Theme: Beyond

A locally organized event, in the calm and peaceful arena of MICA, away from the hustling city, TEDxMICA resonates with what TED stands for, celebrating the promotion of Ideas. We believe,​S​haring ideas and promoting people to think beyond the ordinary has always been at the core of TEDxMICA's philosophy. We believe that ideas are omnipresent and can come from anyone, anywhere, above and beyond.

With this thought, we bring to you TEDxMICA 2016. Stay tuned for the theme launch!

MICA
Shela Village
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380058
India

Babar Afzal

Pashmina Activist

Babar Afzal is a Pashmina Activist who quit his career of a McKinsey Analyst 6 years back after his soul called him back home to protect the Pashmina Goats. He founded the Global Pashmina Goat Project and is featured regularly in world media being referred to as "the most credible voice on Pashmina in the world". Swearing to live for the Eco-system and contribute every second of his life to the community, he is the recipient of many awards including Shri. Rabindranath Tagore Award and Bharat Gaurav Award. He was also profiled by BBC and TIME Magazine in its "Genius Issue", where only 10 people have been profiled in the past decade for their brilliant work and ideas that can bring in positive social change.

Bhumika Bhatia

Photographer

It all started 6 years ago when Bhumika felt the need to find an outlet to translate her dreams and imagination. And then, photography happened to her. She did her first exhibition “Sublunary World” at the age of 19 and is the only Indian female photographer whose work has been published and exhibited across the world at such a young age including (Jimmy Choo and the Elton John Foundation), Selfridges-London where she was also a runner-up; Paris Fashion Week; and so on. She was featured by Cosmopolitan Magazine as a part of their cover story “People to look out for in 2012” and in magazines such as Digital Photographer, GQ India, Cosmopolitan India, TIME Magazine (Online), Front page on Vogue Italia (twice.) and many more. An amalgamation of vividness, romance, love, desolation, sensitivity and pain, her images are just like her dreams. And just like her dreams, she only shares what touches her.

Chintan Ruparel

Entrepreneur+Film Maker+Advertiser

After 7 years in mainline advertising as a copywriter, having worked in agencies like O&M Mumbai, Taproot India and Creativeland Asia, on successful campaigns like Airtel’s Har Friend Zaroori Hota Hai, TOI’s Aman Ki Asha and several others, picking up awards and accolades at top shows like Cannes, D&AD, One Show, Spikes Asia, Goafest, and the Effie’s; Chintan Ruparel decided it was time to fuel his entrepreneurial ambitions, and joined as the Co-Founder and Chief Curator at Terribly Tiny Tales – India’s most subscribed micro-fiction platform on the social web, reaching out to over 2 million people around the world on a weekly basis. In the past year, TTT has launched brand collaborations, successfully partnering some of the world’s best brands like Cornetto, United Colors of Benetton, Stayfree, Amnesty International, and so on. TTT also produced some of India’s best short films of 2015 (13 in all), under its banner Terribly Tiny Talkies. He wrote 4 and debuted as a director with Deuce.

Ester Martinez

CEO & Managing Editor at People Matters Media

Ester Martinez is the founding CEO & Managing Editor at People Matters Media. She holds a Postgraduate degree in HRM from EADA (Spain) and a Master’s Degree in Management from ISB, Hyderabad. Until 2008, she worked as a professional manager with a host of Blue Chip companies, like HP and TCS. In 2009, Ester decided to come to India and work on developing India centric data on talent management, leadership and HR, seeing the absence of any such research content could be referred by CEOs & HR heads. This spurred her idea to start People Matters, a magazine that aims to provide practical aspects of managing, developing and coaching talent in India. What started as a magazine, emerged as India’s single point of reference for knowledge in HR industry in just 6 years. Ester is very active in various HR and Business forums in India and Internationally. She is currently the Vice President of National HRD Network Delhi & NCR chapter.

Kunal Arora

Entrepreneur + Social activist

He is the Co-founder of the Education Tree, who uses small yet meaningful ways to impart education with the help of unique art forms such as freeze mobs, flash mobs, graffiti, chalk art, street dancing, street plays etc. Kunal Arora and 3 of his friends started TET to remove the cracks in the education process and ensure a good, meaningful learning for all. They are currently working in universities across Delhi and plan to take up school initiatives as well. TET is also working towards Women Safety.

Meenakshi Menon

Advertising veteran + Environmentalist

Meenakshi Menon is an advertising veteran who started her career in 1980 with Lintas and went on to launch India’s first audit & advisory in marketing services in 2003 by the name of “Spatial Access Solutions”. She also served as the MD, Zee TV till 1997. In 2000 she was selected by Ad Age Global as one of the 17 women worldwide who were changing the face of advertising industry. The first Indian judge ever to be on the Media Lions Jury at Cannes in 2003, she has also been selected as one of India’s 25 most powerful women by Business Today. Meenakshi has also founded an environment conservation NGO named, “Vanshakti” to instill a sense of responsibility amongst citizens.

Prathap Suthan

Advertiser+ Writer+ Business Leader

He is the man behind campaigns like India Shining – for the previous NDA Government, Incredible India – the Indian tourism brand, Next is what? – Samsung Mobiles in 2008, Be You – for Jabong, the online fashion brand, and many more. He is currently the CCO and Managing Partner of ‘Bang in the Middle’, a full service advertising agency based out of New Delhi.

Ranveer Brar

Chef

A chef of great renown and a celebrated television personality, Ranveer Brar is one of the few Indians who have truly left their mark in the global culinary space. At 17, he recognized food as his true calling while acquainting himself with the finer nuances of kebab making and the rest, as they say, is history. He began his illustrious career at the Taj Mahal Hotel in 2001 and has since then left his mark at many highly celebrated hotels. From opening the Best Restaurant in the World as awarded by ‘The Wallpaper’ magazine to hosting popular TV Shows like “The Great Indian Rasoi” and “MasterChef India” among others, Mr. Brar is truly one of India’s finest food connoisseurs.

Sagarika Chakraborty

Business Leader

Sagarika currently acts as the CEO to IIRIS and seeks to add critical business value to companies through her expertise in legal, risk mitigation and investigative strategies. An alumnus of NLU, Jodhpur and ISB, Hyderabad, Sagarika seeks to inspire the youth to walk the unconventional path when it comes to pursuing passions. Sagarika wears many feathers in her cap as an author, lawyer, panel reviewer at the UNESCO, active researcher and many others in the past. Looking into her contributions in the field of policy studies at such a young age, she was awarded Fellowship by Royal Society of Arts, UK in 2011. Sagarika is known for her strong opinion about women security and women empowerment who seeks to bring about change through her contributions in the field of policy and corporate opportunities for women.

Sourabh Kaushal

Space explorer+ Engineer + Entrepreneur

Space explorer, engineer and entrepreneur, Karmaveer Chakra recipient Sourabh Kaushal has been doing space research for the past 7 years. He has been awarded the prestigious “Dr. Kalpana Chawla Young Scientist Award 2012” and was also the runner-up of the “Jerone Pearson Award 2010” given by The International Space Elevator Consortium, USA.He has been appreciated by eminent personalities for his research work in mitigating space debris and space transportation system. Being an INK fellow, he likes to interact and motivate people through his talks. He is also inclined towards 3D printing in space.

Umesh Upadhyay

Journalist+ Academicia + Communication Professional

Umesh Upadhyay is a senior journalist, academician and communication professional, presently working as President and Media Director in Reliance Industries Limited. Earlier He worked as President News with Network18. As a regular commentator on public issues he has an uncanny sense of understanding and analyzing political, economic and social issues from a holistic perspective. He has had experience of working with Delhi University, Press Trust of India (PTI), Doordarshan, Zee News, SAB TV, Home TV, Disha Education Society, Reliance Industries Limited and Network18. He has conceived, produced and presented many pioneering programmes during his career in media. He, as a reporter, has visited and covered many trouble torn spots in India including Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Assam and Kargil. He has also handled several international assignments.