Theme: Break The Box

TEDxMICA endorses the theme 'Break the Box', which is built around the notion of letting go of our innate conditioning to label everything around us. No great idea was born out of a conventional mind set or conformation to the mundane. The real stories are happening outside the box. And so, we say, why have a box at all?

MICA
Telav Ghuma Road
Off Sarkhej Sanand Highway
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380058
India

Abhishek Banerjee

Casting Director, Actor

One of India's finest emerging artists, Abhishek Banerjee began his career in 2010 with Once Upon A Time In Mumbai as a casting associate. In addition to his startling performances in Stree, Ajji, Mirzapur and mini-series like TVF Pitchers and Humorously Yours, he has also cast for shows such as Inside Edge, TVF Tripling and the most recent, Mirzapur. With his partner, Anmol Ahuja, Casting Bay was established, which is the first Bollywood casting company that handpicked actors for web content and let them explore different forms of media. Casting Bay has cast for movies like Raid, The Dirty Picture, Toilet - Ek Prem Katha & Secret Superstar, and is working on films like Student Of The Year 2, Hindi Medium 2 and Kalank. His vibrant work and prolific personality are appreciated and admired by younger audiences all over the country.

Alex Mathew (Maya)

Drag Artist

In a world restricted by conventional societal standards, Mayamma or Maya the Drag Queen represents what it means to be true to oneself. One of India's first few drag queens, Maya has broken the box of labels and stereotypes in more ways than one - quintessentially Indian with her Sari and her Malayali lineage, she has blazed a trail for redefining performance art. Portrayed by Alex Mathew, a PR and Marketing Executive at The Lalit Ashok Bangalore, Maya hosts her own talk show on YouTube called Chaya with Maya. An inspiration for aspiring drag artists in India, she is creating her own path and is a strong LGBTQ supporter.

Ami Patel

Celebrity Stylist

A renowned celebrity stylist, Ami Patel has transformed the way people view fashion through her work. She is the stylist for some of Bollywood’s most notable fashion-icons like Priyanka Chopra, Madhuri Dixit, Alia Bhatt and Kangana Ranaut, to name a few. Last year, Ami was behind the styling of two of the most talked about weddings globally – Priyanka Chopra’s and Isha Ambani's, which catapulted her to global recognition. She has also ploughed her trade across editorials, print, and TV in addition to being one of the most sought after stylists on Instagram. She was the former Fashion Director of L’Officiel India, and the Creative Director at Harper’s Bazaar.

Hussain Dalal

Actor, Screenwriter

Think coffee, and Hussain Dalal comes to mind - Hussain made Ra.. Ra..RRishi, comedy and coffee cool overnight with his Nescafe ad. With a rich stage background, he was one of the mentors in the 5th season of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. After dabbling in stand-up comedy, Hussain Dalal went on to act in films like Greater Elephant, Bring on the Night, Margarita with a Straw, A Gentleman and Pizza. Hussain then built a career in the field of dialogue writing, his maiden venture into writing, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani was a runaway hit. Immensely talented with a gift for hilarious one-liners, more hits followed, namely 2 States, Fanney Khan and more recently, Karwaan. Hussain has an innate and quirky sense of humour and an intuitive understanding of human nature that seems to spill over in his writing. It is hardly surprising that Hussain Dalal is today one of the youngest and brightest stars in the industry and will be back in action with his upcoming films, Brahmastra and Kalank.

Ish Goel

Blockchain Aficionado, CEO: Somish and Founder: GovBlocks

Being an incredibly holistic achiever, Ish Goel has created a storm in the blockchain circuit and established the ‘Blockchain Centre of Excellence’ at his company in 2016 after being invested in this technology for over two years. He is one of the key blockchain architects and has led the delivery of multiple blockchain products using platforms like Ethereum Blockchain globally. Featuring as a key speaker at multiple global blockchain conferences, Ish has always looked to develop an intangible quality which makes his work distinctive, truly excellent and empowering.

Priyanka Kochhar

Model & Motorcycle Racer

India's BikeWithGirl, Priyanka Kochhar has led the bandwagon for 'paradigm shifts'. As a model who has featured on Vogue, Elle, and several print/advertising campaigns, she has a strong social media presence. She is popular for imparting wisdom about the latest motorcycles launches, Motorsport and empowering women into making alternate career choices. She also raced in the National Championship, bagging her first podium win last year. Her words of inspiration have caused an institutional change amongst young netizens leading them to expand their horizons without being restricted by any societal norm, expectation, or boundary.

Rohit Roy

Actor and Director

From television to films to digital entertainment, Rohit Roy has successfully straddled them all. Today, he is regarded as an actor of immense calibre and versatility. His four-year stint as the stylish and arrogant protagonist in Swabhimaan, one of India’s most popular soap operas, catapulted him to instant fame. Having acted in several sitcoms and directed some, he has also hosted several live events and game shows. Graduating into mainstream films, Rohit Roy went on to act in hits like Shootout at Lokhandwala and Kaabil, to name a few. He also directed the internationally acclaimed film, 'Rice Plate', starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi. He produced Puran Masi and Gubbare and also acted in the latter, all part of Dus Kahaniyan. His latest venture is a thriller series called ‘Memories’, a digital series which has garnered a lot of acclaim.

Sabyasachi Gorai

Celebrity Chef

The Chef with the Midas touch! Chef Saby is the only recipient of the most coveted National Tourism Award, for “Best Chef of India” awarded by the President of India. He quit his high flying job as Culinary Director of Olive Bar and Kitchen in 2012 and started his culinary academy to nurture and mentor young Chefs. His biggest international achievement came when he won the “Best Chef of India” at Varli Awards, New York. He has headed, launched and set up many award winning restaurants such as Lavaash by Saby, Byg Brewski, Bob's Bar & Mineority by Saby. He has also been trusted with the responsibility of being the President of the Young Chefs Forum, under WACS (Worlds Association of Chefs Societies), to groom budding chefs.

Saurabh Sachdeva

Acting Coach, Founder The Actor's Truth Studio , Actor

An Acting Coach, an Actor and a Director, Saurabh Sachdeva has donned many hats in the Indian Film Industry. As an actor, he has played the pivotal role of Sulaiman Isa in the Netflix special Sacred Games and was also seen in critically accalimed movies such as Maroon and Manmarziyaan. As a prestigious acting coach with an experience of over 15 years, Saurabh Sachdeva is the man behind the acting chops of many illustrious actors. He is the founder of 'The Actor's Truth', an academy dedicated to training and education in the art of acting and theatre performance. He has also directed the short film 'Gul' and many theatre plays.

Snigdha Poonam

Journalist, Author

A renowned journalist for The Hindustan Times, Snigdha covers important national affairs in the wide range of Indian Politics, Society and Culture. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian and The Financial Times, among others. In 2015, her article 'Lady Singham's Mission Against Love' was runner up in the Bodley Head/Financial Times Essay Prize. Snigdha’s recent book, Dreamers: How Young Indians Are Changing Their World, chronicles the journey of six young Indians in small towns and villages as they chase their dreams. Dreamers won 2018's Crossword Book Award for nonfiction and was listed by The Financial Times and The Hindu as one of the best books of the year.

Tanvie Hans

Football Professional

One of the most prominent and inspiring voices for women in sports in India, Tanvie Hans started her football journey in Delhi and went on to play for legendary European clubs such as Tottenham Hotspurs and Fulham FC. Now back in India, she plays in multiple leagues, including the Amateur League, becoming the first woman to play in the league. She is constantly striving to make a difference on and off the field with several football related projects and associations with NGOs, and is in the process of surrendering her British citizenship to be able to play in and hopefully for India.

Virali Modi

Disability Rights Activist

A determined fighter, 14-year-old Virali Modi was diagnosed with malaria that put her in a coma. The Pennsylvania resident, who wanted to become a model and an actor one day, had gone to Mumbai, where she contracted the disease. Due to a delayed diagnosis, Virali ended up in a wheelchair after multiple near death experiences. Despite her disability, she is still following her dream of becoming a model and is an aspiring actress. In 2014 , she became the first runner-up at the Miss Wheelchair India contest. It has been many years since the incident, Virali now is a disability rights activist whose efforts to make railways more accessible landed her in 'BBC 100 Women 2017'. She is also a motivational speaker inspiring millions with her arduous journey.