Shillong, often called the Scotland of the East because of the startling similarity of its weather and physical landscape to the Scottish Highlands, is a melting pot of culture. KFC is as popular as the local joint that serves Nagaland dishes, traditional dresses keep pace with the latest trends in fashion. And in this land of the delightful mishmash of culture, Indian Institute of Management Shillong hosts TEDxIIMShillong.
This will be the second edition of TEDx to be organised by the institute, to be held on the 15
th of February at Pinewood Hotel. The objective behind TEDxIIMShillong is to showcase some of the eminent speakers from different spheres of life who will share their unique ideas and experiences with the audience. The theme for this year is ‘Riding the Eclectic Bandwagon.’ True to the region and the institute, which represent a potpourri of culture, language and traditions, TEDxIIMShillong will showcase a series of lectures by men and women from a wide variety of fields, who will share their experiences, their learning and their stories.
The institute has been preparing for the event for several months in advance. Various promotional contests have been organised surrounding the event. The response has been phenomenal. The first contest, held online, which ran for a period of 8 days, was ‘Know Your Speakers’. A series of 8 quizzes was held, one on each day, highlighting points about each speaker, urging the participants to discover some delightful trivia about the speakers. The questions were posted on the Facebook page and the answers were required to be given in the comments section. There were four lucky winners from the event, all of whom won TEDxIIMShillong merchandise.
The second contest was open only to the students of IIT Guwahati, Martin Luther Christian University, NIFT and NIT Silchar in Shillong. Participants were required to write an essay on their dreams and how they plan to achieve them. The winners, who are yet to be declared, will win free passes to the event.
The third contest was ECLECTI'CLICK' which had photographers interpreting eclecticism in the surroundings through the eye of the camera! Participants sent in single pictures, some sent in collages, all instances of disparate things forming a larger picture on the whole.
Raphael Warjri chaired Riti Academy painted the ‘Canvas’, an artist’s interpretation of the theme. The very moving painting shows a man struggling to be free, to break free from the bonds that chain him down. A spectacular palette of colour reinforces the eclecticism part visually; myriad hues come together to form sense in the picture.
A few days are left for the event and enthusiasm in the institute is running high. Come February the 15
th and students will fill up the hall in Pinewood Hotel to listen, as the speakers enthrall them and hold them in awe, share stories that inspire and amaze, and take them on a ride aboard the ‘Eclectic Bandwagon’.
Follow IIM Shillong at
iimshillong.insideiim.com
