10 Incredible TED Talks by Indians You Should Not Miss

One of the great things about the internet is it’s a way to access information for free. Thousands of people share their knowledge and expertise by uploading information on various websites and portals that are accessible to hundreds – a huge step towards democratising education.

Among these are the vastly famous TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) and TEDx talks, which share “ideas worth spreading”. Successful and accomplished people and industry experts talk about their journey and summarise the things they’ve learnt, sharing it with millions of viewers. 

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Here are 10 TEDx talks by Indian speakers you should not miss:

1. The Life-Saving Tech Helping Mothers Make Healthy Decisions by Aparna Hegde

Urogynecologist Aparna talks about maternal and child healthcare in the country. She outlines problems like overcrowded clinics, long waiting times, and exhausted and overworked doctors, discussing systemic gaps. She also talks about possible tech solutions that could save lives by avoiding preventable deaths.

2. The ‘Greenhouse-in-a-Box’ Empowering Farmers in India by Sathya Raghu Mokkapati

Agriculture was already an unreliable source of income for farmers, given the weather fluctuations, diseases, and more. But climate change has amplified these problems, making it almost impossible for the profession to offer stability. Sathya is bringing about change with his “greenhouse-in-a-box” solution – a small structure that’s low-cost, easy-to-build that will help farmers grow more with less water.

3. Thoughts On Humanity, Fame and Love by Shah Rukh Khan

Bollywood giant Shah Rukh Khan talks about his life and challenges in this light, fun talk. He also shows off some of his dance moves while sharing pearls of wisdom he’s acquired through spending a life in the spotlight.

4. My Long Walk Across India for Women’s Freedom by Srishti Bakshi

Women’s rights activist Srishti talks about her 2,300-mile walk across India, conducting workshops on the financial independence of women across the country. She believes that issues like catcalling and harassment can be tackled through more women coming out in public spaces, encouraging and setting examples for other women in a snowball effect.

5. Daydreaming Your Way to Success by Dolly Singh

Popular social media influencer Dolly talks about her journey to the top, the challenges she faced along the way including dealing with imposter syndrome, and drives home the importance of staying positive and optimistic.

6. Why You Should Speak To Strangers by Praveen Wadalkar

Play devil’s advocate, Praveen, an entrepreneur and solo traveller, talks about the importance of talking to and trusting strangers. His travels bring him in contact with various people and stories that he shares with the flair of a storyteller. 

7. Making India the Silicon Valley for Village Entrepreneurs by Manav Subodh

Entrepreneur Manav firmly believes that village-level entrepreneurship can create more jobs and growth than urban enterprises. As co-founder of 1M1B (A Million for A Billion), he shows examples of how simple ideas can be transformative for India’s economic landscape.

8. Being LGBTQIA in India and Importance of Allies by Vishal Pinjani

Vishal talks about coming out as gay in India and the challenges his journey presented to him. He discusses the taboos around and allies of India’s LGBTQIA+ community. As founder of Abhimaan, Kolhapur’s first community-based queer organisation, he talks about his experiences and being part of the community in India.

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9. He Threw Acid On My Face, Not On My Dreams by Laxmi Agarwal

Laxmi, an acid attack survivor and activist, talks about the horrific incident in 2005. She filed a PIL in 2006 on punishment for acid attack perpetrators and regulation on the sale of acid in the country. In 2013, there were amendments to the constitution under the Laxmi Act. Since then she’s continued her journey of fighting against acid violence in India.

10. How Blockchain Can Transform India by Jaspreet Bindra

The next big thing in technology, blockchain is still in the early stages and being vehemently explored the world over. Blockchain expert Jaspreet talks about how this new tech can transform everything from personal identity to agriculture, governance, money, and more.

Edited by Yoshita Rao