TEDxJNTU Hyderabad

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Brigadier (Dr.) Inder Sethi

  CEO & Founder, Percepta Consulting

  Brigadier (Dr.) Inder Sethi is a transformational leader who bridges battlefield command, AI-driven strategy, and Renaissance wisdom. With 34 years in the Indian Army including UN and multinational roles as an ammunition and safety expert, he mastered leadership where foresight meant survival. An IIM Ahmedabad alumnus and Ph.D. in AI & Supply Chain, he’s a certified Design Thinking Coach (University of Sydney) and member of the Copenhagen Institute of Futures Studies. Today, as Founder & CEO of Percepta Consulting, he translates military-grade anticipation into corporate resilience, authoring acclaimed books, developing the patented Innovativity® Framework, and advising boards on navigating disruption. A sought-after speaker, he uniquely decodes timeless insight from da Vinci to frontline ops for leaders shaping the future, not just reacting to it.

• Dr. Somdatta Karak

  Head, Science Communication and Public Outreach, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology

  Somdatta Karak is a neuroscientist turned science communicator. She works to make science understandable and accessible to a wide variety of people so that we understand the workings of nature and build a society based on evidence. As a co-lead of the Superheroes against Superbugs initiative, she encourages the young people of India to think of newer healthcare solutions that are necessary in the wake of antimicrobial resistance, a global health crisis. She has studied in the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and University of Goettingen. She is an ex-Teach for India fellow. Her writings have appeared in The Hindu, The Indian Express, Mongabay, The Wire and The India Forum. She is the editor of a popular science website called SciTales by CCMB, and co-founded an initiative called SciCity Hyderabad, which takes science to public forums in the city.

• Mr. A. Vineel Judson

  Founder & CEO, Taramandal

  Mr. A. Vineel Judson is the CEO of Taramandal Technologies Pvt Ltd, the first space start-up in the Telugu states. He holds a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Andhra University and began his career as a Researcher with ISRO, contributing to GSLV Mark-II and the Gaganyaan Mission. He discovered eleven preliminary and two provisional objects recognized by NASA and the International Astronomical Search Collaboration, and served as a NASA Citizen Scientist and a Lead of the NASA Space Apps Challenge. A deep-tech innovator, he works in quantum communication, secure satellite systems and sustainable re-entry technologies. He received the Hult Prize Best Campus Director Award and a Gold Medal from the American Corner of the U.S. Embassy. His start-up has been recognised by the Paris Peace Forum, listed among the Forbes Select 200 Global Companies.

• Mr. Abhinav Prabhakar

  Keyboardist Abhinav Prabhakar has been playing since the age of three and enjoys improvising, often building medleys on the fly. He also writes original piano pieces and loves keeping performances simple, honest, and a little different every time. His learning mostly involved writing sheet music by ear for popular songs, completing his grades through Trinity College of London, and frequently performing at events.

• Mr. Dinker Kalvala

  Playback Singer

  Mr. Dinker Kalvala, known to everyone as DK, comes from Warangal, located about 150 km from the capital city, Hyderabad. His father, Dr. K. Gopal Kishan Rao, is a retired professor of Electronics & Instrumentation at Kakatiya University, Warangal. His mother, Smt. K. Padma, an MA literature gold medalist, later chose to be a homemaker for him and his younger brother, who is now a doctor in the United States of America. Most of DK’s schooling took place in Warangal and Hyderabad. He is a postgraduate in Pharmacy, having completed his B. Pharmacy at St. Peter’s Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Warangal and his master’s degree in London. His wife, Dr. K. Jhansi, is a Dental Surgeon, and they are blessed with an amazing daughter, Diya, who is in her 3rd grade. Life took a significant turn for him at the age of 26, when he had to choose between Music and Pharmacy. With the support of his family, he stands where he is today.

• Mr. Guvvala Jagadeeshwar Naidu

  Student at University College of Management, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad

• Mr. Rajendra Kumar

  Architect

  Rajendra Kumar is a globally acclaimed architect, curator, and academician based in New Delhi. A graduate of Chandigarh College of Architecture with a post-graduation from Politecnico di Milano, he is a member of ISOCARP (Netherlands) and CTBUH (USA). His work spans international projects, research, and academia, and he serves on advisory boards of national and global importance. He has been a jury member for prestigious awards, including the World Architecture Festival in Singapore and Miami. During India’s G20 Summit 2023, he contributed as a task-force member for Y20 and an invited expert for Urban20. Rajendra is a frequent speaker at major global forums—sharing platforms with world leaders, ambassadors, Nobel laureates, and UN representatives. He has delivered talks across the USA, UK, Europe, Africa, and Asia, including at BRICS Urban Forum (2024–25), Columbia University, Cambridge University, AA London, University of Ljubljana, Gdansk University, and many more.

• Mr. Samavedam Bharadwaj

  Samavedam Bharadwaj's journey into music was completely unplanned. When his mother took him and his sister to a government college to enroll in violin classes, his sister’s guru, Sri S. V. Ramanamurty Garu, noticed that he was well-suited for percussion and suggested that he join the mridangam course instead. He then began learning mridangam under the guidance of Sri Siripalli Nageswar Rao Garu and successfully completed his certificate course. Over the years, he has performed in various programs and stage shows and has also participated in several competitions. Currently, he is pursuing his diploma in mridangam, and today, standing on the TEDx stage marks a proud and significant milestone in his musical journey and life.

• Mrs. Anuradha Thota

  MD & CEO, Blackbucks Group

  Anuradha Thota is the Founder & Managing Director of Blackbucks Group and Chief Architect of TaPTaP, an edtech platform that has already transformed the learning journeys of over a million students across 120+ institutions in India. An alumna of ISB, with more than three decades of leadership at Microsoft, Wipro, and Satyam across India, the US, and the UK, Anuradha is a trailblazer in higher education. At Blackbucks, she is pioneering AI-driven, analytics-based systems that are redefining employability nationwide. Beyond edtech, she serves on the Police Technology Mission under the Home Ministry and on academic councils of leading institutions. A visionary technologist, celebrated speaker, and relentless advocate for student success.

• Mrs. Uma Sudhir

  Executive Editor, NDTV

  Uma Sudhir is one of India’s most respected journalistic voices, known for reporting that brings clarity, courage, and compassion. As the Executive Editor of NDTV’s South India bureau, she has spent decades documenting change: political, environmental, and social, all while highlighting the lives of those most affected by it. With an academic foundation that blends science, governance, and storytelling, she holds a B.Sc. from Hindu College, University of Delhi, a Post Graduate Diploma in Science and Social Journalism from the Times Research Foundation, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Panjab University. Her fearless work on extremism, human trafficking, gender justice, and rural inequity has earned her some of India’s highest journalism honours, including the Chameli Devi Jain Award, the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, and the IPI Award for her ground breaking “Baby India” series.

• Ms. Chinnamurthy Sahishna

  Chinnamurthy Sahishna is currently pursuing BBA in Data Analytics at JNTU Hyderabad. She is a trained Kuchipudi dancer and a nattuvanar and has completed her certificate course and graduation in dance from Nishrinkala Dance Academy. She has performed on numerous prestigious stages and in temples. She has secured third place in an international solo dance competition in the year 2022. Along with her studies and dance practice, she volunteers for children of the underprivileged communities in Jubilee Hills. She has recently started Nritasaha Dance Academy to introduce young learners to Indian classical dance and traditional values.

• Ms. Endoori Rani

  Endoori Rani is a full-time Research Scholar at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, JNTUH UCESTH. She completed her matriculation in 2012, Intermediate in 2014, and an integrated B.Tech + M.Tech dual degree from JNTU Hyderabad in 2019. She worked as an Assistant Professor at Marri Laxman Reddy Institute of Technology and Management from 2021 to 2022, and in 2022, she re joined JNTUH as a full-time research scholar to pursue her doctoral studies. Classical dance has been her biggest dream since childhood. Growing up in a village, she did not have access to formal training or mentors in classical dance. Despite this, she learned and prepared for classical dance performances.

• Ms. Ette Bhavana Chandrika

  Bhavana Chandrika is a third-year undergraduate student of The Centre for Biotechnology (CBT), JNTUH UCESTH and a trained Kathak dancer pursuing formal education at Thyagaraja Music and Dance College. She has performed at prestigious platforms including the Global Summit, Ravindra Bharati, Kotidepotsavam, Telangana Tourism Day celebrations at HITEX, and the Miss World Pageant program, reflecting a disciplined blend of scientific pursuit and classical artistry.

• Ms. Samavedam Mrudula

  Samavedam Mrudula’s journey in music began at a young age, inspired by her mother, who encouraged her to explore various extracurricular activities. She initially started learning Carnatic vocal music. However, after a change of residence, she had to discontinue her vocal training, which marked the beginning of her journey with the violin. She went on to study Carnatic violin at a government college in Mehdipatnam, Gudimalkapur under the guidance of her guru, Sri S. V. Ramanamurthi Garu, for eight years. Today, she has successfully completed her diploma in Carnatic violin. Over the years, she has participated in several competitions, winning many of them, and has performed in numerous programs across diverse platforms. She feels immensely happy and proud to add this moment to her life and is truly honoured and delighted to be present here today.

• Ms. Soumya Kalluri

  Founder, dwij

  Ms. Soumya Kalluri is the founder of a social enterprise "dwij" . She has a Master's degree in Commercial Vehicle Technology from Germany. 'dwij' which means "second life" in Sanskrit was founded to address the humongous textile wastes that are landfilled or incinerated. dwij upcycles post-consumer jeans and post-industrial garments waste into accessories. The end-of-life of any Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to her is the most important phase, as this is the phase where material can be recovered or lost. She firmly believes that sustainability is not only about the environment and economy, but also about being fair to all the stakeholders in the process, including the customer.

• Ms. Sreeram Jhansi Lakshmi Sravyanjali

  Sreeram Jhansi Lakshmi Sravyanjali, is a Kuchipudi dancer trained in the classical tradition of Indian dance. She began learning Kuchipudi at the age of 9 and completed her certificate course under the guidance of Guru Jandhyala Venkata Sri Rama Chandra Murthi Garu at Sri Lasya Kuchipudi Natyalayam, Tenali. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Kuchipudi at Sri Venkateswara Music and Dance College, Tirupati, under Guru Usha Rani. She has performed at temple festivals such as Tirumala and Thiruchaanooru Brahmotsavallu, along with various cultural programs and dance events. Her performances focus on expressive abhinaya, rhythmic precision, and storytelling rooted in classical tradition.

• Ms. Srinija D

  Srinija is a Kuchipudi dancer. She began her formal training under Smt. Radhika Srinivas garu at Sai Sannidhi Kuchipudi dance academy. She later resumed her training after a pause. She is currently a student at Nrityangna Institute of Kuchipudi under the guidance of Anuhya Naidu garu. She has performed at various cultural events. Her learning emphasizes strong fundamentals, rhythm, balance and expressive clarity. She continues to refine her skills through regular practice and performance.

• Ms. Vaishnavi Thutupalli

  Thutupalli Sai Saranya Sri Vaishnavi is a passionate Kuchipudi dancer with over 10 years of training and stage experience. Trained under Guru Vedantam Satya Narasimha Sastry garu, she has performed in 40+ solo and ensemble productions, including Yakshaganas and Nrutya Natakas, portraying roles such as Bhama, Parvati, and Prahlada. A recipient of multiple awards and scholarships, she continues to showcase classical artistry at cultural and charity events.