Theme: Metamorphosis

'Metamorphosis' is the theme of the maiden edition of TEDxShooliniUniversity. 'Metamorphosis' as a theme is pretty abstract and is open to interpretation from people from all walks of life.
What do you understand by Metamorphosis?
The definition: 'Metamorphosis' is a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.
The word transformation comes from the Greek word “Metamorphoo” which means a complete change of form.
Let’s look a little closer at a metaphor of a caterpillar and a butterfly using a metaphorical comparison of a human transformation from a life of defeat to a life of victory. For example, a metamorphosis change will help you move your life from poverty to wealth from sickness to health, from unhappiness to joy from stress- anxiety to peace of mind. These changes can be accomplished immediately by changing what is presently holding one back. Our speakers shall be from all walks of life. Our talks will be multidisciplinary and our speakers shall add to the vibrance of the event. Their backgrounds will be different, their work will be different but the common thing in all of them would be the metamorphosis these people underwent to realize the best version of themselves. How these people overcame the odds which held them back and how others too can. Through this forum, they share their stories and their ideas which they believe are worth spreading.

“In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are” Max De Pree

Shoolini University
Solan-Oachghat-Kumarhatti Highway
Bajhol
Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229
India

Abhimanyu Rai

Radio Jockey. Entertainer, YouTuber

Abhimanyu Rai hails from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh is a Radio Jockey at Radio Mirchi, and works in Chandigarh. He started his career as a comedian through a YouTube channel ‘Hi Rai’ where he promoted the regional language of Mandi that is ‘Mandyali’ and made several vines on the daily scenes in Mandyali language. Soon, his social network family grew and he joined Radio Mirchi FM entertaining people across the country. He liked entertaining people since his childhood. From the classroom to friends to family gatherings, he was always active doing some things, singing dancing acting and mimicries.

Akhil Kumar

International Host, Actor, and Global Fan Ambassador, La Liga

Akhil Kumar is an International Host, Actor & Entrepreneur. He started off his career by featuring in shows broadcasted on channels like MTV, Zee, NDTV and &TV India & London. He represented India at the prestigious Football League LALIGA in Spain & got an opportunity to host a match played between the globally recognized Real Madrid & Seville giving him global recognition. His shows have also been streaming on popular OTT platforms like Zee 5 & Voot. He's been a brand Ambassador to several national & international brands. He has also hosted the prestigious Jagran Film Festival several times & interviewed several Bollywood celebrities under his own brand name.

Aman Dhattarwal

YouTuber, Career Counsellor, JEE Educator, Motivational Speaker

Aman Dhattarwal is an Indian YouTuber, Public Speaker, Career Counsellor, and Educator. Aman is well known for his educational and motivational videos, which he uploads on his youtube channels. He runs a total of five YouTube Channels with over 4 million+ subscribers. He is also the founder of 'Apni Kaksha' which provides free and quality educational content for high school and college students. He believes that for India to emerge as a leader with a maximum young workforce, we need an educated youth to pilot India’s growth in the coming years.

Anshul Bhatt

Global Bridge Champion

Twelve-year-old Mumbai resident Anshul Bhatt is the youngest ever winner of the prestigious Joan Gerard Youth Awards at the World Youth Open Bridge Championships, where he represented India in the kids (U16) category. The award is given every two years to one player globally for aptitude, fair play and international spirit. Anshul is extremely curious about the sciences, maths, technology, and the humanities. He loves to cook and to explore the intersection between chemistry and cooking. Anshul enjoys the writings of Philip Pullman, JK Rowling, and JRR Tolkien, and is a die-hard Star Wars and Avengers fan. He writes short stories in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, and enjoys playing cricket, squash and board games with his buddies. After observing Anshul at the 2017 HCL Bridge Championships, World Bridge Champion Dennis Bilde told Business Standard, “Anshul has the mind of a 25-year-old who has been playing bridge all his life.”

Dr. Gurjot Kaur

Toxicologist and Academician

Dr. Gurjot Kaur is working as an Associate Professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University. She is a toxicologist by training, and an environmentalist by passion. She is currently working at Shoolini University and holds a Post-Doctorate from the University of Konstanz, Germany. While she is passionate about many things in life including children and education, she realizes that how fewer people know about joy as well as the woes of being a scientist. She is actively involved in leadership roles in the Society of Toxicology and loves to blog about science.

Mx. Dhananjay Chauhan

Transgender Activist

Dhananjay Chauhan, a trans-woman and first Transgender student of Panjab University has not only challenged the norms of gender in a hyper-masculine setup. They have also reshaped the education system in the region of Punjab by opening doors of Panjab University for Transgender people. They have many firsts to their name and a tireless body of work that they have done for the Transgender community in Punjab. An example like this sets a crucial precedent of what the future of Transgender rights looks like and if this success story is any indication then, the road ahead does not look bleak or hopeless.

Ritu Singal

Entrepreneur and Life Coach

The Managing Director of Raglan Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. as well as Winner Nippon Leatherette Pvt. Ltd., Ritu Singal is an Independent Certified Life Coach, Teacher, Trainer & Motivational Speaker with The John Maxwell Team as well as a certified Life Coach from Coach to Fortune by Arfeen Khan. Life Coach Ritu Singal has work experience across industries (Real Estate, Manufacturing, Finance, Education, HR, Women empowerment and child abuse) and expertise in various areas of mental health, whereby countless women claim to have fought their suicidal tendencies and now are leading empowered lives. She has carved a niche for herself in the corporate domain, and has emerged as a leader in the leather and real estate industry through her determination and perseverance.

Rupesh Mahore

Physics Researcher, Science Communicator, Performing Artist

Rupesh Mahore is a physics researcher with the primary area of research in Microfluidics, MEMS and Nanotechnology, revolving around thin films, nanowires, nanocrystals. He has had stints as a researcher at Harvard, ISRO, IIT Guwahati, and NIT Rourkela. Apart from this, he is a science educator, keynote speaker and performing artist. He hosted guest talks with Jim Cantrell, Cofounder of SpaceX, Dr Goutam Chattopadhyay, NASA and Cdr Rakesh Sharma, India's first & only cosmonaut. He has been doing stand-up comedy for the last 5 years, having done more than 150+ shows with renowned artists including Kenny Sebastian, Zakir Khan, Abhish Mathew, Rahul Subramanian, Atul Khatri, Sumit Anand, etc.

Sanjana Goyal

Entrepreneur and Chairperson, Indian Association of Muscular Dystrophy

Sanjana is a successful businesswoman and founder chairperson of the Indian Association for Muscular Dystrophy, an NGO trying to make life better for patients of this incurable disease. Her work is her identity. In 1992, she opened her boutique, hired tailors, and trained them in her own way. She does not stitch nowadays but her work is still going strong. She has trained people and she outsources her work to them. She has trained many people and most of them are running their independent businesses in different parts of Solan and Himachal.

Sonal Gupta

Educator, Student Counsellor, Soft Skills Trainer

As an Educator, Student Counsellor, and Soft Skills Trainer, by passion and profession, she has vast experience in grooming and developing learners into ready individuals. In the past, she has worked for reputable schools in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Delhi. Sonal restarted her career at the age of 46 and currently strives to understand the facets of her students' personalities that need improvement for personal growth and workplace prosperity. Her customised training programs lay emphasis on personality development, self-management, and communication enhancement. She coaches learners from all walks of life across India between the age groups of 5 to 70 years. Her goals are a beautiful blend of transforming self and others, targeted to bringing out the best in them, in their personal and professional spaces. She is a role model for all those who lose their sense of purpose while discharging several duties and fear new beginnings.

Vibha Saraf

Singer-songwriter, Bollywood Playback Singer

Vibha Saraf is an Indian singer-songwriter and Bollywood playback singer. She writes and performs her own music as well as sings for commercial/film projects. She sings in 14 languages. Her work has been featured on the soundtracks for the films Raazi, which went to win Best Film in the 64th Filmfare Awards, and Gully Boy, the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2019. In 2019, she was nominated for Best Female Playback Singer for the 65th Filmfare Awards and won the Best Female Playback Singer for the 20th IIFA Awards and Zee Cine Awards for the song Dilbaro.

Yash Tiwari

Author and International Youth Mentor

Yash is an eighteen-year old, award-winning author. He has delivered 5 TEDx Talks and a Josh talk, he is an International Youth Mentor, an international record holder, a mental health awareness advocate, an award winning author of two books, a public speaker, with his critically acclaimed debut novel "A Celebration In Tribulation" written at the age of 16. He recently has also authored ‘PANDEMIC 2020 - Rife of the Virus’ world's first novel on the ongoing corona virus pandemic. He has set an international record at ASIA BOOK OF RECORDS for the same. He has been awarded among the "Top 100 Inspiring Authors of India by The Indian Awaz", awarded with "Author Of The Year" award by NE8x, nominee for "Best Debut Author" award by ICMDR, and also awarded with Global Young Leader Fellowship and TCC REX Karma veer Chakra Award by iCOGNO in association with United Nations.

Yugansh Chokra

Entrepreneur and Growth Hacker

Yugansh is a twenty-one year-old entrepreneur, and a graduate in Instrumentation and Control Engineering from NSIT, Delhi. He firmly believes in the power of consistency and constantly lives by the motto of “hard work, hunger, and humility”. He has co-founded several start-ups, and he also mentors entrepreneurs and businesses. He is a LinkedIn strategist, and also loves to read and educate people about finance. He started his journey as a programmer but a few years back he fell in love with business. He can breathe marketing and growth hacking. He has travelled to 10 countries all on scholarship or funded, which is almost every student’s dream! He has been to top institutes like Harvard, MIT, HEC Paris.