Theme: Ideate. Ignite. Illuminate.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Hotel Vrishali Executive
Tarabai Park
Kolhapur, Maharashtra, 416003
India

Ambika Hiranandani

Lawyer and Animal Rights Activist

Ambika is a lawyer and Animal Rights activist. She advices several NGOs across India and has been a part of legal teams that have worked on some of the largest cases for animals from Jalikattu to the Mumbai Victoria's Carriages case. She practices in the Supreme Court, High Courts and National Green Tribunal. She is also a member of the Maharashtra State Animal Welfare Board which is focussing on sterilization of stray dogs and having societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals set up in every district of Maharashtra. Ambika is also working for the Tata Trusts and People for Animals to build a One of its kind State of the art Animal hospital in Mumbai .

Chetan Sashital

Voice Artist

Voicing-Over for more than 150 Bollywood actors and breathing life into various animated characters, Chetan Shashital has mastered the ‘art of voicing’. By deliberately tuning into the vocals of widest range of voices possible, for the past 30 years, he stands in sync with title of ‘Big C’ given to him by his fans. Listening, researching, mixing, practising and perfecting all the different kinds of sounds had been his passion. He has dubbed with international giants like Walt Disney (Voices for Baloo the Bear, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, The Genie of Alladin, Tigger & Gopher in Winnie the Poo and many more series. Apart from being a Voice-counsellor, Chetan is also an Actor, Singer, Composer, Writer, Director and Producer. He has won the “Dadasaheb Phalke Film festival Award 2016” for Best Music and Voice Design for “The fisher woman and Tuk-Tuk”, Best Voice Talent offered by the Indian Academy of Advertising and Film Art for 7 consecutive years from 1993 to 1999 and many more.

Dr.Prajakta Baste

Environmental Landscape Architect

Dr. Prajakta Baste working with the man-made and natural environment, thrives to create a balance between the both by blending and molding it into a sustainable infrastructure as a leader in the field of Environmental Landscape architect. Done with her Doctoral research in the subject of “Relation of Human Settlements and Water as a Natural Resource", she specializes in socio-cultural, functional and environmental aspects of architecture. Today water is one of the major issues of human civilization, and she has concentrated her work on the concerns of 'Rivers' in the urban scenario, extending the concern to the demanding issue of Ground water management in Urban and Rural areas. She an expert on committee appointed by Mumbai High Court for Pollution abatement of River Godavari, is contributing towards the sustainability of coexistence of nature and human!

Gauranga Das

Spiritual Leader

Currently being an Environmental Leader, Lifestyle Engineer and a Spiritual personality associated with ISKCON Foundation, Gauranga das also has an Undergraduate degree in Engineering ------- from the reputed IIT-Bombay. Serving as the Director of Govardhan Eco Village (GEV), which is also a world class retreat center and inhousing the Govardhan School of Yoga, he has inspired many others by his work and hence has garnered thousands of followers. GEV regularly attracts various international students from over 25 countries, hence spreading his teachings throughout the world! Gauranga das has also delivered the timeless message of Bhagwat Geeta on Star TV in a daily spiritual discourse named “Atma”. Recently he led GEV to win the United Nations Award for Excellence and Innovation in Sustainable Tourism from the UNWTO, which was the first time that India has ever won the recognition in the NGO sector.

Mandar Phatak

Research Scholar

Mandar is a young Life Sciences’ scientist who is keenly interested and inclined towards understanding and practicing the illusions and spirit of music. He is pursuing his PhD at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research(TIFR), Colaba, Mumbai, as a research scholar and a Shyama Prasad Mukharji Scholar (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research). Passing Madhyama Poorna Examination of Gandharva Mahavidyala with distinction, he has also bagged several Prizes in various state level Classical Vocal competitions around Maharashtra. Having a gifted voice and ear for music, he has tried to dilute the gap between physics and biology of music as it processed in human – illusionary – mind! Mandar has given public lectures directed towards children and general audience on 'The biology of hearing' and 'Music cognition' as a part of 'Chai and Why?', at Nehru planetarium and at Homi Bhabha auditorium, TIFR, as a part of science outreach initiatives by TIFR and HBCSE.

Yahya Bootwala

Content Writer

Sometimes some soulfully stunning words steal away your heart. Yahya Bootwala shingly holds this ilzam (allegation) of stealing millions of hearts with his simple yet mesmerizing mesh of words woven by his unpretentious and effortless way of voicing it! “Shayad woh pyaar nahi" should be an intro that is sufficient for his millions of young fans and followers which brought him into the ‘Youtube’-light! Yahya is an aspiring actor, writer, director, poet who writes event-based coming-of-age poetry in Hindi. He also is a storyteller and an aspiring Actor who finds his peace on stage. Yahya is also a Content Writer and Morning Show Producer for Jeeturaaj at Radio Mirchi. He also happens to be one of the founder writers of the page "Once Upon A Conversation".