Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) organised the third edition of its flagship event
TEDxIIFTDelhi 2017 on 14
th October.
The independently organised TEDx event, licensed by TED, featured 11 speakers under the theme “
Envisage, Evoke and Enlighten.” Speakers included
Mr. Javed Akhtar (Lyricist, Poet, Screenwriter),
Mr. Shiv Khera (International bestselling author),
Mr. Somdev Devvarman (Former Indian Tennis Player),
Mr. Kulmeet Bawa (MD, South Asia, Adobe),
Mr. Sameer Nair (CEO Applause Entertainment),
Ms. Suhasini Haidar (Strategic & Diplomatic Affairs Editor,
The Hindu),
Dr. Sonal Mansingh (Padma Vibhushan, Classical Dancer, Researcher),
Ms. Anita Nair (Author),
Ms. Manabi Badopadhyay (India’s 1
st Transgender College Principal),
Ms. Karishma Mehta (Founder of Humans of Bombay) and
Ms. Mallika Jagad (Taj Attack Bravery Award Winner).
The event kicked off with Dr. Sonal Mansingh’s talk about 'Understanding the need and importance of art in contemporary times.' She said, 'Culture evokes something in us that is higher than what we normally feel in our daily lives.' The second speaker of the day, Mr. Sameer Nair, took the stage to talk about ‘A Future of Content.’ He said, "The future of entertainment will be built around providing immersive experiences to consumers." Next, Mr. Shiv Khera spoke on the topic, 'Making a Commitment.’ During his TEDx talk, he talked about how commitment was a promise we made to the world while a promise was a commitment we made to ourselves.
The next speaker, Ms. Mallika Jagad, spoke on the topic, 'My journey of enlightenment.’ While narrating her experience at the Taj on 26/11, she said, "I believe that when difficult times prevail, you either play the victim or you decide to get up and do something about it." Speaking on the topic 'The Seagull Effect', Mr. Kulmeet Bawa said, "Nothing succeeds like failure. It is success that you should be afraid of." The next speaker, Ms. Manabi Bandopadhyay spoke on 'The Present Scenario of Transgender People in India and their Empowerment,' and made people realize that, "large-scale awareness and sensitization are the need of the hour to ensure inclusion of transgenders in India."
The afternoon session began with Ms. Karishma Mehta speaking on the topic, ‘The Social Media Bubble.’ She said, "The problem with social media is that you are led to believe that people around you are living perfect lives." Humans of Bombay demolishes exactly that stereotype by letting people hear the stories behind the images they portray. Next, acclaimed author Ms. Anita Nair chose to speak on the topic, 'A story about a story-teller.' She said, "Artistic success takes place when you move out of your comfort zone to create an impact on those around you as well as on yourself."
Mr. Somdev Devvarman was on stage to speak on the topic, 'Somdev’s Recipe for Success - For Indian Sport'. He said, "The two key ingredients for anyone to attain long-term success are culture and structure." The audience were privileged to have Mr. Javed Akhtar at TEDxIIFTDelhi speaking on the topic, 'Cinema in Society'. He said, "If you look closely at Indian cinema, you can write the social, economic and political history of our country." The last speaker for the day, Ms. Suhasini Haider, spoke on the topic, 'Learning to Use Your Moment of Truth.' She said, "You sometimes experience a moment of truth during which you realize what it is that matters the most to you. Make sure you use it well."
With the objective to take world-class ideas to the local community, the event, organised by the Media Committee of IIFT Delhi, brought together a diverse set of speakers who captivated the audience and sparked a willingness in them to be more aware.