TEDxDavangere

Speakers

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

• Arijit Das

  Deep-Tech Founder | Engineer | Cleantech Builder

  Arijit Das is a computer science engineer and co-founder of Aeonix Research and Innovations, a bootstrapped Indian deep-tech company that builds complete technology systems for defence, government and enterprise, designing everything in-house, from circuit boards and firmware to AI and cloud software. He started the company with no capital, no clients and no manufacturing facility. Today its systems are used by the Indian Army and large multinational companies, and run in more than ten countries. He is also co-founder of iAvatars, a Michigan-based startup building on-device AI, holds an M.Tech from IIT Patna, and has been featured in Forbes India. Of all his work, cleantech is closest to his heart. His vision is a plastic-free, waste-free India, built not through awareness alone, but by engineering the systems that make it possible.

• Dr. Sandhya Arunkumar

  Professor of Dentistry | Keynote Speaker | Communication Trainer

  Dr. Sandhya Arunkumar is a keynote speaker and trainer in personal growth and communication. A dentist by training, she has spent more than 20 years as a professor of dentistry, bringing the discipline of a clinician and the patience of a teacher to everything she does. A journey of self-discovery in her late thirties changed the direction of her work. Since then, she has led more than 500 sessions reaching over 10,000 people, from students to senior leaders, on positive communication, public speaking and mental resilience, including dedicated programmes for women. She is a certified trainer with the Indian Academy of Training and Development and a certified NLP practitioner. Known for making complex ideas simple and memorable, Sandhya believes that self-awareness and continuous growth are the keys to unlocking potential. Her purpose is to help people recognise the greatness that already lies within them.

• Ethish Gowda

  Digital Marketer | Creative Thinker | Entrepreneur

  Ethish Gowda is an 18-year-old digital marketer, creative thinker and entrepreneur from Hariyabbe, a small village in Karnataka's Chitradurga district. Raised in a humble household, he has been driven from an early age by curiosity, creativity and a determination to turn bold ideas into reality. Despite his age, Ethish has built hands-on experience across digital marketing, social media, branding and creative communication, and continues to explore new ways to use these skills to create meaningful impact. His journey from a rural village to the world of digital entrepreneurship reflects his conviction that talent and ambition are not limited by geography. Ethish believes that neither age nor background should define the size of a person's dreams. With an unconventional mindset and an energetic approach to life, he is passionate about inspiring young people to dream fearlessly, take action and forge their own paths.

• Naveen K Reddy

  AI Engineering Leader | Mentor | Counsellor

  Naveen K. Reddy is Senior Manager of AI Engineering at Ecolab, where he turns ambitious enterprise AI initiatives into measurable, production-grade results, working at the intersection of deep technical engineering and commercial strategy, with a focus on autonomous systems and responsible AI. Before Ecolab, Naveen held technology leadership roles at Aptiv, EY and Deloitte, building and scaling AI products across sustainability, automotive, telecom and retail. He champions a "Production on Day One" approach to engineering and has helped transform Global Capability Centres into product-driven innovation hubs. With a diploma in psychology, Naveen is drawn to the meeting point of technology and human behaviour. His current focus is agentic AI and "Governance by Design," building safety, compliance and human oversight into autonomous systems. He is also a teacher, mentor and automobile enthusiast who finds joy in temples, nature, books and vintage collectibles.

• Ojasvi Verma

  Tech Leader | Career Mentor | YouTube Creator

  Ojasvi Verma is an IIT Bombay alumna, a Senior Manager at Intuit, and the creator of the YouTube channel Ojasvi Verma [IIT Bombay], where more than 40,000 students turn to her guidance on exams, internships, scholarships and careers. Her own path was far from clear at the start. She went on to clear GATE along with the ISRO and BARC scientist recruitment examinations, and has worked with the Tata Group and NITI Aayog. She later became the youngest manager on her team, working directly with CEOs. A returning TEDx speaker, Ojasvi has judged college competitions and led career sessions at institutions ranging from Christ University to IIT Delhi. She is passionate about bringing real change to students' lives, and about showing that what usually stands between young people and their goals is not talent, but access.

• Saina Ubhrani

  Educationist | Entrepreneur | Author

  Saina Ubhrani is an educationist, entrepreneur, author and speaker with nearly two decades of experience in education. She holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance and began her career in Pune, working across sales, education and image consulting before turning her focus to early childhood learning. She is co-founder and director of Chocolate Kids Preschool in Bilaspur, where she has worked closely with young children and their parents since 2013, gaining a first-hand view of how children learn, grow and find their confidence. She is also the author of Good to Be Embarrassed. Saina is passionate about rethinking conventional approaches to education and parenting. Through her work and her speaking, she advocates for an education that goes beyond marks and achievements, one that nurtures curiosity, confidence, independent thinking and life skills in every child.