MANUSHYA PUTHIRAN

Manushya Puthiran is an acclaimed Tamil poet, who got his first poem published at an early age of 16. His political and topical columns are regulars in Tamil periodicals. In 2002, he was awarded the Sanskriti National Award for his outstanding contribution to Tamil literature as a young writer. He currently runs Uyirmmai Publications.

CRAIG JENKINS

Craig is a professional storyteller and educationalist who performs traditional folktales and the Indian epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. He also writes plays and runs workshops that use traditional stories as a means of addressing contemporary social issues. Some of his most notable works have been Draupadi as a metaphor for violence against women, Karna as a metaphor for 'unwanted children and a lack of self identity' and his internationally renowned 'Abhimanyu- The Child Soldier'. He works with vulnerable groups such as refugees, children in the criminal justice system, children in rural villages and children in the slums. He has also worked for the BBC, British Museum and the British Film Institute.

DR.THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN

Dr.Thamizhachi Thangapandian is a highly acclaimed poet with great command over her language. Her style of traditional yet trendy writing has brought out the lives of the underprivileged, the plight of the Tamils and their changing identities in the fast paced era of globalization into stanzas of meaning and power. Her literary genius has been exhibited through her various works in Tamil. She has also authored a book in English titled "Island to Island".

Dr. RAMESH SRIKONDA

Dr. Ramesh Srikonda is a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in Solar Architecture and Building Energy Studies. He is also a Postgraduate Diploma in Ecology & Environment, New Delhi and has a Master of Town & Country Planning degree from Anna University, Chennai. Over the past 25 years, he has worked with the Ministry of Urban Development, Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.  He is a registered architect of the Council of Architecture, India and member of Indian Institute of Architects and Institute of Town Planners, India.

PARVATHI GHANTASALA

Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala is a leading proponent of Bharatanatyam. Parvathi’s profound understanding, ardent devotion and relentless practice of this intricate art form have earned her an exceptional name in the fraternity of performing arts. Her multi-faceted persona, comprising that of a vibrant Performer, a versatile Choreographer, a loving Teacher and an enthusiastic Festival Director, make her one of the torchbearers, whose endeavor is to carry forward the legacy in the years to come.

ALARMEL VALLI

Alarmél Valli is a leading Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer, acclaimed internationally for her ability to turn traditional grammar into a subtle, deeply internalized, personal dance poetry. Amongst numerous awards received by her, are two of India’s highest civilian honours –the Padmashri and the Padma Bhushan, conferred by the President of India, The Chevalier of Arts and Letters Award from the French Government, the ‘Grande Medaille de la Ville de Paris’, the Award of the Sangeet Natak Akademi – the apex body for Indian Music, Dance and Drama and the State Award of Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu Government.

SIKKIL MALA CHANDRASEKHAR

Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is a noted South Indian flautist. Born into a musical family, Mala Chandrasekhar started learning from her aunt and mother Sikkil Sisters —Sangeetha kalanidhi Padmasri Smt.Sikkil V.Kunjumani & Sangeetha Kalanidhi  Padmashri Smt Sikkil.N.Neela.  Major influences on Mala's playing are the expertise and repertoire of noted vocalist and teacher Radha Viswanathan and of Radha's mother and guru M.S. Subbulakshmi whose family Mala joined by marriage. Ms. Mala is the First woman to represent India during the International Flute Convention held at Atlanta, Georgia, USA — 1999. She was also the first Indian to participate at a conference held in May 2006 at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, USA, was the first South Indian Flautist to have performed in  Jordan Music Festival in 2009.  Mala is a” Top graded” artiste by AIR (All India Radio) and has given concerts throughout India and abroad . She also has many accolades to her credit. A few of them are:

- 1995 The Title of “Kalaimamani” (received at less than 35 years of age)

- 2000 “Isai Peroli”from Karthik Fine Arts ,Chennai

- 2012 "Madurai Murali Puraskar"- Vipanchi 

- 2011"Lifetime Achievement Award"- Sahara India Parivar, Lucknow. She was the first South Indian      to  receive this award.

- 2008 "Excellence Award" United Nations & YMCA, U.S.A.

- 2006 "Shanmukha Sangeetha Shiromani" Shanmukhananda Sabha,Mumbai.

KEYBOARD SATHYA & EMBAR S. KANNAN

K.Sathyanarayanan or Sathya is a prodigy, who gave an exclusive Carnatic music concert at the age of 6 on a western instrument. He is also one of the youngest in the world to pass the 8th grade practical examination of Trinity College, London on the Electronic Keyboard. He has given over 825 concerts all over the world.

Acknowledged as a violinist par Excellence, Kalaimamani Embar S. Kannan is a Post Graduate in Commerce from the Madras University and an A-Grade artiste with All India Radio. Kannan has won many awards and accolades like Kalaimamani Award from Govt. of Tamil Nadu, The Best Violinist award from Music Academy for 8 consecutive years from 1991 – 99, Yuva Kala Bharathi, Awards from leading Sabhas in India and abroad, to name a few.

Dr. UTHRA DORAIRAJAN

Inspired by her School and College teachers, she took up teaching as her profession and has been teaching at DG Vaishnav College, Chennai for the past 17 years, currently heading the Department of Physics. She completed her Doctoral program in Physics, at University of Madras in 2008, under the UGC fellowship. Interested in popularization of Science and Science Communication, she believes science education is not complete unless it reaches the mass. Historical and geographical background of each scientific discovery, invention and technological growth must be taught, for the students to enjoy science and create passion towards it. To create a generation that has faith on Science, mothers must be given confidence on scientific concepts and their fear about learning science should be addressed. For this, she feels there should be more continuous informal ways of updating their scientific knowledge and the role of media in science popularisation is indispensible. She has been reaching the public and young minds through her writings, talks through AIR, dubbings of Science videos into Tamil in simple way.

SRIRAM AYER

Sriram Ayer is the founder of NalandaWay Foundation and is involved full time in the management of the organisation. NalandaWay works with children from challenging situations from the poorest districts in India, helping them raise their voices and issues through theatre, visual arts, music, dance, radio and films. In his earlier assignment, Sriram worked for a leading technology firm as the Head of New Initiatives. Sriram was elected as an Ashoka fellow in 2006.He was also elected as the "Architect of the Future" by Waldzell Institute,Vienna,Austria.

ANITA NAIR

Anita Nair was born in Shoranur, Kerala and did her schooling in Chennai. She majored in English literature. While she was attracted to journalism as a career she eventually chose advertising and gave it up in 2001 to become a full time writer.
Her novels include The Better Man, Ladies Coupe, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting and Cut LikeWound. She has also published a collection of poems titled Malabar Mind and a collection of essays titled Goodnight & God Bless. Anita has also written two plays and the screenplay for the movie adaptation of her novel Lessons in Forgetting which is part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2012 and won the National Film Award in 2013. Her books have been published in over 30 languages around the world. She lives in Bangalore with her husband and her son.

Awards & Felicitations: 

• Chosen as one of the 30 Power Women in India for the year 2006 by India Today magazine in their roll call of honour. 
• Was part of Triangle Media Group Global top 50 hot list of 2006-07 in the category of Fashion, Literature and Arts.
• She was felicitated by Montblanc in 2009 as part of their Signature for Good initiative with UNICEF for her contribution to literature, enforcing cross cultural endeavours and enlightening experiences that have transcended an inexhaustible diversity of forms - barriers of language, cultures and identities.
• Anita Nair was awarded the FLO FICCI Women Achievers Awards 2008 for Literature.
• She was awarded the Women of Substance Award 2010 by the Times Group for the outstanding contribution in the field of literature.
• She was awarded the JFW [South India's leading women's magazine] award for literary excellence for the year 2010.In May 2012 she was honoured by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi for her contribution to Literature and Culture.
• In October 2012 she was awarded Arch of Excellence Award by the All India Achievers’ Conference, New Delhi for Literature.

RATHIKA RAMASAMY

Ms. Rathika Ramasamy is the first woman Wildlife Photographer in India. She ventured into the field of nature photography about a decade ago. She is a Computer Engineer with an MBA, currently residing in New Delhi. She is passionate about birds and specializes in bird photography.
Her work has been showcased in national and international publications. She regularly conducts Wildlife Photography workshops all over India and is a member of Nikon’s Professional Services.
Some of her achievements are :
In 2009 May,"Uccelli in Nature"-Italy's bird magazine selected and featured her as the best Bird Photographer from Asia.
In 2010 February, Rathika published her first photo book "Bird Photography"- a collection of her best images.
In 2013, Nikon India honoured her with membership of their Professional Service.

CARTOONIST BALA

Mr Bala is a self-thought cartoonist based in Chennai, born on August 9, 1980. His native place is Tirunelveli and he was born and brought up in Mumbai. He is a full time Political Cartoonist who challenges most of the politicians today. Earlier he was working as a General Assistant for a Chartered Accountant Firm.His love, interest and passion towards journalism made him join "MUMBAI TAMIL TIMES" as a Sub-Editor cum Cartoonist in "KUMUDAM", a leading Tamil Weekly Magazine since 2005. Additionally he gives few write-ups on critical issues. KUMUDAM publications has published two of his cartoon book titled "NATTU NADAPPU" and "EEZHAM-AANMAAVIN MARANAM".

MAHESH VINAYAKRAM

UNESCO millennium awardee and the illustrious son of Ghatam Meastro T.H Vikku Vinayakram, Mahesh Vinayakram has invariably chosen the art of vocal music. He has also toured U.S, U.K, Europe, Africa, Asia etc. extensively for his music collaborations with world class artistes like Ustad Zakhir Hussain, Steve Smith, Pete Lockett, George Brooks, Nithin Sawhney and many others. He has many international albums like BRAVADO MASALA and JOURNEYS THROUGH MASTERS OF PERCUSSION to his credit. He was also a part of the song “Vachan” by the world famous music composer Nithin Sawhney on Coke Studio@MTV.

The Journey so far ...

TED was born in 1984 out of the observation by Richard Saul Wurman of a powerful convergence between Technology,Entertainment and Design. The first TED included demos of the sony compact disc and new 3D graphics from Lucasfilm, while mathematician Beniot Mandelbrot demonstrated how to map coastlines with his newly discovered fractals.Several influential members of the digerati community were there, including Nicholas Negroponte and Stewart Brand.

TEDx Sairam started off on a high note in 2012 with the theme as "INVENTING INNOVATIONS".The event was a huge success with eminent personalities like Sudha Raghunathan,Violinist Ganesh, Sangeetha Isvaran, Prithika Chary and many more enthralling the young audience with their inspiring talks.

TEDx Sairam is back for the second time with the theme "BEYOND CONVENTIONS" and this is surely an affair you wouldn't want to miss.The speakers in this year's event are handpicked and can be aptly described as the best of the best in what they do.With exhilarating speeches from inspirational personalities,it is one oppurtunity that lets you IMBIBE knowledge, IMPROVISE your vision and INNOVATE your way into the world.The speakers for this year include Rathika Ramasamy, Keyboard Sathya, Parvathi Ghantasala, Sriram Ayer, Mahesh Vinayakram and many more...

Follow us on facebook : https://www.facebook.com/tedxsairam201

STAY TUNED !  

BEYOND_CONVENTION -

Every nuance is beyond Convention. Every Journey has an elixir, that is beyond convention. Doing hard work is one thing, but doing things "Beyond Convention" takes a person beyond conventions. One who moves his foot prints far apart from the regular, emerges as a pioneer. We have invited personalities,icons and celebrities who have taken a ride in their tide, filled life BEYOND CONVENTION and have carved their own niche in their fields and have emerged as REAL HEROES. LET THE HERO WORSHIP TAKE A GENESIS FROM TEDxSairam !