Theme: Connect to Reconnect

We believe that every idea is a seed, a seed that can make you stop, a seed that can make you look at things just a little differently, as a seed that can inspire you, and many others, to change your community, one seed at a time. Our aim is simple: to give people from our community a stage for their journeys and ideas to spark change. This year, we’re inviting you to slow down, look within, and rediscover the connections that shape who we are. With speakers from diverse walks of life bringing fresh stories and bold perspectives, get ready for conversations that feel real, relatable, and unforgettable.

The Orchid School
The Orchid School, Baner Mhalunge Road
Pune, Maharashtra, 411045
India

Ahana Raman

Ahana Raman is a 17-year-old national-level footballer and state swimmer whose journey extends beyond the field into the high mountains. Having completed multiple high-altitude treks, such as the Kashmir Great Lakes and Goechala, she has experienced how both sports and the outdoors cultivate resilience, leadership, and self-reflection.

Arjun Patil

Arjun Patil is a soon-to-be 17-year-old student who believes that change is inevitable, and the sooner you embrace it, the better. Over the past few years, he has launched several initiatives aimed at making a tangible difference in his community. If he's not opening yet another organisation, you can usually find him asleep or taking a bath. Known widely for his mom’s incredible cooking and his reliability as the go-to ride home, Arjun brings a mix of warmth and ambition to everything he does. Through his TEDx talk, he hopes to inspire others to face their fears, step out of their comfort zones, and harness the power of change, using his own experiences as a guide.

Isha Agarwal

Isha is a 16-year-old who’s endlessly curious about the world- especially the messy, complicated parts. She’s a writer, student researcher, and public speaker who’s passionate about the intersection of science, storytelling, and identity. To her, science isn’t just about formulas and facts, it’s about uncovering stories written in cells. She leads her youth initiative, YMA India, to push healthcare awareness among students and communities, making conversations about medicine and public health more accessible. Whether she’s designing experiments, organizing fundraisers, or going through datasets at midnight, Isha is always chasing questions that don’t have easy answers. Her work explores how truth and vulnerability shape the stories we tell and how those stories, in turn, shape us.

Manjula Subhash Nair

With 25+ years in marketing and communications, Manjula has led global functions at firms like Hewlett Packard, Amdocs, Satyam Computers, and Publicis Sapient. She was pivotal in steering Satyam’s reputation during its 2009–10 crisis, aiding its recovery and Mahindra’s acquisition. In 2015, she turned entrepreneur, founding Global CMO Partners, Global News Terminal, Creative Bharat, Startup to Standout, and Good Company Good Culture. Recognized as a Startup Guru by The Times of India, she has mentored 1,000+ startups, 10,000+ entrepreneurs, and impacted 1 million students. An academic collaborator and upcoming author, she continues to shape India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Navya Khambete

Navya is a 15-year-old changemaker with a deep sense of collective growth for herself and everyone around her. Headstrong, punctual, empathetic, and confident, she leads with heart, discipline, and authenticity. As her school’s ex-house captain, a core member of the history club, and a fashion-forward creative, Navya brings purpose and originality to everything she does. She’s an experienced public speaker, a graceful dancer, and a proud founder of a student-led cleanliness campaign in her community. A passionate communicator and optimistic leader, Navya makes the most of every opportunity not just to grow, but to inspire meaningful change in every space she enters.

Sanjana Patil

Sanjana Patil is a 16-year-old who has learned to turn silence into strength. Once held back by invisible learning challenges, she found her breakthrough moment in student leadership- serving twice as House Captain. That experience pushed her to embrace resilience, hard work, and her voice. Today, she is a TEDx speaker, the founder of UNMUTE, a civic initiative that brings public speaking and debate to under-resourced students, and the co-founder of a nonprofit dedicated to spreading hope and happiness in underserved communities. When she isn’t leading projects, Sanjana can be found playing football, making new friends, or- like most teenagers- overthinking whether she’ll get into a good college. Her journey is a testament to resilience, and she hopes to inspire others to transform challenges into platforms for impact.

Sia Joshi

Sia lives with an open sketchbook, endlessly curious and endlessly creating. A lover of art in all its raw and refined forms, she collects stories the way some collect souvenirs: through paintings, conversations, and quiet observations. She finds her truest expression in classical dance, where discipline flows seamlessly into creativity. Insatiably curious, she wants to try and do everything at least once, believing each experience leaves behind a color worth keeping. She thrives where rules loosen just enough to let beauty breathe. For Sia, the best truths aren’t found in answers; they’re hiding in the space between certainty and chance.