Theme: The POWER of CHOICE

Sunbeam College for Women, Bhagwanpur is proud to announce the commencement of first ever TEDxWomen of Varanasi hosted by Sunbeam College, Bhagwanpur on 11 December 2021, virtually. With an integral bench of alpha women, exceptionally skilled and gifted and who also have journeyed through their master choices of life and career that which have shaped them the one they are today. #ThePowerOfChoice
Join us to here their ideas worth sharing the inspiration of making decisions and choosing for yourself.
#TEDxSunbeamCollegeWomen

Sunbeam College for Women
206, Bhagwanpur
Lanka, BHU-Trauma Centre Road
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005
India

ANJALI JOSHI

Co-founder & CBO at Take Two Co. (formerly VP of Product@Google)

Ms. Anjali Joshi is a highly accomplished technology executive who has held several important leadership roles in several high-profile companies across the world including AT&T Bell Labs & Covad Communications. Known for bringing exceptional digital products to market, she has served as the VP of Product Management at Google, managing Google's fiber to communities' effort, which brought ultrahigh-speed broadband access to people across the US. Honoring her professional & management excellence, IIT Kanpur conferred upon her the prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award 2017. In September 2006, she had joined Google as a Product lead & went on to become the Vice President of Product Management leading product & engineering teams focused on software, network & computing infrastructure, translation products & internationalization/localization of Google products. In June 2013, she was covered by The Economic Times as one of the seven most prominent Indian origin IT industry women in the USA.

ARADHNA DAYAL

Businesswoman, Founder and CEO, Access Alts Asia, Philanthropist

Aradhna Dayal is a senior women leader in entrepreneurship, investing, philanthropy & women empowerment in Hong Kong. As the 4th-generation family member of a large landowning family in India, Aradhna established her family office in Hong Kong 25 years back, making her the first female CIO in Greater China. The family office is also a pioneer in Asian property Hedge Funds, PE and VC funds investing as far. Four years back, Aradhna decided to establish Access Alts Asia, a discreet investment club to bring together the world’s largest Family Offices and Institutional Investors to make impactful investments back as late 1990s. Over 350 Endowments, Foundations, Pensions, Strategic Investors and Families are now members, with $1.2 trillion in assets. In July, the Tycoon Magazine has named Aradhna as the Inspirational Business Women To Watch 2021. For her work, Aradhna was awarded the 2019 Mrs. Purviz Shroff Women of Inspiration Award.

ASHNA ASHESH

Lawyer & Public Health Professional

Ashna Ashesh is a lawyer, public health professional and an MDR TB survivor. Having survived a deadly form of TB - MDR TB - she now advocates for better care for TB patients. She works on issues of gender, mental health and TB, patient support, diversity and inclusion in patient care with Survivors Against TB (SATB), a community group that works with TB survivors and diverse stakeholders to advocate on creating person and community centered paradigms of TB care in India. Ashna has extensive publications in the Scroll, British Medical Journal Opinion, the Wire and spoken at national and international fora to actively highlight the needs of TB patients and challenges in India's TB landscape. She has also worked on citizenship and privacy. Her work on citizenship has been published as a book chapter. Her work on privacy has been cited by the Supreme Court of India. Ashna got her degree in law from the prestigious National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.

BINDU SUBRAMANIAM

Singer, Songwriter & Music Educator

Bindu Subramaniam is a singer, songwriter, Co-Founder and CEO of Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa). She is passionate about using intercultural perspectives and trans disciplinary education to create a systemic change and develop cultural democracy and 21st century skills in children. Bindu has been described as a “third generation prodigy” by the Hindustan Times, “a Bangalore woman changing the way children learn” by Femina Karnataka magazine & an “assured young soprano” by the Times of India. Bindu first performed on stage in Norway, with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and global soloists, for a composition called Astral Symphony, written by her father Dr. L Subramaniam. Since then, she has composed & performed multiple original tracks. In 2011 she released her first solo album, Surrender, which was nominated for a GiMA in the category of Best Pop/Rock Album. She won a GiMA for best fusion album and honourable mentions at the 16th & 17th billboard world song contest.

DR. LATIKA NATH

"Tiger Princess of India"- Wildlife Conservationist & Photographer

India’s first woman to become a wildlife biologist with a doctorate on tigers – has dedicated her life to studying and protecting the big cat. Working closely with the tigers for 25 years, Nath has dived deep in the adventurous & challenging profession that has often put her in death-defying conditions. In addition to her superseding identity of India’s Tiger Princess, Nath leads multiple lives as a scientist, conservationist, wildlife photographer, author and researcher. Following her illustrious work on tiger conservation, Nath soon developed a knack for wildlife photography, and has also been working closely with tribal communities in India to resolve human-wildlife conflicts. Latika Nath has many avatars– the cosmopolitan woman scientist, the keen conservationist television personality, the hard-working researcher & daughter-in-law of the royal Nepalese family even but one identity that is omnipresent, is being India’s “Tiger Princess" as awarded by the National Geographic Society.

Dr. SUJATA KELKAR SHETTY

Scientist and Life Coach

Dr. Shetty is an ICF Certified Life coach and Wellness consultant. She received her Life Coach Training with CTI, Singapore. She assists organizations and individuals with their wellness goals through a unique evidence-based approach to wellness. She writes a regular column ‘Wellness Sutra’ for Mint-the leading Business Newspaper of India. Prior to her work as a Life coach and wellness consultant/journalist, she worked in Business Development for Glaxo Smith Kline, Mumbai. She is a US trained biological scientist with publications in peer-reviewed journals. She did her post- doctoral training from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Genetics from University of Wisconsin- Madison and a PhD in Toxicology from the University of Kentucky- Lexington. Dr. Sujata Kelkar Shetty is the published author of 99 not out! Your Guide to a long and healthy life.

GAURI DIWAKAR

Kathak Exponent

The Guardian ,London, reviewed her work in Darbar festival and said, " she has more naturalistic, human presence on Sadler's Wells stage of London". While Lynette Halewood, a well known critique, wrote, " Gauri Diwakar is a forceful and commanding figure, possessed of considerable authority. This is less of a theatrical presentation, more purely dance. She eats up space across the stage as the music impels her through whirling turns. Gauri's elegant, graceful moves, striking facial expressions, along with her powerful presence on the stage, leaves her audiences spellbound. A Kathak dancer par excellence, Gauri has been recipient of many prestigious awards. In recognition to her work she has been awarded Senior fellowship by Kalavaahini Trust , Chennai this year . While in the year 2008 she was awarded 'Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar' by the Sangeet Natak Akademi . Other prestigious awards include Jaydev Pratibha Puraskar" ( 2015) and Sringar Mani award (2002).

GEETALI TARE

Principal Accountant General

Geetali is an alumna of Osmania University, Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge. She is currently working as Principal Accountant General, Madhya Pradesh at Gwalior. Prior to this, she worked as Financial Adviser in. An officer of the 1992 batch of Indian Audit & Accounts Service, she has served in a variety of positions across the country and abroad. She has designed, and supervised the audit of Departments of Space, Atomic Energy, Environment And Forests, Water Resources, Science and Technology, New and Renewable Resources, Ports, Defence, Indirect Taxation, Indian Railways; besides government companies in upstream petroleum and civil aviation sectors. She has acted as Chief Financial Officer of New Delhi Municipal Council, New Delhi Smart City Limited and National Health Authority, which implements Ayushmaan Bharat, the world’s largest public healthcare mission.

GIULIA RAFFAELLO

YouTuber & Social Influencer

Better known as Only One Giulia, Giulia Raffaello is a digital content creator based in Berlin, Germany. Born and raised in Northern Italy, she uses her social media presence to shed a positive light on being in an intercultural relationship with her Indian husband. She has a dual mission: to bring Indian and European cultures closer together through documenting her intercultural life on social media, and to be a brand ambassador for intercultural relationships by removing stereotypes that surround them. She speaks four languages, has a Masters degree in Political Science and has worked at the European Institute for Gender Equality. Her Youtube channel has more than 125 million views, and she has a similarly sizable following on Instagram. In 2021, she was invited by the Italian consulate in Mumbai to promote Indo-Italian cultural exchanges. Her story has been featured in media outlets like Outlook Magazine, Mid-day Newspaper, Humans of Bombay, Tweak India, etc.

MAMTA SHARMA DAS

(The BohoBaalika) Creative Stylist, Fashion Blogger & Entrepreneur, Founder- "Viva La Vida" Fashion brand

Mamta is a successful creative stylist, a solo entrepreneur & a digital media strategist. She is the founder of 'Bohobaalika' a lifestyle and fashion blog, alongside she runs her sustainable fashion label "Viva La Vida India". Both her endeavours have been nationally acclaimed and loved by masses. With a keen interest in Indian textile and design Mamta is a self confessed saree connoisseur who loves promoting and styling the 6 yards obsessionally. She is one of the most widely popular handloom enthusiast & influencer who writes, styles and support campaigns for designers & artisans across India. An ardent supporter of #handmadeinindia, she takes immense pride in her culture and roots. Passionate about philanthropy, Mamta has supported artisans and craftsmen during the pandemic through organising various fundraiser programs. An ex PR and media wiz, she gave up corporate to be with her 7 year old daughter, who is a borderline spectrum child, with a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome.

MAYA VISHWAKARMA

"The PADWOMAN of India"- Founder & Chairperson, The Sukarma Foundation

"The Padwoman of India," who is a native of Mehragaon village in Madhya Pradesh in India, Maya has been living in San Francisco, USA, for nearly a decade. After completing high school in her village, Maya went to Jabalpur RDVV University for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biochemistry. Her dissertation work at AIIMS New Delhi, focused on Nuclear Medicine. Maya, who has a strong connection to her native land & its people, had researched on production of affordable sanitary napkins using semi-automatic pad-making machines. Working on the initiative, the Sukarma Foundation established a mini-factory in the Narsinghpur district of Madhya Pradesh in 2017 to make sanitary napkins, which provides employment to local women & raises awareness of the taboo subjects of pads & periods in MP's tribal areas. The objective is to protect tribal women from infections such as RTIs, UTIs and Cervical Cancer by educating them about menstrual hygiene & providing hygienic and low-cost sanitary pads.

NIDHI PANDYA

3rd Gen Ayurvedic Practitioner and Healer

Nidhi Pandya is a 3rd generation Ayurvedic practitioner based in New York City. She has a strong foundation in the ancient Ayurvedic texts and has the unique ability to simplify core Ayurvedic concepts, making them applicable and comprehensible to all. She is a core part of the faculty at the US based Shakti School & been a speaker at various organizations, including Google & The Chopra Center. She writes for various publications and has been featured in the Times of India, Hindustan Times & Indian Express. She has been on more than two dozen podcasts all over the world and has been on talk shows with variour celebrity Ayurveda chefs. Nidhi is also on the board of advisors for several upcoming Ayurveda based products including Inde Wild by Diipa Khosla. Nidhi is a celebrity Ayurveda consultant. She has worked with Tara Emad, Rachel Brathen, Gabriella Wright, Amina Taha to name a few.

RADHIKA SHARMA NOMLLERS

Traveller, Advanced Scuba Diver, Skier and Adventure enthusiast, Social Media Influencer

Radhika Sharma aka Radhika Nomllers at YouTube and Instagram is an avid traveler who quit her corporate life in 2018 to experience and pursue her passion "TRAVELING". She runs a YouTube channel, she is also a Blogger and a Social Media Influencer by the name "Radhika Nomllers". She has travelled to the length and breadth of the country such as to places like Andamans, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Lahaul and Spiti, terrains of Ladakh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan etc. She has also been to several countries and has earned VISA stamps for countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Italy, Mauritius, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Japan, Malaysia and more.

ROMY GILL MBE

Chef and Food/Travel Author at BBC Food

Chef Romy Gill MBE is a British/Indian chef, food/travel writer and broadcaster based in Southwest England. She was the owner and head chef at Romy’s Kitchen. In 2016 she was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s 90th birthday honour’s list. Romy is now one of the chefs on the BBC One new series of Ready Steady Cook and has previously appeared on Sunday Brunch, BBC The One show, BBC Country life, BBC Celebrity MasterChef, The Hairy Bikers’ Comfort Food, James Martin’s Saturday Morning and much more! Romy is also a regular on BBC Radio 4 Food Programme. Romy regularly contributes for national and international publications including The New York Times. She travels in UK and abroad to food demos and conferences. Romy was recently invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard Foundation in New York. Romy released her debut cookbook in September, 2019.