TEDsters Imagine India's Future

The Buzz: Ramachandra Budihal augments realityTEDIndia is in high gear, gathering 1000 of best minds in technology, entertainment and design from 35 countries in Mysore to consider, learn and strategize about the future of India.

The scope of TED topics has expanded over the years and now encompasses science, business and global issues as well. Attendees have repeatedly called TED “the ultimate brain spa” and “a four-day journey into the future.”

Presentations are governed by the usual TED-style 18 minute rule. Speakers include Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com; Eve Ensler, playwright and activist; Horst Rechelbacher, the founder of Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients; Charles Anderson, marine biologist; and Scott Cook, the founder of Intuit — many of whom will be speaking in India for the first time. Indian thought leaders speaking at the conference include Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor, management guru C.K. Prahalad, director Shekhar Kapur, Yogi Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, film actor Abhay Deol and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik, among others.

TEDIndia has also announced 103 TEDIndia Fellows, outstanding individuals who have shown “unusual accomplishment, exceptional courage and moral imagination”. These TEDIndia Fellows, traditionally exception, young minds will be integrated into the larger network of the globe’s best thinkers.

The Times of India has partnered with TED.com in streaming the first 5 TEDIndia presentations onto mobile phones. Rishi Khiani, CEO of Times Internet Limited, says, “The Times Group websites are amongst the most viewed websites in the world in terms of pageviews, because of the quality of featured content. We are very happy to partner with TED for their first-ever TED conference in South Asia.” (The web traffic assertion is correct. India Times has a Alexa rank of 169.)

We should acknowledge that TEDIndia isn’t based on the assumption that America’s way of life or doing business is best for India. Spending any amount of time with Dr. Muhummad Yunus raises questions around new kinds of business mode, where the greatest possible profit for stockholders isn’t necessarily the best business goal.

TEDIndia photos on FlickrNew hybrid models of business are in the incubator, with plenty of competent, globally-conscious, Western-trained Cultural Creative minds wanting to participate.

The context of TEDIndia includes:

-Which local innovations are destined for global impact?

- Who are the young thinkers and doers capable of shaping the future?

- Can there be economic advancement without environmental destruction?

- Can a pluralistic democracy survive in the face of rising fundamentalism?

- Can we make money and be good people? Really and truly?

- What should we learn — or fear? — from China’s investment in Africa?

- Do we have enough water for everyone?

- How do we keep our youth challenged and our aged healthy?

- How can anti-poverty solutions be brought to scale?

- Is there wisdom to be found in traditional medicine?

- Which other ancient traditions can illuminate modern life?

Questions via ThinkChangeIndia

We’ll do a followup on TEDIndia when the videos are posted. Meanwhile, visit the website. Anne