TEDxOOBSchool

Speakers

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

• AARAV SINGH

  Aarav Singh, a Grade 12 student, is a passionate photographer and storyteller fascinated by how perspective shapes human understanding.

• Ahmed Reza

  Ahmed Reza is a Grade 12 student with a passion for the cosmos, exploring the worlds of rocket science and astrophysics. Beyond academics, he is an avid hockey and tennis player known for his sharp wit and ability to connect with others. Ahmed brings curiosity and energy to everything he pursues. In his talk, “The Answer Is C. But Do You Know Why?”, he challenges conventional views of education. Drawing on his experience as a top student who struggled to apply classroom knowledge in real life, Ahmed argues that we often confuse good test-takers with truly educated individuals and invites audiences to rethink the assumptions they have inherited.

• ARNESH SINHA

  Arnesh Sinha is a Grade 10 student and budding poet who enjoys uncovering the hidden brushstrokes within everyday life through verse. Equally fascinated by science and mathematics, he often finds traces of poetry even while solving problems.

• BAKIR BILAL

  Bakir Bilal is a Grade 12 student whose curiosity has guided him from science into the humanities, sociology, anthropology, and literary arts. He is fascinated by the insights that emerge where these disciplines intersect, particularly in understanding the human condition.

• Georjittou Beji

  Georjittou Beji, a Grade 12 student, is a problem-solver with a voracious appetite for information. He believes entrepreneurship begins not with funding or business plans, but with curiosity, creativity, and the ability to identify opportunities within challenges. For him, every problem is a chance for innovation.

• Hawa Aijaz

  Hawa Aijaz is a Grade 9 student and changemaker with a deep interest in identity, perception, and the psychology of human connection. As a debater and public speaker, she has spent years reflecting on how labels, expectations, and first impressions shape the way we see one another. In her talk, “The Version of You That Other People Invent,” Hawa explores the idea that everyone carries their own version of who we are, often incomplete, yet powerful enough to influence our lives. Through storytelling and reflection, she examines authenticity in a world shaped by assumptions.

• Ihan Abdul Rahim

  In a world obsessed with doing more, Grade 12 student Ihan Abdul Rahim asks a simple yet powerful question: What if we have misunderstood productivity? In his talk, “Rethinking Productivity,” Ihan draws on personal experiences and observations of modern hustle culture to challenge the belief that constant activity equals meaningful progress. Through humour, reflection, and insight, he explores how some of our greatest ideas, deepest growth, and most significant breakthroughs emerge not through relentless effort, but during moments of pause when nothing appears to be happening at all.

• Jaimee Felysse A. Reyes

  Jaimee Felysse A. Reyes is a student of Year 10 and a young artist who believes creativity is more than self-expression, it is a way of understanding, surviving, and reconnecting with the world. As an artist, student, and storyteller, she reflects on how people gradually lose parts of themselves while prioritizing achievement over imagination and productivity over passion. In her talk, “How to Colour a Silent World,” Jaimee explores the emotional disconnect many young people face today. Through personal memories, art, and everyday experiences, she presents creativity as a refuge, a voice, and a source of connection, challenging the myth that art belongs only to the talented.

• Lalith Badrinatan

  Lalith Badrinatan is a Grade 12 student with a keen interest in public speaking and philosophy. He enjoys reflecting on personal experiences and everyday situations to better understand how people think, react, and grow through challenges. For him, speaking is a way to connect real-life experiences with broader lessons.

• Maria Tayyab

  Maria Tayyab, a Year 10 student, is an empathetic thinker and visual storyteller who sees everyday objects as reflections of the human experience. She is fascinated by the invisible limits, emotional struggles, and silent exhaustion that often go unnoticed in daily life. In her talk, “What Percent Are You On?”, Maria explores how the modern student experience is quietly draining young people from within. Using the metaphor of a phone battery, she compares hidden anxieties to background apps consuming energy, challenging perfectionism and hustle culture while reminding audiences that true strength lies in pausing, healing, and reconnecting before burnout takes hold.

• PHILIP THOMAS CHUMMAR

  Philip Thomas Chummar, a Grade 10 student, is deeply fascinated by microbiology, a passion that has shaped his academic journey. His interest has led him to work with the Harvard Undergraduate Microbiology Society, where he serves as a team lead in a global campaign raising awareness about the microbial world

• PHILLIP THOMAS CHUMMAR

  Philip Chummar, a Grade 10 student, is deeply fascinated by microbiology, a passion that has shaped his academic journey. His interest has led him to work with the Harvard Undergraduate Microbiology Society, where he serves as a team lead in a global campaign raising awareness about the microbial world

• Raunak Sarkar

  Raunak Sarkar is a Grade 11 student, avid debater, and public speaker with a passion for entrepreneurship and business strategy. Known for his thoughtful outlook, he enjoys exploring the complexities of the world around him. His interests range from strategic problem-solving to motorsport and automotive culture. In his talk, “Beneath the Surface of Hardship,” Raunak challenges audiences to look beyond life’s overwhelming difficulties. By offering a transformative perspective on adversity, he explores how challenges can foster resilience, build unshakable self-belief, and reveal strengths that often remain hidden until they are tested.

• Sanya Aneel Mitra

  Sanya Aneel Mitra is a Grade 11 student and young artist who finds inspiration in music, creativity, and the small details often overlooked by others. A basketball enthusiast and vibrant personality, she is known for her energy, optimism, and love for self-expression. In her talk, “The Illusion of a Voice,” Sanya explores the pressure to perform, filter, and hide the parts of ourselves that seem imperfect. She challenges audiences to embrace authenticity, arguing that meaningful growth and connection emerge when we share who we truly are, what we value, and what genuinely brings us joy.

• Sharan Sathvik Mogilipuri

  Sharan Sathvik Mogilipuri is a Grade 11 student who enjoys exploring human perception, psychology, and identity. He is particularly interested in understanding the insecurities and unconscious standards that shape how people see themselves and others. In his talk, “It Was Never About Them,” Sharan examines how comparison influences the way we perceive those around us. Through personal experiences, he demonstrates how feelings of alienation often stem not from others’ actions but from our own comparisons. His message is simple yet powerful: measure progress against who you were yesterday, not against someone else today.

• Summaya Dildar

  Summaya Dildar, a Year 10 student, is fascinated by how quickly people form opinions using surprisingly little information. She enjoys exploring the assumptions and perceptions that influence the way we understand others. In her talk, “How Little It Takes,” Summaya encourages audiences to question the assumptions behind first impressions and look beyond the fragments they notice. Through thoughtful observations and relatable examples, she reveals how snap judgments often reflect our own biases more than the people we evaluate, advocating a more compassionate and open-minded approach.

• Umar Ali Faridi

  Umar Ali Faridi is a Grade 12 student who uses his experience with the school’s technology team to explore the relationship between digital media and human purpose. Passionate about creative technology, he advocates intentional engagement with digital tools as platforms for learning, innovation, and growth. In his talk, “The Screen Is Not the Enemy,” Umar challenges the belief that technology is inherently harmful. Drawing parallels with historical reactions to innovations such as the printing press and television, he argues that technology is shaped by human intent and that digital fluency can be a powerful tool for creation, learning, and self-empowerment.