Theme: Upside Down

The theme which will form the locus of all the talks on the TEDx stage this year is UPSIDE DOWN. Inspired by Shel Silverstein’s famous poem ‘Reflection’ this theme brings to focus all the possibilities which wake up when are willing to view the world from a perspective that is diametrically opposite to ours.

We want to encourage our speakers to share with the audience their inverted view of the world and how this helped them build a success story.

Mount Litera Zee School Amritsar
Silveroak Enclave
Loharka Road
Amritsar, Punjab, 143001
India

Bhupendra Tripathi

RBI Manager, Ahmedabad Paralytic, Cancer Patient & Blind

(RBI Manager, Ahemdabad, paralytic, cancer patient and blind): Physical impairment has never hindered Bhupendra Tripathi from exploring new aspects of life, confronting new challenges, and overcoming difficulties. Rather it has only bolstered his resolve to stare trials in the face and make them flee. A cancer survivor, paralytic and visually impaired person, Tripathy is a fighter and champion in every sense. This is evident from the fact that disabilities resulting from his cancer treatment and chemo therapy have not prevented him from living life to the fullest. A brilliant school and college achiever, he continued to be a learner and achiever, learning Braille in English, Hindi, and Gujarati to avoid hitting any roadblocks his visual impairment might cause. He is currently posted as Manager, RBI, Ahmedabad.

Diipa Khosla

Influencer of the year (2019) by Vogue, Elle & Inflow.

From humble origins in India to becoming a global celebrity Diipa Buller-Khosla has definitely come a long way. With traits like looking good on all occasions, speaking up, and creativity gaining prominence in the job and matrimonial markets, people have begun to look up to Diipa, a renowned Indian influencer, fashion guru, model, creative consultant and speaker, based between London and Amsterdam, for inspiration. Diipa hit the headlines when she married her boyfriend, diplomat Oleg Buller in a fairytale wedding in 2018.

Dr. Neeraj Bharany

Oncology / General Oncology Specialist

Despite several breakthroughs in the medical field to cure the most dreaded diseases, cancer continues to be one of the most worrisome ailments. All the same, when we have doctors like Dr Neeraj Bharany, we need not worry. A Haematologist and Oncologist by profession, Dr Bharany has been practising for the past more than 20 years. We feel immensely proud to say that he is an alumnus of Government Medical College, Amritsar. Dr Bharany is currently based in Hot Springs, AR, US. In Dr Bharany’s own words, his haematology and oncology team treats all kinds of blood diseases in adults.

Gowri Ishwaran

Founder Principal of the Sanskriti School, New Delhi Padma Shri Award Winner

The passion of Gowri Ishwaran for education can be judged from the fact that she has been associated with various educational institutions besides founding some of them. Armed with a postgraduate degree in English literature, she has been associated with institutions like St. Michael's School, Patna, Springdales School, Delhi, and Delhi Public school, besides delivering lectures at various seminars and conferences. She is a senior administrator at Shiv Nadar Foundation. She is the CEO of the Global Education and Leadership Foundation (tGELF). Decorated with the Padma Shree in 2004, Ms Ishwaran is also a member of the Governing Council of the Vedica Scholars Programme for Women, an educational initiative of the Vedica Foundation and Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication.

Manvendra Singh Gohil

Maharaja of Rajpipla, LGBT Activist

He appears and dresses like most men in India, and shares same passions with them – Indian Classical Music (Vocal) and yoga. But what sets him apart from them is his sexual orientation. We are talking about Manvendra Singh Gohil, Prince of Rajpipla in Gujarat. He met with hostility both from his family and the villagers of Rajpipla when he disclosed his gay tendencies. He supports LGBT rights, chairs the Lakshya Trust, the first organisation in Gujarat to focus on HIV prevention amongst gay couples and transgenders, while also aiming at establishing a dignified status for homosexuals in the society. He represents Western India for Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities and is also the Founder and Chairperson of Ekta Transglobal Foundation registered in USA. Gohil is Ambassador Consultant (India) to AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the oldest organisation in USA working on HIV/AIDS.

Marianna Mukuchyan

Celebrity Hair & Makeup Artist VOGUE Beauty Award winner

She knows makeup like the back of her hand. That she and her sister launched their own her ‘Mukuchyan’ brand in MADE shopping center in Yerevan, Armenia, in 2017, testifies to the fact. That she has worked with many prominent Indian actresses such as Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and Parineeti Chopra bears further testimony to her exceptional work. Born in Yerevan, Armenia, formerly part of the Soviet Union, in 1984, Mukuchyan was schooled in Germany. She has a master's degree in textile engineering. She launched her career doing stage makeup for fellows for shows and events like Tschibo, STILL, OTTO and Bambi Awards in Germany.

Munaf Kapadia

Chief Eating Officer at The Bohri Kitchen Forbes Under 30

The idea of inviting acquaintances home for a meal, and then charging them for the same could sound absurd to most. But then, don’t the most successful of businesses take birth from the most unlikely concepts? As far as Munaf Kapadia is concerned, this happens only if a person’s culinary skills are exceptional and exclusive to him/her. The ‘remote’ idea of starting the Bohri Kitchen stemmed from a fight between him and his mother over the remote control of the television. He gave up his job at Google to devote his time, energy and PR skills to this business. Though initially it was not a smooth sailing for them, the business, which aimed at showcasing his mother’s superb culinary skills, overcame all hurdles to emerge as successful and please the palates of foodies, who are invited to dine with the Kapadias. As of now, Munaf’s family has dined with celebrities like Rishi Kapoor, Farah Khan, Ashutosh Gowariker, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Oleg Buller

Dutch Diplomat

Oleg Büller-Khosla is a Dutch diplomat that served in Iraq during the heydays of ISIS rule and as a vocal point with several UN agencies. Together with his wife, Diipa Büller-Khosla, he founded Post for Change. An organization dedicated to advancing Women’s Rights and fighting Climate Change through the use of social media.

Pernia Quereshi

Entrepreneur, actress, stylist

Stylist, actress, dancer, author, in short a multifaceted personality, Pernia Quereshi is an epitome of grace, élan, and passion. Born to an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, Quereshi designs costumes for Bollywood, a journey that she embarked on with the movie ‘Aisha’. In 2012, she launched her own e-commerce venture ‘Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop’

Sanay Khurana

Student of Mount Litera Zee School

He is one of the brightest students of Mount Litera Zee School, Amritsar and has always been very active in all co-curricular activities. An enthusiast, who takes advantage of all the opportunities that have come his way. He is extremely fond of and exceptionally good at public speaking, debating and creative writing. He is the editor of our school magazine as well. A foodie at heart, he is extremely passionate about travelling and exploring new countries and cultures.

Ssumier Pasricha

a.k.a Pammi Aunty Writer, Comedian, Presenter, Actor

The face behind the amusingly grumbling Pammi Aunty with a face mask, curlers, and goggles is that of a man – Ssumier Pasricha. His Punjabi background acts as a perfect foil to this well-loved character created by him. Ssumier is a trained dancer – he learnt Kuchipudi under Raja and Radha Reddy for five years, besides receiving training in Indian Classical Music for 13 years. Pasricha has worked as an RJ at a radio station in Australia, where he pursued his higher studies. He was also an active member of the Indian Society of Western Australia. His love for acting took roots, when he used to act in school plays as a school and college student. He has undertaken several domestic and international assignments. Ssumier is a renowned photographer and his work has been featured in the National Geographic, and magazines published in Australia, Spain, and New Zealand. He has also appeared in various TV soaps and is associated with various social causes too.

Suhani Parekh

Designer@MISHO’s Forbes under 30

The face behind the amusingly grumbling Pammi Aunty with a face mask, curlers, and goggles is that of a man – Ssumier Pasricha. His Punjabi background acts as a perfect foil to this well-loved character created by him. Ssumier is a trained dancer – he learnt Kuchipudi under Raja and Radha Reddy for five years, besides receiving training in Indian Classical Music for 13 years. Pasricha has worked as an RJ at a radio station in Australia, where he pursued his higher studies. He was also an active member of the Indian Society of Western Australia. His love for acting took roots, when he used to act in school plays as a school and college student. He has undertaken several domestic and international assignments. Ssumier is a renowned photographer and his work has been featured in the National Geographic, and magazines published in Australia, Spain, and New Zealand. He has also appeared in various TV soaps and is associated with various social causes too.

Tanya Ghavri

Celebrity stylist and co-founder @dhoomdhaamweddings

She loves to play with style; panache defines her skill. Celebrity and wedding stylist Tania Ghavri needs no introduction -- her work speaks volumes for her. Co-founder ofthedhoomdhamweddings.com (with Bollywood Producer Ashi Dua), she has styled celebrities including Katrina Kaif, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, even Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. But life is definitely not cakewalk for her as her work involves extensive travel and immense hard work. Ghavri started as apprentice to Pernia Qureshi; studied fashion at Parsons School of Design, New York; joined the Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) University in Mumbai, and interned at Vogue. She has also contributed significantly to television, film, and commercials for several popular brands including L’Oréal, Longines, Pantene, and others.