The event was kicked off by the first speaker of the day, renowned dancer, Dr. Sonal Mansingh, who while speaking on the topc, ‘Understanding the need and importance of art in contemporary times.’ talked about how, “culture evokes something in us that is higher than what we normally feel in our daily lives.”

The event then took a complete turn to address a more contemporary topic. Former CEO of Balaji Telefilms, Mr. Sameer Nair, took the stage to talk about ‘A future of Content,’ and expounded on it by saying that, “the future of entertainment will be built around providing immersive experiences to consumers.”

Author and motivational speaker, Mr. Shiv Khera spoke on the topic, ‘Making a Commitment.’ His inspiring talk left a deep mark with this words, “A commitment is a promise we make to the world while a promise is a commitment we make with ourselves.” 26/11 Bravery Awardee Ms. Mallika Jagad who took the stage next shared with us her, ‘Journey of Enlightenment.’ While narrating her experience at the Taj on 26/11, she said, “I believe that when difficult times prevail, you either play the victim or you decide to get up and do something about it.”

Speaking on the topic ‘The Seagull Effect’, MD (South Asia) of Adobe Mr. Kulmeet Bawa said, “Nothing succeeds like failure. It is success that you should be afraid of.” The next speaker, India’s first transgender principal, Ms. Manabi Bandopadhyay spoke on ‘The Present Scenario of Transgender People in India and their Empowerment,’ and made us realize that, “large scale awareness and sensitization are the need of the hour to ensure inclusion of transgenders in India.”

The afternoon session began with Ms. Karishma Mehta, founder of Humans of Bombay, which chronicles stories of the people of Bombay. Speaking on the topic, ‘The Social Media Bubble’, she said, “The problem with social media is that you are led to believe that people around you are living perfect lives.” Humans of Bombay demolishes exactly that stereotype by letting us hear the stories behind the images they portray.

The next speaker, acclaimed author Ms. Anita Nair chose to speak on the topic, ‘A story about a story-teller.’ She said, “Artistic success takes place when you move out of your comfort zone to create impact on those around you as well as on yourself.” Former Indian tennis ace Mr. Somdev Devvarman was on stage to speak on the topic, ‘Somdev’s Recipe for Success – For Indian Sport’. He said, albeit unexpectedly, that, “the two key ingredients for anyone to attain long-term success are culture and structure.”

The TEDxIIFT audience were privileged to have Bollywood lyricist and screen-writer Mr. Javed Akhtar at TEDxIIFTDelhi speaking on the topic, ‘Cinema in Society’. He said, “If you look closely at Indian cinema, you can write the social, economical and political history of our country.” The last speaker for the day, Ms. Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, spoke on the topic, ‘Learning to Use Your Moment of Truth.’ She said, “You sometimes experience a moment of truth during which you realize what it is that matters the most to you. Make sure you use it well.”

It was a day full of learning, one that brought together the burning issues of the day, speakers who captivated the audience, and a willingness to be more aware.