Theme: Transforming Traditions
Description: No one can doubt that we are currently experiencing one of the most rapidly transforming periods in human history. Many feel that the pace of change can only increase, with radical implications for every social institution in every culture. And yet there are also signs of strength in continuing traditions, too. This TEDxASB event highlights several traditional arts and practices in contemporary India that are being transformed in order for them to continue to be relevant to new generations of people. At the same time, these traditions are also transformative in the way that they continue to touch and inspire people who come into contact with them.

Bandra Kurla Complex, SF 2 G Block
Bandra East
Mumbai, 400098
India

Safeena Husain

Safeena has been committed to girls' education in India since 2002. She has worked extensively with rural and urban underserved communities in South America, Africa and Asia. From 1997 to 2004, she was the Chief Executive Director for Child Family Health International in San Francisco, managing and supporting a range of development programs in the area of health. She was also Board Chair of the International Development Exchange in San Francisco, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable solutions to poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as serving on the Advisory Council of the Clarence Foundation. Safeena Husain holds a B.S. from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences, and was born and raised in New Delhi, India. She was recently elected as one of the Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders to engage in discussions about “Worlds Apart Together: Shared Values for an Asia-Pacific Community.”

Devdutt Pattanaik

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik is a mythologist, leadership coach and the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group. Trained in medicine, he worked for 14 years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and had brief stint with Ernst and Young as Business Advisor before turning his hobby into a vocation. He has written and lectures extensively on the relevance of myth and mythology and the cultural differences in notions of business and governance. His column Management Mythos in Corporate Dossier of Economic Times has been a reader's favorite for the past 4 years. His expertise lies in Myth Theory based on Mythology, especially Indian Mythology. He calls this Business Sutra. His best seller books include "Jaya: an illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata", and "7 Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art".

Talavya

Globe-trotting percussion ensemble Tālavya revels in the hidden potency of the Indian hand drums - tabla as a rhythmic and melodic instrument capable of expressing just about anything. Composed by music maestro Pandit Divyang Vakil and performed by young, highly trained tabla players, Tālavya was created with the intention of showcasing the power of this ancient drum in a form that expands its palette and audience, while keeping to the essence of Indian classical music. The compositions are filled with the nuances of classical tabla, while appealing to contemporary music sensibilities, thus striking a balance between tradition and modernity.

Hinesh Jethwani

Hinesh Jethwani, Founder & Head of Indian Hippy (www.hippy.in), is an entrepreneur with a deep rooted interest in beautifying the ordinary. Indian Hippy offers a gamut of products and services that rekindle the magic and charisma of old school, hand painted movie poster art by infusing it with a fresh dose of innovation. Hinesh holds a Bachelors Degree in Computer Engineering and has worked in diverse fields ranging from Technology Journalism to Partner & Program Marketing for Open Source giant, Red Hat India. Before launching Indian Hippy, Hinesh founded and successfully ran a technology outsourcing venture called Text Sourcing that provided technical documentation and marketing services to Fortune 500 client.

Lakshmi Pratury

Lakshmi Pratury brought TED to India in 2009, when the first TEDIndia conference was held in Mysore. In December 2010, she curated and hosted The INK Conference, in association with TED, (www.theinkconference.com) that carried forward the momentum created by TEDIndia. Lakshmi Pratury brings with her a varied and rich experience that spans for-profit enterprises, venture capital and nonprofit organizations. Featured in the list of '100 Most Powerful Women' by Forbes Asia in 2010 (http://www.forbes.com/global/2010/1108/power-women-10-zeti-akhtar-aziz-peggy-liu-women-watch_2.html), Lakshmi has traversed an incredible distance professionally. As a social entrepreneur, Lakshmi was a leading force at the American India Foundation (AIF), where she was part of the management team that raised over $30M in five years to channel towards development activities in India. She was the founder of the Digital Equalizer program, which brought technology education to over 100,000 children and 2,000 teachers in India. Prior to AIF, Lakshmi was a partner at the venture capital firm Global Catalyst Partners. At Global Catalyst Partners, she established relationships between GCP, the development community in India, and key executives in India. Before this Lakshmi was with Intel Corporation for 12 years and had various roles in marketing, marketing communication, advertising, and evangelizing the developer community. Lakshmi holds a Bachelors degree in Mathematics from Nizam College, Hyderabad, India. She attended IIT, Mumbai; got an MBA from the Bajaj Institute, India, and a second MBA from Portland State University, with a minor in theater arts. Lakshmi has published articles in San Jose Mercury, San Francisco Chronicle, Mint (leading business daily in India); interviewed celebrities, contributed to radio shows, including National Public Radio, and acted in local (US) theater. Lakshmi spoke at conferences like TED conference in the US (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/lakshmi_pratury_on_letter_writing.html), the DLD Conference in Germany, and at IIM Bangalore.