Top TEDxSIBMBengaluru Talks

As the fifth season of TEDxSIBMBengaluru is around the corner, let’s take a look at the top TEDxSIBMBengaluru talks.

1.) Dr. Benny Prasad – 2012
Dr. Benny Prasad is the world’s fastest to travel to 194 Sovereign Countries, 50 Dependent Countries & Antarctica. Thus making it a total of 245 countries, 7 Continents in 6 years, 6 months and 22 days. He has set the WORLD RECORD to travel the fastest and visit 245 countries. He says that the biggest problem faced by travelers is loneliness and to combat this he stays with families around the globe and avoids staying in hotels. He aims to bring peace in the world by his music. He says that he has taken a vow to never take bribe. He strives to encourage all the people with low self-esteem and believes in the power of being an Indian and chooses to stay an Indian forever. He says that it is easy to take the citizenship of any other country and anyone would accept it too. But he chooses to challenge the conventional thinking. He says that you need to stand up for truth and justice. This road may not be easy but it’s the correct road. He ended his talk by saying “Your life is more precious than just a business transaction, please don’t give up.”
2.) Bhakti Sharma – 2012
Bhakti Sharma managed to cross the mammoth English Channel at the age of 16. Since then there has been no looking back, Bhakti Sharma along with mother Leena Sharma set a WORLD RECORD of being the first daughter and mother to cross the English Channel swim relay. She shared her experiences and challenges she faced in open water swimming. She said that you need to start somewhere and never look back and every swim has taught her something. She can’t compare the experience and learning she gained from one swim to the other. For her, every swim has given her a learning that she will carry with herself always.
3.) Major D.P. Singh - 2012
Major D P Singh was "declared dead" in an army hospital in July 1999 after a mortar exploded just a meter away from him during the Kargil War. He was revived by a specialist, only to be told three days later that his right leg would be amputated below his knee because gangrene had set in. "When the doctors told me about the amputation, the first thing I told myself was now I will show the world how disabled people live. I was sure I will never compromise the way I lived. It was difficult for me to even walk initially. But over years, my mind and body found alternatives to work around the restrictions I was put through. Today, I can walk normally; my gait is as good as any normal person's. Yes, it took me 14 years to be able to start running," says Major. Since 2009, Major has completed four consecutive half marathons at Delhi and Mumbai both, improving his time in every run and the count is still on. He has also started an NGO - The Challenging Ones. Major D.P Singh shared his experience fighting the normal conventional mindset and finding a way out of it. He accepted his new life as a challenge and takes one day at the time.
4.) Dinesh Ghodke – 2012
Dinesh Ghodke is one of the youngest Art of living teachers, as well as the director of World Alliance for Youth Empowerment and the co-founder of a powerful and dynamic youth program 'Youth Empowerment and Skills Workshop' which has made its life-changing impact in more than 50 countries today. In his talk he spoke about how practice makes a man perfect and what someone else thinks about you shouldn’t affect you. He told the audience to address issues as and when they came and to not let anyone take decisions for you.
5.) Lisa Carprini Sthalekar – 2014
Lisa Carprini Sthalekar is an Indian born former female Australian international cricketer. In domestic cricket, she represents New South Wales. She spoke about how there has always been a difference in the batting style or the playing style between an Indian and an Australian. While playing from the Australian side also she has always heard from people that she’s different. She also spoke about the challenges she faced being a girl who was playing cricket. People have always judged her and asked her many unnecessary questions. She wanted to break the ordinary routine and choose different options. She has always loved playing cricket and aims to get women’s cricket on the top of the charts.
6.) Lucky Ali – 2014
“If you don’t fail, you won’t succeed.” stated Lucky Ali who is an Indian singer, songwriter, composer and actor. Lucky Ali is best known for his soulful but strikingly simple singing and melodious voice. He spoke about his experience of coming from a family who has always been connected with the film industry. As a child he has always been questioned about what his future plans are? He also said that in life you need to seek a way out, as life is never simple. Also the thirst for appreciation increases as people start positively acknowledging you for all the things you do right.
7.) Nikhil D'Souza – 2014
Nikhil D'Souza is an Indian playback singer, song writer and guitarist. He was the South Asia Soloist Winner at SUTASI '09. He made his playback singing debut in Rajshree Ojha's Aisha. Merging the independent and commercial sector is a road which not many people have taken. This road helps to maintain your individual identity as well as working in the Bollywood Industry.
8.) Divya Prakash Dubey – 2015
Divya Prakash Dubey (popularly known as D.P.) is India’s first ‘Hinglish’ writer. Author of two best-sellers, “Terms and conditions apply” & “Masala Chai”, he also has few poems, radio stories and screenplays to his credit. He belongs to a new line of Hindi authors who are rewriting the rules of the game. He spoke about the dominance of the Hindi Language and also joked that Hindi is spoken by 50% of the Market Share. He also discussed the irony that exists with spoken Hindi. He spoke about his passion for the Hindi language and the criticism he faced while writing Hindi novels. He expressed his opinion about the hierarchal tiff between English and Hindi in India.  “Kahaniyo Ka kaam bachoo ko Sulana nahi hai, lekan unhe Jagana hai” (The essence of a story is to not put a child to sleep but to wake him up.) stated D.P. ironically. He aims to bridge the current gap between Hindi writings and the Indian population. 
9.) V. Balakrishnan – 2015
V. Balakrishnan is an alumnus of Sri Ram Centre for Performing Arts and the prestigious National School of Drama. His performances and productions have been staged in over 15 national and international theater festivals including Bharat Rang Mahotsav and Edinburgh Fringe. He delivered a great dialogue on the power of an actor. He also mentioned that ‘all that an actor does is creation and maintenance of an illusion’. He also stated that “Character is what you create with the help of externalities and your own will and determination.” His monologue ended with the audience giving Mr V. Balakrishnan a standing ovation.
By mere sharing of experiences, one can make a great change. Thus with the theme of 'Power of One' for TEDxSIBMBengaluru 2016 (to be held on 27th February, 2016), we aim to bring that required change and create a difference. Share/Comment your #PowerOfOne stories with us.

Stay tuned as there is a lot more to come.

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(This Blog post is written by Tanzila Merchant - tanzila@ssmc.edu.in & edited by Content Team, TEDxSIBMBengaluru).