TEDxTDV

Speakers

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

• A. Annamalai

  Director - National Gandhi Museum

  A. Annamalai is the Director of the National Gandhi Museum, dedicated to advancing Gandhian thought through education, culture, and public engagement. With academic training in economics and peace studies, he has led numerous initiatives promoting nonviolence, communal harmony, and youth outreach. His work spans curating landmark exhibitions, organizing national yatras, and developing educational programs like “Taking Gandhi to Schools.” Deeply engaged in grassroots efforts, he continues to preserve and disseminate Gandhi’s legacy across India and globally.

• Aditi Varshnei

  Multidisciplinary Designer, Manager, Interior Stylist & Art Curator

  Aditi Varshnei is a multidisciplinary designer with experience in Textile, interior, product, graphics & systems design. A graduate of NIFT Delhi & The Domus Academy, she is passionate about understanding and managing the business of design. She has been associated with archohm consults for 10 years. She currently looks after the business interface, life through design & art curation for the firm.

• Ankur Warikoo

  Serial Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author, Public Speaker & Content Creator

  Ankur Warikoo is a serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of India’s leading content creators. He is the Co-founder & CEO of WebVeda, serving over 490,000 professionals across 730+ cities, and the Co-founder of the India Genius Challenge, reaching students nationwide. A six-time bestselling author with over a million copies sold globally, he was the founding CEO of Groupon India from 2011–15 and Head of Groupon APAC from 2013–15. Today, he inspires over 16 million followers through his content.

• Apratim Jain

  Founder & Creative Head, DotFig

  Apratim is a designer and the founder of DotFig, working at the intersection of tabletop game design, prototyping, and creative manufacturing. His practice focuses on building tangible, hands-on experiences that bring ideas to life. Driven by curiosity, he enjoys working across disciplines and exploring how concepts evolve into meaningful, real-world products.

• Dr. Vijay Kumar Damera

  Finance and Agriculture Secretary, Government of Meghalaya

  Dr. Vijay Kumar Damera is a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with over two decades of experience in public policy formulation and program implementation in a range of sectors - Public Finance, Private Sector Development, Agriculture and Livelihoods, Technology, Youth Engagement, Urban Development, Climate Change and Tourism. He holds a Master’s degree from Princeton University and PhD from University of Oxford. Over the last seven years he has been working as Agriculture and Finance Secretary in India’s second fastest growing State of Meghalaya.

• Harris George Stephen

  Photographer, Filmmaker, Creative Director at The Design Village

  Harris is an architect and photographer who now heads the communications department at The Design Village. Across every discipline he has worked in, the question has remained the same — what stays, and what goes. He has spent over a decade applying that discipline across spatial design, image-making, and brand communications. In his talk he explores how creative constraints don't limit good decisions. They create them.

• Major General Dr. Sanjay Sharma

  Commandant of the Command Hospital in Udhampur

  Major General Dr. Sanjay Sharma (Vishisht Seva Medal) is a Senior Gastrointestinal and Liver Transplant Surgeon with over 34 years in the Army Medical Corps. With vast experience in complex and combat surgery, he has served in critical leadership roles across challenging environments. He currently serves as the Commandant of the Command Hospital in Udhampur, where he leads a major tertiary care institution, delivering advanced healthcare in one of the country’s most strategically significant regions.

• Mrinalini Ghadiok

  Head of Editorial Content, AD India

  Mrinalini Ghadiok is responsible for overseeing the vision and content across all platforms for AD India. She is an architect, design writer, editor and cultural innovator with over two decades of experience spanning architecture, publishing, and public discourse. Mrinalini has worked independently with leading architecture and design practices, institutions and brands, developing studio and project monographs, shaping communication strategies and conceiving public programmes and conversations that position design within a broader cultural context.

• Neetu Chandra Srivastava

  Actress, Producer, Philanthropist, Sportsperson, and Entrepreneur

  Neetu Chandra is an acclaimed actress, National Award-winning producer, and 4th Dan Taekwondo black belt. From Bollywood hits like Garam Masala to Hollywood, her career is defined by discipline and grit, most notably in her solo stage performance of Umrao Jaan Ada. A dedicated philanthropist and entrepreneur, she is the co-founder of Champaran Talkies, and the founder of Agrifeeder, and Weavehand in Bihar. As an athlete and fighter, Neetu blends artistry with action, using her global platform to empower underprivileged girls and inspire the next generation.

• Prashant Khanna

  Head - Production Services, Studios & Production Tech – Sports & Live Experiences - JioStar

  Prashant Khanna is a seasoned leader in the sports, entertainment, and media industry with over two decades of experience. At JioStar, he heads Production Services, Technology, and Innovation for the sports ecosystem, driving cutting-edge broadcast solutions. Previously at Disney Star, he established the Star Lab R&D unit and led award-winning initiatives, including a National Award–winning accessibility project. A recipient of the Disney Inventor and Innovator Awards, he has held leadership roles across major global media organizations.

• Priankar Dasgupta

  Programme Head (Industrial Design) and Head, Atelier

  Priankar is a transportation and mobility design professional passionate about shaping how people move—efficiently, sustainably, and beautifully. He holds a Master’s degree in Transportation Design from IED Torino, Italy, and focuses on user-centered innovation. His experience spans cars (Hyundai, Germany), automotive interiors (Scuderia Motor Design, Dubai), electric two-wheelers (MK Designs, One Electric, India), and urban mobility concepts. His work blends form, function, and strategy to create thoughtful, future-ready mobility solutions.

• Ritu Nakra

  Brand Advisor & Integrated Marcom Expert

  Ritu Nakra is a seasoned business leader with 28 years in the WPP network, known as a trusted client advisor and strong key relationship builder. She has worked across Wunderman Thompson, Grey, and Landor, leading iconic global brands across sectors including food, beverage, personal care, and aviation. A strong advocate of design thinking, she believes in the power of strategic design to create differentiated brand value. As GM, Landor Delhi, she has driven significant growth, expanding the studio’s client portfolio beyond Nestle to include leading hero brands like ITC, Tata Consumer Products, HUL, and Coca-Cola.

• Saijal Choudhary

  Fashion & Handcrafted Accessory Designer | Founder, Label सज-k | International Mobility Mentor

  Saijal Choudhary is a fashion designer, entrepreneur, and educator working at the intersection of design, craftsmanship, and global learning. With over a decade of experience across luxury retail, textiles, and jewellery, she brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her work. A graduate of the University of Westminster, UK, her research explored the global relevance of Indian fashion. She now mentors students pursuing international opportunities. Through her label Saj-k, she weaves together storytelling, craftsmanship, and conscious design for a contemporary world.

• Saket Nampell

  Motorcycle Designer, Podcast Host, Storyteller

  Saket Nampell is an award-winning motorcycle designer from the National Institute of Design with over 12 years of industry experience at companies like Honda and Bajaj. He has led the design of popular motorcycles such as the Pulsar NS400 and Honda CBR, and holds two design patents. He is also a visiting faculty member at several Indian design colleges and hosts “The Design Podcast,” with over 27K YouTube subscribers, inspiring aspiring designers through his platform @Bike_Design_Sketch.

• Sharanya Sahai

  Blockchain Enthusiast

  Sharanya Sahai has been an investment professional for over 10 years, with a career spanning investment banking, venture capital, and private equity. He has operated at the frontier of emerging technologies with a deep focus on blockchain. Sharanya has been instrumental in shaping India's blockchain ecosystem through landmark initiatives including India Blockchain Week, the India Web3 Landscape Report, and backing the country's most promising Web3 founders.

• Sneha Sunny

  Product Designer & Master’s Student at The Design Village

  Sneha Sunny is a product designer and a master’s student at The Design Village (TDV). With a background in footwear design, her work explores adaptability and material innovation in real-world contexts. She investigates how products perform beyond ideal conditions, focusing on grip, form, and user interaction. Her current research examines the gap between design intent and lived experience, aiming to develop solutions that respond to changing environments and diverse user needs.

• Soumil Arora

  F1 Commentator

  Soumil is a 22-year-old Formula 1 commentator and storyteller shaping how motorsport is experienced in India. Having called races across Formula 1, MotoGP, and beyond, he brings the speed, emotion, and human drama of racing closer to audiences. His work goes beyond commentary—it focuses on translating a complex sport into stories that connect. Driven by curiosity and culture, he aims to make motorsport feel real, accessible, and alive for everyone.

• Thomas Mical

  Professor and Advising Dean of Research, The Design Village

  Thomas Mical is Professor and Advising Dean of Research at The Design Village (TDV) and adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University. He has been a tenured Professor in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India. He has taught 55+ design studios globally, and researches on theories of wild ecologies, soft system and soft machines - as thy apply to landscapes and consciousness.

• Vanshika .

  Emerging Interaction Designer, Student at The Design Village

  Vanshika is a final-year Multidisciplinary Design student at The Design Village, specializing in Interaction Design. A research enthusiast, she works at the intersection of social impact and creative technology, using human-centered design to solve real-world challenges. Her work includes Virasat Se Pucho, an initiative focused on designing for dignity and purpose. Through her projects, she aims to bridge generational gaps and demonstrate how thoughtful design can create meaningful and lasting social change.