TEDxShishukunj International School Youth

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Aashita Kumar

  Student

  I am a 9th grader who considers herself akin to rain, not just because I was born on a day doomed to torrential downpours, but because I am not the kind of rain that falls quietly. Often described by my loved ones as someone whose standards exceed her height, I enter conversations clouded with questions and curiosity. With my active involvement in MUNs, debates, and geopolitics, I have learnt to research deeply and speak precisely. My clouds of intent carry topics ranging from medicine to Gaza. I gather because I must, because ignorance feels like a drought. Fall with the intent to leave a mark, to seep into the soil of every room I enter. Every word I speak, every “i” I dot, is placed with purpose. My voice and my pen are not meant to be flashy like lightning, but useful, like thunder; a warning, a signal, an emotion. Rain finds forgotten cracks. My name means hope, and my purpose is to be exactly that, for those still waiting for the rain to return.

• Ami Asija

  Student

  I am a 15-year-old student from Indore. I like to think of myself as a kid unbound by limits: Driven by curiosity, experimentation, and a whole lot of love. Approachable and always up for a good conversation. My work ethic is both exploratory and focused, fuelled by a desire to pick up new skills across disciplines. “Jack of none, master of all”, a motto I wholeheartedly try to live by. My interests are diverse: I enjoy logical subjects and often find myself reading research papers for fun; I love art and expression in almost every form; and I’m an enthusiastic public speaker and debater! I enjoy a range of sports, including skating, swimming, tennis, and basketball. I read widely, listen to music across all genres, and have a growing love for languages. Meanwhile, I also nurture a strong interest in business and tech, finding joy in stats, coding, and everything money-meets-innovation. I plan to always talk, learn and stay curious!

• Ananya Julka

  Student

  Even though my name sounds like the name of every second Indian girl of my generation, don’t be deceived: the term literally means ‘uniqueness’ in Hindi. I am the hardest-working person I know; the trait is what justifies me being my own unique self. I started competitive swimming when I was just in 5th grade, and as glorious as being a ‘national medalist’ sounds, the lifestyle I grew up with was monastic. The perpetual 5 a.m. alarms, the endless pressure of performing my best with every stroke, have engraved into me a strong passion, not just for the sport but for life itself. With strong enthusiasm for poetry and philosophical writing, I love letting my bottled emotions spill free on paper. Alongside, I’m a strong advocate for women’s rights and equality, something that encouraged me to start my own non-profit organisation called ‘NariNitya’. Lastly, I aspire to be a cardiac surgeon one day, because there ought to be some charm in saying “I mend hearts for a living”.

• Apurva Acharya

  Student

  I’m an 11 grader who loves exploring how people think and express themselves and figuring things out while having fun doing it. I get curious about why people think the way they do and how a tiny idea can grow into something huge. My passions are opposites that keep finding each other. Economics gives me the thrill of understanding why people do what they do, while classical dance lets me say the things that don’t fit in sentences. When I’m performing or creating something new, I love that mix of panic, excitement and “okay, let’s see what happens.” I enjoy taking up things that start as a small sketch or a spark and turning them into something real, like choreographing a piece that tells a new story or writing a concept that eventually becomes a plan, and I’m drawn to stories hidden inside data, emotions behind a decision and ideas that don’t sit still. I intend to keep exploring what excites me and collect experiences as tiny mosaics that shape me and the purpose(s) that follow.

• Arham Sethi

  Student

  I am Arham Sethi from Grade 11, someone who has always been fascinated by how small things in nature can spark big curiosity. For me, it started with watching how a single seedling finds a way to grow around obstacles instead of waiting for perfect conditions. That idea of shaping your own path has guided much of what I do and the vision I try to bring into my work. I explore that curiosity through artificial intelligence and machine learning, where I research how systems learn, reason, and adapt. It is a field that constantly pushes me to think deeper, which connects to the theme of my talk, the physics of thought, and how we understand the process behind ideas. Through my research, robotics projects, and mentoring younger students, I aim to build, learn, and contribute to the growing world of technology with the same persistence that first inspired me.

• Ashriyaa Singh

  Student

  My name is Ashriyaa Singh, a 16-year-old student from Indore and a Humanities student driven by a deep curiosity for human behaviour, systems, and the stories that shape us. Guided by the belief that “in this world, we write our own stories,” I have built my journey around growth, resilience, and purposeful ambition. I have a deep interest in justice, literature, human complexity, and policy making. My rigorous athletic training alongside long school hours has taught me discipline, clarity, and adaptability. I aspire to become a lawyer and an author who uses storytelling, empathy, and critical thinking to create meaningful impact. For me, standing on a TEDx stage is not about presenting a perfect narrative, but about sharing an honest one, a narrative built on intention, continuous learning, and the conviction that every individual has the power to define their own path.

• Debasish Maitra

  Professor Finance and Accounting

  Debasish Maitra is an academic, currently associated with the Indian Institute of Management Indore, and a finance researcher specialising in financial markets, banking risk, and macro-financial linkages. His research interests span market risk, default risk, climate risk, and empirical asset pricing, with ongoing work and papers under review in reputed international finance journals. He actively engages in teaching and research to study real-world financial problems, particularly in the context of emerging markets. His work aims to contribute to both academic literature and policy-relevant discussions in finance.

• Sameer Golwelkar

  Counsellor, Therapist and Philosopher

  Dr Sameer Golwelkar is an ordinary Human Being who has studied Technology, Finance, Psychology and Philosophy and ended up learning NOTHING. He is available for help to all at Options Guidance and Counselling with his wife, Dr Soniya Golwelkar. He takes the role of a Counsellor, therapist and philosopher as the need be. With almost 30 years of experience with those seeking help in the areas of career mapping, mental distress and relationships, he continues to explore the esoteric dimensions of human existence.

• Sivaprakash Ramalingam

  Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering

  Dr Sivaprakash Ramalingam is an Associate Professor in Biological Sciences and Bioengineering at IIT Kanpur. He earned his PhD from the University of Madras, worked briefly as a Research Scientist at Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, then moved to Johns Hopkins University as a Maryland Stem Cell Research Fellow, where he began his work on CRISPR-based genome editing. His group now focuses on molecular medicine and cellular engineering, developing cell and gene therapy solutions for genetic disorders and cancers. He has published over 60 papers in leading journals such as Nature Communications, Science, Cell Genomics and Genome Biology, and is a co-inventor on several patents. His recognitions include grants and fellowships from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, the Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship and the SERB Early Career Award.