Theme: Eureka

At TEDxSabarmati , we bring to you people from different walks of life who will share their eureka moments. They will stir, enthuse,incite and motivate the audience with their wonderful stories of their lives. TEDxSabarmati is a synergy of ideas, aspirations and believes. Behold the eureka moments and get your own!!

Natarani, Darpana Academy
Natrani
C/o Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
Ahmedabad, 380007
India

Manjula Pooja Shroff

A social entrepreneur, she is regarded by many as the change agent for schooling in the state of Gujarat. As Chairperson of Calorx, she has been instrumental in founding and managing several premier schools. With a pan India presence, the Calorx since its inceptions, nearly a decade and half ago, is a name synonymous to professional and excellence in schooling. It has in its umbrella, the Delhi Public Schools, The Calorx School, at Ahmedabad and Calorx Public School at Mundra and Rajula. The one of its kind, sector specific Calorx Teachers' University is developing a creed of teachers to fill the quality gap of Human Capital. She holds a post-graduate degree from Utkal University and is a Graduate of Management Education Programme, IIM, Ahmedabad. Her concern for the marginalized and those with special learning needs is evident through the projects Visamo Kids Foundation and Prerna - a school for dyslexics. Recipient of several awards, among them, the prestigious Secular India Award from the President of India, Shri Shankar Dayal Sharma & Woman of the year by American Bibliography Society, North Carolina.

HH ManavendraSingh Gohil

Manvendra Singh Gohil, scion of the Rajpipla royal family from Gujarat, sure has come a long way.In 1995, he got married with fanfare but it soon ended owing to his homosexuality. Manvendra Singh faced confusion, personal pain and tensions within his family, and even had a nervous breakdown.On October 24, he was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, talking about his past. Manvendra's traditional, conservative and feudal background made his personal story interesting and eye-catching. Oprah would have never heard of Manvendra but for his 'royal linage'. Till 2002-03, he was a quite unknown, fearful, and shy but sensitive homosexual trying to do his bit for gays in India largely to help himself.In 2000, Manvendra started the Lakshya Trust, of which he is chairman, a group dedicated to HIV/AIDS education and prevention. A registered public charitable trust, Lakshya is a community-based organization working for HIV/AIDS prevention among men who have sex with men (MSMs). It provides counseling services, clinics for treatment of sexually transmitted infections, libraries, and condom-use promotion. Lakshya won the Civil Society Award 2006 for its contribution in preventing HIV/AIDS among homosexual men . The trust also creates employment opportunities for gay men and support for other organizations for MSMs, and plans to open a hospice/old age home for gay men. Lakshya is a member of the India Network For Sexual Minorities (INFOSEM) and a founding member of the Sexual Health Action Network (SHAN).In 2007, Manvendra joined the Interim Governing Board of the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health, known as APCOM, a regional coalition of MSM and HIV community-based organizations, the government sector, donors, technical experts and the UN system. He serves as India Community Representative on behalf of INFOSEM, the India MSM and HIV network.

Laxmi Tripathi

Lakshmi NarayanTripathi is well-known in Mumbai and across India. Not only is she a classically trained dancer and choreographer, but she is also an activist working to educate society about Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Lakshmi is also a Transgender.Lakshmi graduated from Mithibai College where she read Arts, and then pursued a post-graduate degree in Bharatnatyam, after which she choreographed several stage shows, cut music albums, and has also done a few projects for TV and films.In 2002, Lakshmi became president of the NGO, DAI Welfare Society, which is the first registered and working organisation for eunuchs in South Asia. In 2006 she started Astitva, a CBO (Community Based Organisation) working for the upliftment of sexual minorities. Astitva has tackled several issues related to Aids awareness and human rights related issues in Thane and Mumbai. Lakshmi had attended the UNAIDS conference, where she is a member of the civil society task force. She is also a member of the Bill Gates Foundation. She is also a visiting faculty member at the School of Dance and Theatre at Amsterdam. She is aided in her Astitva activities by a group of eunuchs from Mumbai and Thane.Lakshmi's life force is her cause: “There are no employment opportunities for sexual minorities, because of which many of them are forced to work as prostitutes or bar dancers. If the government employs them, they can also lead a simple life,” she says.

Laxmi Tripathi

Lakshmi NarayanTripathi is well-known in Mumbai and across India. Not only is she a classically trained dancer and choreographer, but she is also an activist working to educate society about Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Lakshmi is also a Transgender.Lakshmi graduated from Mithibai College where she read Arts, and then pursued a post-graduate degree in Bharatnatyam, after which she choreographed several stage shows, cut music albums, and has also done a few projects for TV and films.In 2002, Lakshmi became president of the NGO, DAI Welfare Society, which is the first registered and working organisation for eunuchs in South Asia. In 2006 she started Astitva, a CBO (Community Based Organisation) working for the upliftment of sexual minorities. Astitva has tackled several issues related to Aids awareness and human rights related issues in Thane and Mumbai. Lakshmi had attended the UNAIDS conference, where she is a member of the civil society task force. She is also a member of the Bill Gates Foundation. She is also a visiting faculty member at the School of Dance and Theatre at Amsterdam. She is aided in her Astitva activities by a group of eunuchs from Mumbai and Thane.Lakshmi's life force is her cause: “There are no employment opportunities for sexual minorities, because of which many of them are forced to work as prostitutes or bar dancers. If the government employs them, they can also lead a simple life,” she says.

Raksha Baradia

Raksha Bharadia is the author of All and Nothing (Rupa & Co), Me: A Handbook for Life (Rupa & Co) and Roots and Wings: A Handbook for Parents (Rupa & Co). Raksha has co-authored Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul series (Jack Canlield and Mark Victor) for Westland. She has contributed features for Times of India, Femina, Gurlz, Life Positive, Marie Claire, Midday (Mumbai) etc. She is a columnist with Ahmedabad Mirror and Femina. She has taught creative writing, Master’s Program - Architecture Journalism at CEPT, Ahmedabad. She has held workshops on parenting in organizations and schools such as AMA (Ahmedabad Management Association), Eklavya school, Anand Niketan, Kapadia and Shaishay, Don Bosco Kolkata, Heritage Kolkata, La Martiniere Lucknow, Roundtable Kolkata, E0 and YPO, Rotary Club, Ahmedabad etc. Raksha has taught at the school for the visually challenged, in Andh Kanya Gruh. She currently teaches English in a street school run by NGO Manav Sadhna in Ram- Rahim ka Tekra. She was a speaker at the Women leadership Forum organized by Naseeba at Delhi. Always one to follow her dreams and passions, she has recently rekindled her romance with the world of rhythm and is currently reinventing herself as a Kathak danseuse. She lives in Ahmedabad.

Suresh Lalwani

Prof. Suresh Lalwani is an Academic. He is Assistant Professor at Tolani Institute of Management Studies and Chief Mentor for ProED Academy and Navkar Institute of CA & CS Gandhidham. Attheyoungageof27,hebelievesthateducationisanecessityforupliftingthe individuals. He completed his Faculty Development Program from Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. HewashonoredwithGoldMedalbythehandsofDr.KiranBediforhisexcellent performanceinPostGraduateDiplomainManagement(Finance). Hehasalsocompletedhis Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management and studied Chartered Accountancy (Intermediate), M.Com (Costing) and Honors Diploma in Computer Science. He has been a visiting faculty at various institutes in and around the Kachchh district. He has also been a trainer in the areas of Personality Development, Communication, English speaking and BusinessEtiquettes. AmemberofYoungPoetClubofIndia,hishobbiesincludereadingand creative writing. His research interests include Human Psychology at work and Gender and Diversity Issues in Human Resource Management. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. from Symbiosis International University Pune in the area of Diversity in Human Resource Practices. His basic belief is 'Respect for individuals and treating everyone with dignity is the way a good society and civilization can be maintained.'

Utpal Pandey

Utpal Pande studied graphic design at the National Institute of Design, India. With a background in Economics and over seven years of hands-on experience in Graphic Design, he perceives design as a way of thinking. His areas of interests include typography, illustration, poster design, publication design, branding & brand strategy, advertising, social communication, photography, information technology and design writing. His posters have been featured in international exhibitions & publications endorsed by ICOGRADA. His designs have been selected for permanent display at art galleries in London & Berlin. 'I like NY', a tribute to Milton Glaser's 'I heart NY' was featured in the New York Times on Sunday, September 26, 2010. He was a part of the 23 member jury panel for 'Green+You', an international poster design competition, which was exhibited in Seoul, Korea. He has initiated a community called 'What is Graphic Design?' that has now 1,900+ members including graphic designers, studentsandenthusiasts.Thegroupisahubofnews,articles,discussions andeventsfromtheworldofGraphicDesign. Design Democracy, a nonprofit organization started by him is an alliance of designers aimed at design intervention in social areas. It is a growing community and now has more than 1,100 members who are redefining the definition and purpose of design. 'TheSpiritofFIFA'isaninternationalposterdesigneventstartedbyhimin2010. Itattractedmorethan1,000participants from over 40 countries. A distinguished panel of 13 international jury members was invited to judge the event. It gave people from different backgrounds an opportunity to experience design directly through participation. The posters were exhibited at TEDx NCR in 2011. Presently he's working on 'Posters for Japan' a fund-raising exhibition that is inviting posters from designers from all across the globe. These posters that have Japan and the catastrophe as their central theme will be exhibited around the world and the money raised will be donated to the Red Cross that's active in relief work in Japan. Another exhibition, '1NDIA: Unity in Diversity' aims at collecting 100 posters from India that will be exhibited in Lima, Peru along with 100 posters from China, Lebanon & Italy.