enriching attendee experience.

TEDxVITPune 2019 shall be an one-day event on 16th November 2019 at Sharad Arena, Vishwakarma Insititute of Technology, Pune. The theme for the event is Unravelling the Parallax; it signifies change when we step out and revisit our conventional wisdom, attempting to discover ideas and topics in a new light. Akin to how light behaves like a wave and particle, we wish to highlight multiple perspectives and question our preconceived notions and outlooks, in order to find new meaning and foster positive change beyond the challenges of stagnancy. Unravelling the Parallax is our attempt to untangle this web of complex perspectives, into a caricature that comes together and reveals the bigger picture.

VIT College
666, Upper Indiranagar
Bibwewadi
Pune, Maharashtra, 411037
India

Ajit Kembhavi

Astrophysicist. Theorist. Visionary.

Professor Ajit Kembhavi is a distinguished astronomer conducting study on extragalactic objects, various areas of high energy astrophysics, X-ray and radio pulsars. He has been a part of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and the LIGO India projects for several years. He is associated with the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, and presided as the Director until August 2015. He's also an integral part of the Space Commission and ISRO’s Apex Science Board. Furthermore, Professor Kembhavi serves as the Vice-President of the International Astronomical Union and was also the President of the Astronomical Society of India. .

Annushka Hardikar

Illustrator. Visual Artist. Storyteller

A Visual Artist, an Illustrator and a Feminist, Annushka Hardikar is a storyteller at heart. Being a Graphic Design graduate from Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore, she enjoys working with brands and subjects related to nature, food, travel and dogs. Annushka co-published ‘Raising Rihaan’, a comic book launched at the Pune International Literary Festival 2018. Her feminist zine ‘Oh Nari! So sanskari’ combines the tribulations of today with the characters of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. Her newest collaborative venture 'A Fresh Coat’, is a street art project to infuse life into dreary old shop shutters by turning them into a canvas. It combines contemporary art styles and storytelling to depict the stores’ legacy. Seeking magic in ordinary moments, Annushka Hardikar addresses conservative archetypes in her own satirical way.

Arjuna Srinidhi

Climate Change Expert. Author. Policy Researcher.

Mr Arjuna Srinidhi is a research analyst and policy advocate, specialising in climate change policy, natural resource management and sustainable development. Passionate about sincere efforts towards addressing climate change, he follows international climate change negotiations closely. While serving as the programme manager for climate change, at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE New Delhi), Mr Srinidhi was tasked with research and policy advocacy on climate change adaptation, mitigation and international negotiations. He is also engaged in sustainable development at a grassroots level through the NGO, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), which works towards watershed development, efficient water management, and sustainable agriculture. Mr Srinidhi is the co-author of ‘Rising to the Call - Good Practices of Climate Change Adaptation' where he quotes through study, how communities are adapting successfully to the climate crisis.

Avinash Dharmadhikari

Ex-IAS Officer. Educationist. Activist.

Shri. Avinash Dharmadhikari is a former IAS officer. Before joining the IAS, he was a full-time social activist and a free-lance journalist for ten years. He previously held important posts like: Chief Executive Officer at Ratnagiri and Amaravati districts as well as Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister, Maharashtra. While in service, he initiated many experiments in responsive administration. In his administrative career, he was known for his efficient, transparent and creative work in Maharashtra. He resigned from IAS in 1996, following which he organized a mass movement for Clean and Efficient Governance. In 1996, he founded Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, a public charitable trust for career guidance and personality development. Since then, he has been working tirelessly to inspire the next generation of public servants and responsible citizens of India.

Kunal Jagwani

Strategist. Restaurateur. Game Changer.

Kunal Jagwani is the brand owner of Cafe Arabia- a series of award winning middle-eastern restaurants across Pune. He has vast experience in the functioning of Quick Service Restaurant formats, and has travelled extensively across the globe understanding food preferences and trends. An MBA in Marketing followed by 5 years of experience in his family business, Kunal frequently travelled to the Middle East. With the required know-how, he was ready to fill the void of an organized middle eastern food player, and Cafe Arabia was born. Kunal also pioneered Souk by Cafe Arabia in 2018, a restaurant serving Arabian and Lebanese delicacies. As of today, Cafe Arabia is spread across different formats in stand-alone mall outlets and cloud kitchens. Kunal is now ready to make headway in the extremely dynamic food industry, with the right mix of caution and aggression.

Niranjan Pedanekar

AI Scientist. Dramatist. Experimentalist

Niranjan Pedanekar works as a Principal Scientist at the Tata Research Development and Design Centre. He has extensive experience in application of data sciences and AI for domains and has international publications and patents to his credit. As a playwright, he has written, adapted or translated 17 plays in Marathi, Hindi and English, including adaptations of eminent authors like Kafka, Chekhov, Akutagawa, Saramago and Darwish into plays. The play Upashya, written and directed by him, was staged at the 18th Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2016 at NSD. He is the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Tendulkar-Dubey fellowship awarded annually to five theatre artists chosen from all over the country. He plans to uses Artificial Intelligence techniques such as Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing to enhance the theatre experience. His dream is to make an original contribution to the field of theatre which would be as significant as that made by the likes of Stanislavsky.

Nupur Dhakephalkar

Clinical Psychologist. Entrepreneur. Educator.

Nupur Dhakephalkar is a clinical psychologist trained at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, NIMHANS. Nupur has played a pivotal role in creating the first-of-its-kind neurorehabilitation unit at Sahyadri Hospitals’ Department of Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health. She founded the Center for Mental Health, Pune, with the intention of making expert and holistic mental health care available, while reducing the stigma around mental illness. Nupur is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) and a professional life member of the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (IACP) and the Joint Secretary of the Maharashtra branch. She has recently been recognized by ET Now as “50 Top Global Mental Health Leaders” at the World Mental Health & Wellness Congress amidst brands like Abbot, Lybrate, and Nanavati.

Tanisha Murarka

Content Creator. Poet. Writer.

Tanisha Murarka is a content writer, having worked with brands such as FilterCopy, The Viral Fever- Girliyapa and Loco- The gaming app. Her first video was the Number 1 trending video on YouTube with over 3 million views. Tanisha is an avid reader and likes expressing herself through words and poetry. She writes about topics that resonate with her readers. She has also learnt dance for 14 years. After she graduated from St. Xavier's, Kolkata and completed all levels of CFA, she decided to pursue her interest in content writing. Her career started off by handling all content for Outbox- A Kolkata based start-up. She initially worked as a freelancer for FilterCopy, which eventually became her full-time job. Currently, Tanisha works as a writer for The Flux.

Vinay Kaushal

Composer. Guitarist. Music Educator.

Originating from a musical background, Vinay Kaushal is a jazz, blues and rock virtuoso of notable repertoire. Having released his debut album, 'Naked on a Train' in 2018, he enthralls audiences in prestigious establishments, like the Wiltern Theatre, Blue Frogs, Hard Rock Cafés, and also the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai. Being the principal songwriter of the musical entourage, the Vinay Kaushal Collective, as well as the Indian Fusion group, Empty Café, he is involved in the production and composition of several lauded musical projects.