Galaxy of speakers include Piyush Mishra, Rajit Kapur, King Siddharth, Vamini Sethi, Dr Ravindra Kolhe, Anjolie Ela Menon, Sadakat Aman Khan
The mesmerised audience at the Shoolini University TEDx talk listened with rapt attention to the galaxy of speakers during the event organised on April 30 and May 2.
Organised on the theme ‘Offbeats and Outliers’, the independently organised event, licenced by TED, included speakers and TED Talks films. The event aimed to bring together bright minds to present idea-focused lectures on a wide range of topics to stimulate learning and inspire and generate a discussion on crucial issues.
On the first day of the event, Dr Ruksheda Syeda, a psychiatrist and mental health champion had an uplifting discussion on ‘Decoding Happiness’,' in which she discussed mental health and breaking out of one's comfort zone. “You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone; it will take years of effort, but it will be worthwhile,” she advised. She went on to say that happiness was a personal choice and that everyone should figure out what happiness means to them and invest in it.
King Siddharth, a production designer and content producer, spoke against the education system's lack of speed. He claims that by the time we begin reading about a topic in our curriculum, it has already become obsolete. "We must use the internet to gain new abilities since this new technology society will not accept us if we only have one degree or one skill." He urged all students to use the internet to supplement education.
Vamini Sethi, a talented mountaineer and mountain biker, talked about the other side of the success story. She claimed that when we have setbacks in life, we tend to focus solely on the problems, while the positives fade away like sand. She elaborated on the theme by telling the account of her Everest summit and stating that nothing worthwhile comes easily.
Dr Ravindra Kolhe, widely known as the one-rupee doctor, spoke about his life experiences and interest in psychology throughout his presentation. He also talked about his college experiences and the impact Mahatma Gandhi had on him. His efforts to assist tribal people in receiving basic necessities such as potable water, roads, hospitals, and schools have been fruitful.
Shoolini University Chancellor Professor PK Khosla spoke about the dissemination of knowledge and learning skills throughout one's life in his opening address. "Learn, adapt, and be a knowledge messenger," he stated.
The first day also saw speakers including Anjolie Ela Menon, contemporary artist, Sadakat Aman Khan, Musician, Vaibhav Sonone, Social worker, Shreyans Sancheti, Entrepreneur and Anukool Bhatnagar, Chief General Manager, SBI Chandigarh.
On the second part of the event held on Monday, well-known Indian film actors Piyush Mishra and Rajit Kapur spoke on the Shoolini campus. This was followed by the theatrical performance of ‘Panchlate’ by students, which captivated the audience, glueing them to their seats.
Dr Ashoo Khosla moderated Rajit Kapur's opening session for the day, where he spoke about his early experiences with art and performance. He said web series had radically transformed the way people view content when it comes to over-the-top (OTT) content. Everyone in the film industry has benefited from it, and the distinction between actor and star was gradually dissolving, which was a good thing.
Scenes from his films were screened during his session, and he told stories about those periods of his life. He also spoke about his friendship with director Shyam Benegal and discussed his long-running character Byomkesh Bakshi, saying the role was incredibly realistic and straightforward.
A fun rapid-fire round was done at the end of the session, followed by a Q&A session, where the audience interacted with Kapur.
Meanwhile, renowned lyricist, actor and poet Piyush Mishra had a candid conversation with Ankur Bashar, Assistant Professor, Performing Arts, who also happened to be his senior at the National School of Drama, Delhi.
Explaining the importance of Yoga and Vipassana to the young students of the university, he said, “I was an alcoholic, ruined my precious years to it. I am grateful to the Almighty and Yoga that I have emerged out of it.”
Talking about art, he said it was important to visualise to write a poem or a script. “You need to live the moment you are portraying on paper,” he enthused.
Mishra also asked the Director of Learning, Ashoo Khosla to set up a School of Performing Arts at the university. He said the talented youth of Shoolini University could be nurtured to pursue acting and theatre.