Women have played a pivotal yet often overlooked role in shaping architectural history across the world. This talk explores the contributions of women architects, designers, and builders who have influenced global architectural heritage despite facing systemic barriers. From historical figures like Zaha Hadid and Eileen Gray to unsung contributors in vernacular and indigenous architecture, the discussion highlights their innovative designs, sustainable practices, and cultural impact. By recognizing and celebrating women's contributions, this talk aims to inspire greater inclusivity and acknowledgment in the field of architecture. Aeshvarya Thakur is an architect, writer, and adventurer with a deep love for social history and public awareness. She has a strong passion for heritage conservation, preserving historical sites, and promoting public awareness through podcasts and writing. Her works on topics such as art, urbanism, culture, heritage, Sufism, and social history are both engaging and thought-provoking. She has been a regular columnist for Prabhat Khabar newspaper and has contributed feature articles and stories to many progressive literary magazines, including Sadaneera, Prerna Anshu, Kshitij ke Paar, Architecture Live, Hastakshep, and others. Currently, she writes a weekly column, Virasatnama (on heritage), for Bole Bharat News Portal. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Sextortion is an emerging form of digital exploitation in India, where perpetrators use intimate content to blackmail victims for financial, personal, or sexual gain. This talk sheds light on the psychological, social, and legal dimensions of sextortion, highlighting its impact on individuals, especially women and young people. It explores the cultural stigma that prevents victims from speaking out and the urgent need for stronger legal frameworks, digital literacy, and support systems. By breaking the silence and advocating for proactive safeguards, this talk aims to empower individuals, policymakers, and communities to combat sextortion effectively. Arnika Singh, co-founder of Social and Media Matters, is a communications professional with 14 years of experience in designing campaigns for change across India. She has led nationwide online safety programs such as Child online safety, Fake News, Digital Parenting, and social media for Social Change. Arnika's ability to express through words, visuals, and dialogues makes her a passionate trainer, leading training initiatives across various sectors. She is committed to leveraging technology for social change and continuously develops innovative ideas to drive impact. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

This talk critically examines the growing regulatory pressure on big tech companies and questions whether such intense scrutiny truly benefits society. While concerns over data privacy, monopolistic behavior, and misinformation are valid, excessive regulation can stifle innovation, hinder competition, and slow down technological progress. The discussion explores the balance between necessary oversight and overregulation, highlighting unintended consequences such as reduced consumer choice and economic setbacks. By offering a fresh perspective, this talk challenges conventional narratives and calls for a more nuanced approach to regulating the digital economy. Meghna Bal is a lawyer with deep experience in media and emerging technology. Previously, she worked on legal and policy strategy at The Walt Disney Company. Before Disney, she established and led the India office for Consensys, the world’s largest blockchain technology company. She is actively engaged in policy research and advocacy in the field of IT and blockchain technology. Her current research interests include regulatory design in competition, telecommunications and broadcasting, copyrights, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. She often writes articles for reputed journals. Along with her legal services and research, she is also concerned about animal rights and women's justice. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

This talk explores the complex interplay between gender, power, and the lingering psychological effects of colonialism in Indian politics. It examines how colonial-era structures and ideologies have shaped contemporary gender dynamics in governance, leadership, and policy-making. The discussion highlights the challenges faced by women and marginalized genders in political participation, representation, and decision-making. By revisiting the psychology of colonialism, the talk aims to uncover deep-seated biases, systemic inequalities, and the ongoing struggle for gender equity in India’s political landscape. Through historical and contemporary perspectives, it encourages a critical reflection on how power structures can be redefined for a more inclusive and equitable democracy. Dr. Ananya Vajpeyi completed her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. She is a scholar and writer working at the intersection of intellectual history, political theory, and critical philology. She is currently completing a book about the modern life of Sanskrit for W.W. Norton. An anthology of her essays on cities is forthcoming from Women Unlimited. She is a Research Consultant with the Nilgiri Archaeological Project at the University of Ghent, Belgium; Editor of AROOP (Journal of the Raza Foundation) from 2019 to 2024; and a Visiting Professor at Ashoka University, where she teaches a Foundation Course on Great Books. She writes extensively for newspapers and magazines in India and internationally on arts, culture, gender, politics, and ideas. In addition to her intellectual contributions, she frequently engages in public education by writing articles for newspapers. Through her scholarship, she represents feminist contributions to knowledge and discourse in India and abroad. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

There is a dual challenge of meeting increasing global energy demand alongside an urgent need for transition to clean energy sources. Despite major progress in renewables, fossil fuel use has actually increased in recent years. Instead of thinking solely about an energy transition, we might look for "energy addition" opportunities—adding in new sources of breakthrough renewable technologies like nuclear fission, fusion, and geothermal for new demand. What's the catch? The development required to scale these novel cleantech projects to commercial viability requires significant investment. Promising tech in a lab can often hit the dreaded "Valley of Death", the point where increased risk and uncertainty is a major barrier to commercial deployment. Here's where financial engineering comes in, like deploying mega funds and adopting phased development models akin to biotech. These strategies can de-risk and attract the critical investment needed to get us through the Valley of Death and into a much more sustainable future. Andrew W. Lo is the Charles E. and Susan T. Harris Professor, a Professor of Finance, and the Director of the Laboratory for Financial Engineering at the MIT Sloan School of Management.Lo's current research spans four areas: evolutionary models of investor behavior and adaptive markets, artificial intelligence and financial technology, healthcare finance, and impact investing. He has co-founded several asset management and biotech companies, and sits on the boards of several for-profit and non-profit public and private healthcare organizations.Lo holds a BA in economics from Yale University and an AM and PhD in economics from Harvard University. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this insightful talk, Michael Ruiz explores the traditional path to leadership and the powerful influence of both role models and ineffective leaders. He challenges the notion of simply following in others' footsteps, instead advocating for a leadership style rooted in personal beliefs and values.Drawing inspiration from Miles Davis’ quote, "Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself," Michael emphasizes the importance of developing an authentic leadership voice. He shares practical exercises to accelerate this process, helping leaders refine their approach while staying true to their core principles.Michael J Ruiz currently serves Houston ISD as the Senior Executive Director for Leadership and Strategic Initiatives (LSI). LSI is responsible for developing the capacity of every instructional leader in Houston ISD. In addition to this, LSI also oversees, strategic staffing initiatives as well as pipeline programs for future teachers, campus administrators and executive leaders. Michael brings 6 years of experience in technology sales and marketing and 15 years of in education to this role. During his 9 years as a dual-language teacher in Dallas ISD he was honored to be named the 2015 Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year. After serving as assistant principal and Woodrow Wilson High School and head of school for Geneva Heights IB World School, Michael was named Executive Director of STEM for Dallas ISD. He served in this role until June of 2023 where he left Dallas to move to Houston for his new role. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx