TEDxMEC is an independently organised TED event which seeks to establish the internationally renowned TED experience at Govt. Model Engineering College, Kochi. In 5 glorious years of cradling ideas, TEDxMEC speakers have captivated crowds with their ingenuity and bewitched them with their brilliance. At TEDxMEC, TED Talks videos and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. We present a platform where people bring about changes in one of the oldest languages known to man - stories!

Model Engineering College
Thrikkakara P.O
Ernakulam, Kerala, 682021
India

Arvind Sanjeev

Described as a serial innovator, Arvind Sanjeev is credited with his creation of DIY Hacking. Formerly involved with Fin, RHL Vision as CTO, Arvind possesses a trail of recognitions including Yahoo-Accenture’s ‘Most Promising Innovator’. He was featured on TechCrunch for his open source projects. Recently captured in the news for his Google Glass clone from Kochi, Arvind aims to improve the presence of open source electronics and maker community in India. He is actively involved with RideSmart, a project undertaken with support from BlackBerry. Arvind Sanjeev was selected as one of the five student entrepreneurs from Kerala as part of SV Square Initiative by StartUp Village, Kochi to visit and interact with influential companies at Silicon Valley, California. Arvind is focussed on exposing students to latest open source prototyping technologies such as Raspberry Pi and Arduino. He is currently working on a book titled ‘How To Be A Maker’.

Chitra Iyer

Chitra Iyer, a renowned singer of present times, made her mark in the Malayalam film industry as a playback singer with music duo, Bernie and Ignatious. Music was Chitra’s passion since a very young age. She has training in both Carnatic as well as Hindustani music. She recorded her first album, on Udupi Krishna, in 1993 and composed the songs for the same.She was associated with budding fusion composer, Balabhaskar to do numerous albums and music videos which catapulted her to the limelight. Her first Tamil playback song was for the movie Tenali, music composed by A. R. Rahman. Chitra is an enthusiast of animal welfare. She supports elephant rehabilitation and looks after the causes of stray animals. Chitra Iyer is famous in the Malayalam film industry for her songs in Swapnakoodu and Chronic Bachelor.

Narayanan Krishnan

A celebrated chef from the culinary heavens of Taj, Bangalore with future prospects at an elite position in Switzerland, Narayanan Krishnan was all set to define his future. His plans took a sudden detour when strolling along the walkways of his home town, Madurai , he came across an old man in ragged clothes sitting by the side in a pathetic state. This image had a lasting impact on Mr. Krishnan’s mind. He immediately proceeded to a nearby eatery and bought food for the old man. The old man ate the food vociferously with tears of happiness crinkling in his eyes. Mr. Krishnan went on to set up the Akshaya Trust in 2003 to help the needy and poor in Madurai. He ensures food and shelter to around 425 indigent and elderly people. He was honoured as one of CNN’s ‘Heroes of 2010’. Narayanan Krishnan is an example of giving a second glance to the destitute and homeless in this fast-paced world.

Nisha Purushothaman

In this world where the presence of women in positions of influence and power is ever increasing, a woman in the expanse of photography, especially from India, still remains hard to believe. Nisha Purushothaman aims to banish these boundaries set by outdated conventions by venturing out into wild to capture the beauty surrounding us on lens. BBC has selected one of Ms. Purushothaman’s pictures for this year’s ‘Photographer of the Year Award’ out of 80,000 entries from 89 countries. A graduate of Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, Nisha made her introduction to photography as a student of Applied Arts. She has the distinction of having many of her pictures being published in numerous magazines and websites, including six times in the Wild Bird Photography section of National Geographic. She is also actively involved in ‘Shades of Life’, a conservation project.

Rituja Ravikiran Rao

Rituja Ravikiran Rao was the Teen Speaker for TEDxMEC 2014 from Fergusson Junior College, Pune. Rituja believes that her voice can make a difference and through TEDxMEC 2014, she was confident she could attain the same. A Horlicks WizKid WizTeam winner, Rituja took the stage with her ideas on ‘Little Lost Lass’, a theatrical depiction involving the transformation of an Indian teenage girl blossoming into a woman. She addressed the compelling changes brought down on Indian girls from all corners, whether parents, friends or society in general. Rituja is also an awarded dancer. She was conferred the honour of one of the best delegates at Model United Nations(MUN) and was also the winner for the ICAI National Debate Competition among many other accolades.