01 February 2010
Solving social problems with a nudge: Sendhil Mullainathan on TED.com
MacArthur winner Sendhil Mullainathan uses the lens of behavioral economics to study a tricky set of social problems -- those we know how to solve, but don't. We know how to reduce child deaths due to diarrhea, how to prevent diabetes-related blindness and how to implement solar-cell technology ... yet somehow, we don't or can't. Why? (Recorded at TEDIndia, November 2009, Mysore, India. Duration: 18:01)
Watch Sendhil Mullainathan's talk on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 600+ TEDTalks.
19 November 2009
East vs. West -- the myths that mystify: Devdutt Pattanaik on TED.com
At TEDIndia, Devdutt Pattanaik takes an eye-opening look at the myths of India and of the West, and shows how these two fundamentally different sets of beliefs about gods, death and heaven help us consistently misunderstand one another. His goal is to help us all understand these founding beliefs -- and use them to understand one another better. (Recorded at TEDIndia, November 2009, Mysore, India. Duration: 18:26)
Watch Devdutt Pattanaik's talk on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 550+ TEDTalks.
17 November 2009
The first 5 TEDTalks from TEDIndia
Here's the schedule for the first five TEDTalks to be released from TEDIndia. They're premiering here on TED.com as well as on ted.indiatimes.com -- and on mobile phones at http://indiatimes.vuclip.com.
Live now: Pranav Mistry's SixthSense demo -- and an amazing announcement.
Premiering Thursday, Nov. 19: Devdutt Pattanaik contrasts the mythology of India and the West -- and the differing worldviews each mythos produces.
IST: Thu 19 Nov 2009 8:30 PM
EST: Thu 19 Nov 2009 10:00 AM
Premiering Monday, Nov. 23: Hans Rosling predicts the exact date when India's GDP will match that of the United States.
IST: Mon 23 Nov 2009 8:30 PM
EST: Mon 23 Nov 2009 10:00 AM
Premiering Thursday, Nov. 26: Mallika Sarabhai tells a story in dance, to show how theater and performance art can create global social change.
IST: Thu 26 Nov 2009 8:30 PM
EST: Thu 26 Nov 2009 10:00 AM
Premiering Monday, Nov. 30: Shashi Tharoor talks about what India will need to do to become a superpower.
IST: Mon 30 Nov 2009 8:30 PM
EST: Mon 30 Nov 2009 10:00 AM
16 November 2009
The thrilling potential of SixthSense technology: Pranav Mistry on TED.com
At TEDIndia, Pranav Mistry demos several tools that help the physical world interact with the world of data -- including a deep look at his SixthSense device and a new, paradigm-shifting paper "laptop." In an onstage Q&A, Mistry says he'll open-source the software behind SixthSense, to open its possibilities to all. (Recorded at TEDIndia, November 2009, Mysore, India. Duration: 13:51)
Watch Pranav Mistry's talk on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 550+ TEDTalks.
11 November 2009
TEDIndia post-conference thoughts from attendees
It's been four days since TEDIndia ended, and the attendees have been making their way home to cities across India and around the world. Thanks to all who've spent some of the travel time writing down their thoughts on this extraordinary past week.
TED Fellow Dina Mehta rounded up her TEDIndia in tweets -- a rich in-the-moment experience. A sample from Day 2 (read up from the bottom):
RT @pkgulati: Shaffi at @tedindia – we are insane people, and an insane person does not know what’s an impossible task
New idea. How to fight the demand for a bribe? Call in the Bribe Busters! Dial …… Nice :) :) Shaffi Mather.
Dr Asher Hassan. Main Bhi Pakistani Hoon. (I too am Pakistan). Sharing stories of normal people thru photos.
RT @bcampbelljr: Idea from TEDIndia – write your obituary. If you don’t like the way it reads, change your life – now.
Quite inspirational Q- one key idea to spread ? Shukla Bose A- educate the teachers
The blog Our Woman in Havana covered every day of TEDIndia in detail; in the latest post, the writer takes a step back to evaluate what just happened. It's a tour de force, ending in a lovely image:
If I could do TED India all over again, I would have brought the Gods of all the major religions on stage and asked them how they viewed India. Then I would have asked the Chief Beliefs Officer to create a new politics where they could sing, dance, work and pray together.
Anneke Jong kept a detailed diary of each day of the conference, with great snapshots, on Aniblog. Start with her landing in Bangalore and work upward. From her Session 4 report:
anil gupta, founder of the honey bee network shared some of the locally grown innovations they're seeing in india. ventures included a man who attached a small grain grinder to his bicycle so he can grind small batches of grain for poor people (mills won't grind small quantities); a bicycle-mounted washing machine that travels from village to village; <$1 non-stick hot plate made of clay ... favorite quote: "the minds on the margin are not marginal minds."
TED Fellow Amit Varna offers his own take on TEDIndia -- both what worked for him and what didn't. In the end, Varna writes:
The real draw of TED is the intellectual firepower around you, and the amazing people you get to meet. ... Many of my fellow TED Fellows are engaged in work that actually changes the lives of thousands of people (as opposed to writing a measly novel), and it was humbling to be in their company. I was also delighted to connect with the Pakistanis at the conference, who made it a richer event just by their presence.
Mark Emanuelson shares a concept he learned more about at TEDIndia: jugaad:
So what is the key to success in India? How does a country full of big constraints like poverty and creaking infrastructure still manage to grow so fast? The answer is what some call “Jugaad,” an Indian term meaning an arrangement or workaround ...
In a nice long post, Russell Smith recaps his feelings during and after TEDIndia -- "a life-changing experience" -- and details many of his favorite speakers, including C.K. Prahalad:
C.K. Prahalad identifies the world’s poor (the “bottom of the pyramid”) as a mostly untapped market for companies, worth up to $13 trillion a year in revenues. In his words, “the real source of market promise is not the wealthy few in the developing world, or even the emerging middle-income consumers. It is the billions of aspiring poor who are joining the market economy for the first time.” In his TED talk, Dr. Prahalad warned against “learning disabilities” on the part of companies, leading to mistakes, such as mistaking current profits for leadership, and unwillingness to face up to capability gaps. He seems to be saying that the answer lies in democratizing technology, communication, and learning, such that everybody from the top to the bottom will know what’s going on.
More recaps and roundups on their way. If you've written a roundup, taken notes or photos, email contact@ted.com with the subject line NOTES.
07 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 9: Within You, Without You
"Within You, Without You," the final session of TEDIndia, rings in with a drumbeat -- the rich, propulsive stylings of Sivamani. He combines the sounds of a variety of percussive instruments with a recurring motif: water. Dipping instruments in water as he plays them, the instruments take on the character of the life-giving substance that all living things on Earth share. Sivamani's homepage >>
Alwar Balasubramaniam, a sculptor, painter and printmaker, is fascinated by the transition from the present to the future, the traces that entities leave behind as they pass through time. Through art that is part performance, part sculpture, he explores the possibilities that emerge from these transitions and self-discoveries. He uses plaster and other materials to capture traces such as a fingerprint, the path of the sun through the sky, flames ... and the human face. But how real are these traces? His work highlights how subjective, context-driven all experience is. The mind creates meaning; meaning isn't independent of it. He shows artwork that is designed to decay over time -- a bust made of semi-solid material that melts, slowly losing value as time goes on. A later sculpture captures the inverse -- attempting to create "something from nothing" by growing more substance as time passes. His later works explore perception, the substance of unseen things such as electricity, magnetism, light. Read about Alwar Balasubramaniam on Sculpture.org >>
Shashi Tharoor, member of Parliament and the Indian minister of state for external affairs, says, "The future beckons -- but which direction?" What constitutes a nation classified as a world leader? He suggests the answer is not just population, nuclear capacity, economy, but the power of example, or a country's ability to attract others. To have "soft power," you have to be connected. India is well-connected now, but telephones were once rare. What's striking, today, is who's carrying cell-phones: people without contact with other contemporary technologies, people such as fisherman, farmers. Meanwhile, India is exporting its culture (food, film) to the whole world -- not just the US and UK. "The Empire strikes back," he says. "We've gone from the image of India as a land of fakirs to a land of mathematical geniuses and software gurus." He says the country that tells the best stories will be the country that leads the world. In a diverse, plural democracy like India, you don't have to agree all the time; you just have to agree on the ground-rules about how to disagree. That is the India that is emerging. Shashi Tharoor's homepage >>
Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism, tells the story of his life, his recognition as the Karmapa, and the important process of finding heart-to-heart connections with other human beings. He urges us to shift our motivation to be more sincere and genuinely positive -- to work on not just technology and design, but the technology and design of the heart. Homepage of H.H. 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje >>
So concludes TEDIndia. We hope you've enjoyed our coverage here on the TED Blog and on our TEDIndia Twitter feed. Look for TEDTalks from TEDIndia to appear on TED.com in the coming weeks. Namaste.
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson
07 November 2009
The Buzz: Shashi Tharoor on India's soft power
Shashi Tharoor, India’s minister of state for external affairs, says India should influence the world through soft power -- attracting other countries to India’s example. Here are some responses from Twitter:
Tharoor: The penetration of mobile phones in India - testimony to development / empowerment / flattening of info hierarchies -- infosys
Engrossing talk by tharoor at #TEDIndia -- sidv
Tharoor: Similarly, the penetration of Bollywood, yoga, ayurveda & our cuisine make India the land of better stories -- infosys
@shashitharoor now speaks about India's cultural and religious diversity! Shouts of hurrah from crowd -- moneymunot
listening to @shashitharoor i am convinced -- vijaysankaran
Tharoor gets a standing ovation! -- TEDxShekhawati
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson
07 November 2009
The Buzz: His Holiness the Karmapa on heart-centered design
His Holiness the Karmapa, a spiritual Buddhist leader, proposes that the worldwide acceleration of technological connectivity should be accompanied by increased heart-to-heart connections. Check out some reactions from Twitter:
His Holiness the Karmapa speaking his story of being "found" at 7 as the next Karmapa. He expected more toys, less responsibilities! -- TEDxATX
Important for us to remember that we should focus on design and technology of the heart - Karmapa -- TEDxShekhawati
We should allow the information that we have to really make a change in our heart- HH the karmapa -- ShalG
No better way to end the @TEDIndia than have His Holiness the Karmapa on stage of #TEDindia amazing! -- FollowSamir
A big applause for Karmapa. What a beautiful talk :) -- shweta88
07 November 2009
Onsite at TEDIndia: Q&A with producer Bharath
Bharath (his full name) was the local producer of TEDIndia, a calm authority figure in the middle of a large, international, multilingual crew. After the conference wrapped on Saturday afternoon, he had time to talk about the massive job of getting TEDIndia up and running.
How did you get connected with TEDIndia?
I'm basically a filmmaker. I do corporate films for my bread-and-butter, and I make documentaries for my own creative satisfaction. We do documentaries about Buddhism, comparative religion, literacy; we go to villages and make motivational films aimed at illiterate people, to send their children to school. And I make films for Infosys; I've been working with them for about 10 years. Infosys recommended some vendors, the TED team met with some others, and I was lucky they decided to go with me. That's how I got into the loop. TED was an important thing in India, and Infosys felt we should have people there who can deliver. They said, Can you take over the whole thing? I said, Sure, why not, let's do it.
When did you get onsite to start work on TEDIndia?
We were here from October 26th, but most of the stage pieces were getting fabricated outside the Infosys campus, so we just brought them in and started rigging them up. We put in about 3 months of preproduction.
The thing about most of the Hollywood teams that I work with, and I tell them this right from the beginning: Working in India is different. In the sense that, (a), the number of people involved will be much more than elsewhere, and (b), it is not as mechanized. To put up the Simulcast, for instance, we didn't use cranes. We have them, but we don't use them all the time because we have so many people. And it's generating employment and revenue for ever so many people. It's kind of mind-boggling for Westerners to come here to work, because they look at the sheer number of people and they get petrified. But that is my workforce. Those are my cranes, you know, those are my forklifts.
Once you get into production, you realize the way this crew works. At a stage when you're discussing contracts and schedules, you're looking at the number of hours of work and number of days you'll put in, but once they get into production, all that is out of the window. We've been rehearsing til 11:30 and 12 o'clock in the night, and the teams haven't batted an eyelid. They've been here. And they're back again at 6 in the morning. It's a really good team.
It's interesting that you come from a film background; TEDIndia is live theater, but it eventually lives on as a film. Was it hard to make the transition?
No, in fact. Big productions are the same, irrespective of what it is. It's how organized you are, what kind of a crew you have, what's your relationship with your crew members, what kind of harmony can you build in your team, and how they deliver. Irrespective of whether it is films or events, I believe that for any group of human beings to work together, you need to have that basic relationship between each other. And that's what I have thrived on so far. I make films for the Air Force where the teams are much larger than this, the cameras are much larger and more in number, and it was not difficult at all.
What was probably, I wouldn't say difficult but what was new, was the kind of multiple formats that are used, and the scale. The scale of projection, the scale of image processing. These were different, but technology is available, equipment is available, help is available.
One of my favorite moments of pre-TED was watching you and your mixer screen the first test footage from the cameras with TED's video team. The whole team was thrilled by the quality; you especially seemed to be enjoying the moment.
I think for every artist, irrespective of whether he is a painter, a filmmaker, a sculptor, I think the curiosity is in seeing: How does the product look? Do I have a beautiful frame that other people will look at and appreciate and enjoy? And I think that is the ultimate satisfaction. Nothing can complicate that. Not money, not awards, nothing can complicate that. If people tell you your stage looks good, your frames look good, that's the ultimate satisfaction.
07 November 2009
Meet the TED Blog and social media team for TEDIndia
Our gavel-to-gavel coverage of TEDIndia comes from an extraordinary team. Matthew Trost, Shanna Carpenter and Jenny Zurawell have been blogging and live-tweeting conference proceedings as they happen. Emily McManus provided backstage reports. Leigh Ferreira led the social-media effort on Twitter and Facebook, engaging the worldwide community, responding to viewer questions and sharing information so that the whole world could watch Session 9, going now right now. Our social-media intern is Chris Griswold.
Look for TEDTalks from TEDIndia starting in mid-November and continuing throughout the year.
Comments or suggestions on our coverage? Email contact@ted.com with the subject line "TEDIndia social media." Thanks for sharing TEDIndia.
07 November 2009
The Buzz: Eve Ensler begins a celebration of the "girl self"
Eve Ensler at TEDIndia, Session 8, "Learning to Learn," November 7, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Eve Ensler brought her dynamic stage presence to TEDIndia, to fight for a new celebration and love for the girl inside us all. The audience gave her all the love she wanted, and couldn't stop sharing her words on Twitter:
Being a girl is so powerful that we've had to train everyone not to be a girl. Eve Ensler -- dina
The inspiring Eve Ensler on stage at TEDIndia. Every bit of visibility she's had, she deserves more. -- ralphtalmont
Eve Ensler: "bullets are actually hardened tears" -- eneylon
Eve Ensler at TEDIndia talks about how we have been harsh to men by eradicating the girl self in them. Truly authentic thought. -- thousandtyone
"Girls throughout the world are taught to please. Change it to educate or activate!"-Eve Ensler-- leighleighsf
Whoa! Eve Ensler - impactful like Sunitha Krishnan, in a very different way, yet with the same goal. -- achitnis
Amazing talk from Eve Ensler. It was like DefJam meets TED ... and yeah I love being a girl! #TEDindia -- Myd
Eve Ensler just rocked Ted india. I love love love being a girl. -- mallikadutt
07 November 2009
The Buzz: Kiran Sethi makes "contagious" a good word
Kiran Bir Sethi at TEDIndia, Session 8, "Learning to Learn," November 7, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Kiran Sethi is the founder of a revolutionary new school in India, called The Riverside School. She's changing the way we think about children, the way they think about themselves and her ideas are contagious! Here are some of the real-time reactions:
Finally. Kiran Sethi at TEDIndia ... Riverside school ... amazingness ... -- aDeSe
If you blur boundaries between school and life, children become aware, enabled and empowered. Kiran Sethi -- ralphtalmont
Kiran Sethi: Laughter is contagious, passion is contagious. "I can" is contagious. -- shivya
Design for Giving Contest.. :) finally.. we are there. Amazing concept by Kiran Sethi -- TEDxAhmedabad
kiran sethi - This is a well thought out, well executed talk with significant and important content -- Udindex
06 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 8: Learning to Learn
Photo: TEDIndia 2009. Mysore, India, November 4-7, 2009. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Here's what we learned from the the second-to-last session of TEDIndia, "Learning to Learn":
Sashwati Banerjee brings greetings from the longest street in the world: Sesame Street. Director of Sesame Workshop, Sashwati Banerjee takes the stage after a fun dialogue between Googly and Chamki, two colorful Muppets that were created for Galli Galli Sim Sim, the Indian version of Sesame Street. She asks, How can we use TV and other outreach to connect to the children who have little access to education? The 128 million pre-school children (of whom 4 of 5 are marginalized) in India are a huge opportunity. She's fascinated by the potential of new media: social networking and mobile technology, she says, can bridge the education gap between rich and poor even faster than satellite TV can. Galli Galli Sim Sim >>
C.K. Prahalad studies business and innovation around the globe -- from the top to the bottom of the economic pyramid. He asks, "How do you convert information into insight, and then into action?" Learning, he says, is about inference; two people will infer different things from the same information. We can improve learning by understanding the processes that alter the way different people make inferences. Organizations must understand these processes, or develop an institutional "learning disability." Organizations make mistakes as a result: mistaking current profits for leadership, unwillingness to face up to capability gaps. How can we break the power structure that creates these "disabilities"? Prahalad suggests technology: new ways to communicate, to analyze problems, to create dialogue with customers. We're at a unique point in history -- more people than ever have access to information through technology, but we must democratize learning, too. Books by C.K. Prahalad >>
Thulasiraj Ravilla directs the Lions Aravind Institute of Community Opthalmology, helping eye-care hospitals prevent blindness. He asks us, "What does it mean to be blind?" We often forget that blindness can deprive more than eyesight: dignity and status, too. Yet most blindness can be prevented. He breaks down the thinking that led to the creation of his innovative Aravind system. In part, the system was inspired by McDonald's: if you can franchise the mechanism for giving eye care, replicating the same methodologies in multiple places, you can solve blindness all over the country. You must also remove the barriers to entry to the system, making eye care centers accessible, and making the screening process more efficient by going paperless. His system also allows highly specialized care to be delivered to small villages, using satellite communication technology. But once you have an efficient system, how to you manage the demand when there are so few opthalmologists? He shows video clips of clinics, where doctors alternate between two surgical chairs in one operating room, a patient being prepared in one as surgery happens in another. He plans on helping to extend his system to the rest of the world -- perhaps even the United States. Standing ovation. Learn about the Aravind Eye Care System >>
Kiran Bir Sethi founded the Riverside School in Ahmedabad. She says "contagious is a good word -- even in the age of H1N1. Laughter is contagious too." She wants us to get infected with "I can." She shows video clips of common practices at Riverside School -- practices that give children the feeling that they can go out and change the world. By making children aware of learning, enabling them to teach themselves, the system empowers them to teach others -- including their own parents. The public service aspect of the program may seem a diversion from core education programming, but the students at Riverside have shown to out-perform other students in math, science, and English studies. Standing ovation. Learn about Riverside School >>
Matthew Spacie runs Magic Bus, a nonprofit that helps kids develop through sport. He shares the story of how a simple rugby game ended up encouraging a group of boys to stay off of the streets and away from drugs. He expanded the game into a full-fledged program that is changing the way we look at how to help individuals escape poverty traps. By giving children community and self-confidence, they learn to make better decisions for their lives -- and contribute to a more sustainable society. Standing ovation. Matthew Spacie's profile at Magic Bus >>
Eve Ensler created "The Vagina Monologues," whose success propelled her to found V-Day -- a movement to end violence against girls and women. She asks us to get in touch with our "girl self" -- an attribute that is a part of every human being, but which has been suppressed by cultural power-structures. She says "being a girl is so powerful that we've taught everyone not to be that." She takes us to Congo, where women are raped routinely as a part of the barbaric conflict. She takes us to her childhood, where her father abused her sexually -- and she realized that her crying exposed his brutality. It's a travesty, she says, that young boys are taught to be cold, hardened, to behave without tenderness or compassion. Just as girls are oppressed, they are also objectified, and also "trained to please." Girls must be taught to educate. The fate of the girl is entwined with the fate of humankind. The capacity for girls to overcome situations is mind-blowing -- as a species, we need to learn from that capacity. She closes with a powerful, energizing reading from "I Am an Emotional Creature." Standing ovation. Eve Ensler's profile at the V-Day website >>
Babar Ali, at 16, created his own school in his home village. He joins TED Curator Chris Anderson and TED Fellow Mohammed Tauheed (acting as a translator) for a short Q&A session. BBC article on Babar Ali >>
Watch the final session online
Stay tuned! The closing session of TEDIndia, Session 9, will be available for free on the Times of India website at 11:00 AM IST (GMT/UTC +05:30 hours).
06 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 7: The Power of Stories
Abhay Deol at TEDIndia, Session 7, "Power of Stories," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Beginning the last session of the day, Lakshmi Pratury takes the stage and explains that this theme was chosen because she believes that stories are extremely powerful. She says that the TEDIndia team wanted to share stories through the eyes of many different kinds of storytellers.
Ramachandra Budihalwalks on to the stage with a backpack. He explains that he will tell a story using technology. He's going to take us back to experience ancient Hampi and the ruins of Vijayanagara with an augmented reality demo. He pulls out a headset, places it over his eyes and begins projecting his augmented reality system. He uses its GPS system to go from the campus of Infosys, up the map to Hampi and begins exploring the wonders of the ancient city from the stage, explaining at points that he's even getting tactile feedback. For the first time anywhere, he says, it's a live demo from the third and first perspectives. Budihal considers the innovation a storytelling unit that can be used to engage, entertain, educate, immerse and transform. We create what we imagine, he explains, and technology is the way to realize our dreams, so he calls this imagineering. Read more about Ramachandra Budihal's extraordinary research organization here >>
Abhay Deol is a Bollywood actor and brand new producer. He asks us to watch a trailer for a movie he stars in, and then tells the story behind the movie. This story is true, he explains, and his character (a thief) is in jail. They decided to make a movie about him because everyone he met, even his victims, could not help but find him charming. Deol can't understand why Bollywood doesn't pursue more real stories like thus one. He shows the trailer for hid first production attempt -- Dev.D, which is a retelling of the classic Indian story of Devdas. He wanted to tell the story without pushing everything under the carpet to make it look pretty. He shows another trailer and goes on to explain that he wants to see change in Bollywood. He says that the mindset of the audience is changing. They want new stuff. A new wave is happening today in Bombay. There are stories all over India to be told, and he relates some interesting examples. You can be entertaining and socially conscious at the same time, he concludes. To see all his work, visit Abhay Deol's profile on IMDb.com >>
Shekhar Kapur, who directed Elizabeth, tears up his speech, just a few minutes into being on stage and says, "Now, I'm in absolute panic." It's a symbolic gesture he does everyday, he explains. He allows myself to go into chaos, hoping that some truth will come out of it. The first thing he learned about storytelling is to panic, because that is the only way to get rid of your mind. Out of the emptiness, comes a moment of creativity. We create stories to define our existence. A film tells a story. Showing the scene from Elizabeth: The Golden Age where Elizabeth realizes her lady-in-waiting is pregnant for Walter Raleigh, he asks, "What am I trying to say here?" Kapur explains how he used the imposing stone to show Elizabeth is not powerful in this moment and shoots down to show that she is a bottom of an emotional well. Ultimately, he explains, a story is a contradiction but all of us are constantly looking for harmony and he must find a way to create both. Read more about Shekhar Kapur on his homepage here >>
Ryan Lobo was in documentary film, but would find himself taking photographs. The photo-taking became almost compulsive. Now, he tells his stories through photography. He shares three recent stories of mine that exemplify what he aims for in his work -- compassionate storytelling. In Liberia, he tells the story of a once famous warlord who commanded child soldiers and committed horrific crimes. This man, Joshua has now repented and finds those he hurt to ask forgiveness. Does forgiveness and redemption replace justice? Lobo's second story is of an oddly successful contingent of all-Indian, all-women UN peacekeepers in Liberia that have also inspired many of the local women. His third storytelling series is of the Delhi Fire Service, who, due to traffic jam, were late in getting to slum to out a large fire and were attacked by hostile crowds. Lobo's pictures help him to tell these stories beautifully, even when the subject matter is not beautiful, and their portraits of the human condition are stunning. To see Ryan Lobo's work, visit his photostream on Flickr >>
Ananda Shankar Jayant is a classical Indian dancer and begins her time on stage dancing. Then she stops, and comes forward to the mike. She tells the audience that on July 1, 2008, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and realized she had an unwelcome, uninvited life partner. She needed something to pull her out of this. She went from beautiful to bald in three days and climbing a staircase was sheer torture. She decided to go to her dance studio every day and re-learn everything she had learned since she was four years old, through the pain of chemo. She made the image of the goddess Durga -- the fearless one -- her own. She begins a new dance now, one inspired by her current vision herself. Drawing with the henna on her feet, while dancing on a huge stretched canvas, she creates a spectacular angry face that her musicians hold behind her at then end of her performance. The audience jumps to a standing ovation. Visit Ananda Shankar Jayant's website to learn more about her story >>
06 November 2009
The Buzz: "Hats off" to Ananda Shankar Jayant, cancer conqueror
Photo: Ananda Shankar at TEDIndia, Session 7, "Power of Stories," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Dancer and choreographer Ananda Shankar Jayant brought the audience to its feet at the conclusion of Session 7 with a moving story of her battle against cancer -- and the way she reclaimed her life through dance. Here's what Twitter was saying:
Awesome!!!! simply marvelous !! Ananda Shankar! Hats Off!! Kudos!!! Awesome story of cancer conqueror -- AbhiSuryawanshi
I will ride out cancer , wont allow cancer to ride on me - Ananda Shankar #TEDIndia Very inspirational -- AbhiSuryawanshi
ananda shankar hats off to you and your internal strenght the durga. she creates a figure with her feet as she dances -- meher_taj
Ananda Shankar talk / dance is so inspiring. At least a TED talk which totally inspired me -- ramkrsna
ananda shankar... incredible!! #TEDindia -- nirjhara
Ananda Shankar you are a true warrior -- vaalsalya
06 November 2009
The Buzz: Ramachandra Budihal augments reality
Photo: Ramachandra Budihal at TEDIndia, Session 7, "Power of Stories," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Session 7: Ramachandra Budihal clearly thrilled TEDIndia's live audience -- and also our webcast audience, who had plenty to say on Twitter:
The 3D augmented device demoed by Ramachandra Budihal . Now I know how I can communicate folk stories to the future generation -- ramkrsna
Just watched a 500 yr old King resurrected - u can now experience ancient Indian history #TEDIndia for true innovation -- mita56
AAAAAAAAAAmazing!!! Ramchandra Budihal!!!!! #TEDIndia totally rocks!! -- moneymunot
We don't enter the future, we create it. And we create what we imagine." - Ramachandra Budihal -- brainpicker
What Budihal is describing, cannot be trapped into words. W-O-W! -- TEDxShekhawati
06 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 6: Green and Blue
Photo: Jib Ellison at TEDIndia, Session 6, "Green and Blue," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
“If you want to change the world, take something powerful and nudge it,” said Chris Anderson at the dawn of Session 6. For speakers in “Green and Blue,” the environment is the object of their nudging.
Sidi Goma, comprised of Africans who settled in Gujarat, started things off with a vibrant musical and dance performance. Audience members got their groove on to the upbeat tribal rhythms. Learn more about Sidi Goma here >>
Jib Ellison is three months into his quest to discover simple innovations that will change the world. He is traveling around the globe with his family in search of sustainable innovations to bring back and share with the world. In a Nambian bazaar, his daughter discovered the perfect example -- a decorative box made out of a two-liter Coca Cola bottle. All businesses need to do this in the next 10 years, he said. That is, to add value to the utility of a product as simple as a box by using material destined for waste. This approach has a low-input cost (because you are using waste materials), and therefore will be more affordable to consumers and scalable. Sustainability is a competitive advantage, but the courage to innovate is crucial. Ellison asks, “What is your box? Your contribution?” Learn more about Jib Ellison here >>
Charles Anderson is a marine biologist who has lived in the Maldives for 26 years and noticed a peculiar phenomenon: the seasonal whirlwind of dragonflies that appears just as quickly as it disappears. Dragonflies require freshwater to survive and reproduce, so why do they migrate to the Maldives, where there is no surface fresh water? The dragonflies annually travel 400 miles across the ocean from India on the upper air systems of monsoons to the Maldives, a temporary layover on the trans-oceanic trip to Africa. Their migration coincides with the end of the rain season in India and the beginning in Africa. Different species of birds concurrently make the journey on the monsoon winds -- which demonstrates the interconnectedness of earth’s systems. Learn more about Charles Anderson here >>
Horst Rechelbacher founded Aveda and the new nonprofit organic cosmetics company Intelligent Nutrients. He begins with a story of how a statute of Buddha giving the middle finger reminds him to be one with everything. He believes that environmentalism is genetically inherited, and the best way to be an environmentalist is living a lifestyle of responsible consumption. Everything is based on cause and effect -- the law of karma -- so human beings should be mindful of the chain of consequences. Particularly, the ubiquity of toxic chemicals in daily products can have damaging effects on our health. The lips, for example, are the fastest delivery system for the body, so the toxic petrochemicals in lipstick go directly into the bloodstream. That is why he has developed an organic beauty line, including a mineral-rich lipstick that makes kissing more nutritious! Learn more about Horst Rechelbacher here >>
Alexis Ohanian is the founder of Reddit, a website that democratizes its front page by displaying content that viewers express a common interest in. He recounts the “Splashy Pants” incident, where online voters chose the name a new Greenpeace movement designed to save whales. Participants overwhelmingly voted for the silly Splashy Pants name, and despite initial reluctance by Greenpeace, the name was adopted. Ohanian warned organizations that, on the Internet, “You no longer control the message, and that’s OK.”
Jake Eberts showed a preview of the upcoming film “Oceans,” which was shot over the past 4.5 years to explore the numerous challenges that confront oceans today. TEDPrize winner Sylvia Earle is joining forces with Eberts for the film’s release.
Anupam Mishra is inspired by traditional methods of sustainability, specifically water gathering. Mishra describes the traditional water collection systems in the Golden Desert, where rainfall is minimal and ground water is 100 meters deep, and not fit for drinking anyway. For the desert’s inhabitants, water means life or death, so they continue to use traditional methods for gathering water because they are the most effective. Mishra details several other historic water collection mechanisms used throughout India, including a well that squeezes out and collects moisture hidden in the sand. Learn more about Anupam Mishra here >>
TEDIndia coverage:
Comprehensive TEDIndia coverage >>
Minute-to-minute updates on the TEDNews Twitter feed >>
06 November 2009
The TED bags are here
As Lakshmi announced from stage in Session 6, the TEDIndia gift bag, made by Rickshaw Bagworks, was held up in customs coming in to India for the conference. But at midnight last night, they cleared. (Whew.)
This morning we walked into the TED staff room to find a beaming Mark Dwight (left), the head of Rickshaw, as he tore open box after box to show us bags in blue, purple, red, golden yellow ... with an irrepressible smile on his face.
Thanks to TEDIndia sponsor Barclays Wealth.
06 November 2009
The Buzz: Sidi Goma energizes the room with dance
Sidi Goma at TEDIndia, Session 6, "Green and Blue," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
As the TEDIndia audience returned from its lunch break, the Sidi Goma dancers took the stage and gave a rousing performance. Drumming, dancing and shouting to the heavens, they brought a jetlagged room to its feet. Here are some of the real-time reactions:
Sidi Goma - Black Sufis from Gujarat. Did you just say Black Sufis from Gujarat? I did. #tedindia -- soodsandeep
Sidi Goma have transformed the stage into a celebration of humanity. Raw -- TEDxShekhawati
Sidi Goma dancers are setting the TEDIndia stage on fire -- meher_taj
Good idea. Sidi Goma's wake up call post lunch at TEDIndia -- Badri_
06 November 2009
The Buzz: Sunitha Krishnan on the human face of human trafficking
Sunitha Krishnan shared heartbreaking stories about some of the 3,200+ girls she has rescued from Indian brothels with her organization Prajwala. Through education, rehabilitation, and job training, she helps to restore hope and dignity to victims, and she encourages us to empathize with and accept trafficking victims as human beings. The Facebook and Twitter audiences were profoundly impacted:
Sunitha Krishnan: a modern day HERO who rescues kids from sexual slavery / human trafficking. -- kokoe2
Sunitha Krishnan an anti-trafficking activist is amazing. Her stories are heart wrenching -- tanzeemc
Sunitha Krishnan: We as a civil society victimize victims - stigmatize victims of rape and sexual slavery -- infosys
Standing ovation for Sunitha Krishnan. WOW WOW WOW! -- TEDxShekhawati
Incredibly moved. Make a note now to view Sunitha Krishnan's #TEDIndia talk on human trafficking as soon as it goes online. -- kn0thing
Hearing a lot of people struggling not to cry after Sunitha Krishnan's talk on human trafficking -- eneylon
Alright 100k dollars raised from the Ted audience for Sunita Krishnans Ngo which works with Human Trafficiking...wow -- sudhirsyal
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson
06 November 2009
The Buzz: Kavita Ramdas on women's world
Kavita Ramdas, director of the Global Fund for Women, investigated how women are redefining certain paradoxes in their lives, for example the balance between modernity and tradition, and preserving a culture which has oppressive elements. Here are the reactions from Facebook and Twitter:
Kavita Ramdas: Many women are using religious practices as instruments of opposition and opportunity -- infosys
Kavita Ramdas from Global Fund for Women, speaking now, touching great talk. -- eveblossom
Kavita Ramdas shows us how oppressed women around the world use tradition as act of defiance. Weapon. Shield -- RafeFurst
Kavita Ramdas delivers a composed, passionate talk about feminism around the world. -- soodsandeep
Now we're talking - excellent talk on women's advocacy -- Udindex
Photo credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
06 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 5: Redesigning Community
Kavita Ramdas at TEDIndia, Session 5, "Redesigning Community," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
"Redesigning Community" was a diverse, but powerful, session. Speakers tackled the literal aspects of design, as well as the more abstract idea of social redesign. As the session progressed, talks became more and more emotionally intense.
Banny Bannerjee is a design educator, and today he's talking about the areas of your brain you use when you design. He calls this particular type of thought "design thinking," and it involves risk-taking. The problem is that the typical office and classroom don't approve of risk-taking and in Bannerjee's opinion, throwing away risky ideas is risky. He wants to use design thinking to address a much larger class of challenges -- like the loss of infants to low birth weight in India. A design team was called into address that problem and after some social research, reframed the issue and found an innovative solution. Design can also produce rapid diffusion mechanisms. The Population Media Center creates radio and TV serial dramas to influence change. When one of these about contraception aired in Ethiopia, the contraceptive use rate went up 157 percent and the average fertility rate dropped by magnitude of one. Bannerjee says rapid transition is possible with a willingness to expend serious creative energy. Read more about Banny Bannerjee's design think here >>
Shamsul Wares is an architect, as famous for his influence in the classroom as his work. For his talk he's walking us through a recent project of his, step by step. He was charged with creating a vacation house for a wealthy client. As the owner would only beusing it on weekends, he suggested opening it as a community center for the rest of the week. Amazingly the owner agreed. This house is surrounded by simple hedges instead of walls, with fruit trees around it to attract birds. It's three stories tall and built with a concrete frame, with no attempt to hide it. Wares pointed out that the building has no ambiguity, everything is clear. There's lots of glass, but no cosmetics, no color. Not an inch of paint in this house. The building is static, but when you move the view changes. New patterns created by the sun as it filters through different windows. He shows slides of the community happily using the home and sitting on the banks of the pond it leads to. Speaking of his use of raw material in a wealthy person's home, Wares explains "It's the proper material. Nothing extra, just what you need, that's what I try to do." See Wares speak in a clip from My Architect >>
Kavita Ramdas is the director of the Global Fund for Women and an eloquently states her position as a feminist. She remarks that on the unusual phenomenon that women are at once viciously oppressed by cultural practice and the preservers of culture. Ramdas asks: Are different women doing each? Are we guilty of assuming that there is a single story of the struggle for women's rights? Her story began as one of three daughtersin a country where having sons is fortunate, and watching her aunt go through the trauma of being an Indian woman widowed early, while Ramdas's father stood helplessly by. This, she says, is how she learnt the rules about what is means to be female in this world. But, she is still hoping for change -- dramatic change on the streets and the little changes at the kitchen table are equally important. Also, Ramdas points out that just as you need heat from the bottom and the top to cook a rice cake, real change must come from the bottom and the top. And, in most parts of the world, that top is still controlled by men. But, women are definitely on their way up. Read more about the Global Fund for Women here >>
Sunitha Krishnan is an anti-trafficking activist, and delivers one of the most powerful and emotional talks of TEDIndia yet. She explains that she's not here to talk about traffic regulations, but about the worst form of human rights violations and the third largest form of organized crime -- human trafficking. She shows pictures of three young children: Pranitha, Shaheen and Anjali. All three have suffered horribly after being kidnapped or sold, undergoing rape, physical abuse and HIV infection. Krishnan's own story begann when she was raped by eight men at 15. And she was ostracized by society as a result. Now, she runs a foundation and home for these children called Prajwala. She is the voice for the victims and survivors, she says, and they need our compassion, empathy and acceptance. She asks that we accept them as human beings,not just as philanthropy or charity. Visit the Prajwala Foundation's website here >>
TEDIndia coverage:
Comprehensive TEDIndia coverage >>
Minute-to-minute updates on the TEDNews Twitter feed >>
06 November 2009
The Buzz: Anil Gupta finds innovation by the poor, for the poor
As the founder of the Honeybee Network, Anil Gupta and his team search the world for low-cost innovations created out of the necessities of poverty. Today, at TEDIndia, he energizes the audience by animatedly explaining his creative model and showing the amazing inventions they've come across. His enthusiasm was infectious and it shows in these reactions:
Very excited for Anil Gupta's talk. He's done amazing things with the Honey Bee Network (www.honeybee.org) -- vercheesey
"The minds on the margin are not marginal minds." - Anil Gupta of the Honeybee Network -- annekejong
Anil Gupta destroys Maslow's hierarchy of needs, were sufi saints of India rich? The poorest cld crave self-realization. -- seeb
Anil Gupta - more optimism - cooker for coffee - wow! Mistry take notice -- Udindex
Anil Gupta at TEDIndia: Scalability shouldn't be the enemy of sustainability -- infosys
"Give me a place to stand and I will move the world" -Innovation Advocate Anil Gupta. His work is amazing! #TEDIndia -- leighleighsf
This man deserves more than just a standing innovation - truly awesome, immensely inspiring !! Anil Gupta at TEDIndia --pkgulati
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Shukla Bose inspires with her story of education
Shukla Bose founded the Parikrama schools -- a system for poor children in India that gives individual attention and gets spectacular results. From the TEDIndia stage, her story inspired and warmed the hearts of the audience. Here's what they had to say:
Backstage: Saw Shukla Bose before #TEDIndia this a.m., and she looked calm and cool. And yet she'd rewritten her entire talk last night. Wow -- TEDIndia
Shukla Bose at TEDIndia: Objective of Parikrama: To prepare the children from the slums for global living -- infosys
Shukla Bose - a touching story about the "human condition" - this is the most optimistic story so far -- Udindex
Shukla Bose: Teachers are not just teachers. They are also parents. Kids need a nurturing relationship. -- kokoe2
Quite inspirational!! Q - One key idea to spread ? Shukla Bose A - Educate the teachers!!! -- dina
Bose gets a standing ovation! OMG so touching, so inspiring, beyond words! #TEDIndia -- TEDXShekhawati
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson
05 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 4: Reinventing Development
Photo: Sendhil Mullainathan at TEDIndia, Session 4, "Reinventing Development," November 6, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Session 4 of TEDIndia, "Reinventing Development," brought together some of the most innovative minds working in India's development sector. Here's what they told us:
Sendhil Mullainathan looks at a frustrating issue in public health in India: the "Last Mile Problem." The fight to reduce deaths from diarrhea, for example, has stalled, even after making huge improvements for many years. The problem, he suggests, doesn't have to do with flaws in our technological solutions -- but with errors in human intuition. One shocking study found that 35-50% of women incorrectly believe reducing fluids intake was key to helping their children recover from diarrhea. ("The mental model doesn't match reality.") By re-casting problems in ways the human mind can better grasp, we can encourage innovative solutions. He shares several examples, from improving energy conservation rates to proper use of insulin shots. He applies this thinking to his own thesis: "Maybe the Last Mile Problem should be called the Last Mile Opportunity?" 99% of the journey may be about science, but we ought not forget that social psychology, art and education may be key to solving the last 1%, the "last mile." Read about Sendhil Mullainathan on Edge.org >>
Shukla Bose recalls her successes in corporate life -- accomplishments that left her still wanting more. After trying to write her own obituary, and realizing she had nothing to say about herself, she left the for-profit world and instead invested herself in educating the poor. She was soon overwhelmed by the numbers: hundreds of millions of Indian children lacking education, literacy, math skills. Instead of fixating on the daunting numbers, she decided to focus on "just one child": bringing one child at a time through a complete education. Thus, Parikrma Foundation was born. After six years, over 1,000 children from slums and orphanages have joined her education system. Her system disproves the myth that learning English is beyond the reach of children from slums. Now she's extending the program to educate and improve the lives of parents as well. The program remains focused on empowering "one child at a time" -- never getting bogged down with questions of "scale," and continuing to focus on quality of education. Standing ovation. Visit about Shukla Bose's foundation, Parikrma >>
Asher Hasan shows a glimpse of ordinary Pakistani citizens through photography from around the country. His images challenge stereotypes -- and reveal the humanity behind arresting symbols such as veils, beards, fences. The imagery carries a powerful lesson: we must embrace our common humanity to fight poverty. Chris Anderson takes the stage and calls for all the Pakistani attendees to stand up: they faced many difficulties to be here, in India, today. An emotional moment for all.
Shaffi Mather pursues profitable enterprises that can benefit all of humanity. He founded a 911-like emergency medical response service called Ambulance Access for All. It's a fully sustainable business that is completely free of charge to victims, yet does not require public funds. (His system provided medical care to 125 victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last year.) Now he's branching out, creating Education Access for All and Moksha Yug Access. He talks about his new venture: a system to fight corruption and improve transparency in big business and in government. (He stresses that corruption is not a black-and-white issue: any common person can be driven, by need, to bribery.) He wants to fight corruption by creating a "pest-control-like service" that will allow citizens to press back against the factors that contribute to it. Standing ovation. Follow Shaffi Mather on Twitter >>
Mallika Dutt wants to solve what she calls "the world's biggest pandemic": violence against women. She's created a program, Breakthrough, that aims to encourage men and boys to take a stand against domestic violence -- which they can do by "ringing the doorbell" if they overhear domestic violence in progress. Read Mallika Dutt on the Huffington Post >>
Anil Gupta speaks on behalf of those in villages and slums who have solved their local problems, ingeniously, without outside help. "I realized I am an exploiter," he says: His own success is based on knowledge he learned from many people -- people who remain anonymous and unacknowledged. If India wants to be a knowledge society, it must give recognition to those whose ingenuity has taught us how to solve these specific problems. He started Honey Bee Network to help spread great, local ideas to the world, while giving those who generate them the proper compensation -- in such a way that the "flower doesn't mind that the pollen is taken." Honey Bee Network wants to create markets for artists, craftsmen, inventors -- so people can be paid for what they are good at, not what they are bad at. The poor have needs, too -- needs that must be met efficiently, and in no reduction in quality or safety. None of us should be so nationalistic to believe that all good ideas come from our own country. Standing ovation. Visit Anil Gupta's homepage >>
TEDIndia coverage:
Comprehensive TEDIndia coverage >>
Minute-to-minute updates on the TEDNews Twitter feed >>
05 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 3: Wonder. Wonders.
Photo: Pranav Mistry at TEDIndia, Session 3, "Wonder. Wonders." November 5, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
A round-up of Session 3 from TEDIndia:
Chris Anderson opens up the session reminding the audience of TED’s purpose: to re-awaken wonder. The TED experience is about channeling curiosity, which develops into wonder.
Pawan Sinha sheds light on the dual challenges confronting blind children in India. The chances of a child getting adequate medical treatment are slim-to-none. Hospitals are not equipped to care for children and there is a high risk of receiving harmful “treatment” from someone who lacks credentials. Faulty, outdated studies -- which claim that blind children's brains cannot learn visual processing after age four -- continue to shape medical opinions about child blindness. Sinha has developed Project Prakash to tackle both challenges. Through the project, Sinha has experienced successes with post-surgery children by teaching them how to distinguish objects through exposure to dynamic information. Learn more about Pawan Sinha here >>
Pranav Mistry is redefining how we use objects and gestures to interact with the digital world. He developed the Sixth Sense device to satisfy his impulse to paint the physical world with digital information. Using a camera that understands human gestures, the Sixth Sense has extraordinary capabilities. Mistry’s technology is integrating the digital and physical worlds, rather than forcing us to switch back and forth between the two. Learn more about Pranav Mistry here >>
Romulus Whitaker explains how water is integral to the habitats of two iconic reptiles -- the King Cobra and the Gharial crocodile -- as well as humans. Whitaker’s work to preserve reptilian species overlaps with humans, who are dependent on the same water sources. The Western Ghats, for example, supplies drinking water to at least 300 million people and produces countless pounds of rice for human consumption. However, water pollution threatens the livelihood of humans and reptiles alike. We must all come together, says Whitaker -- the corporates, the environmentalists, and the everyday folks -- in order to restore these threatened habitats. Learn more about Romulus Whitaker here >>
Lara Stein shares the global momentum of the TEDx program with a short video. Over 200 independently organized events have taken place in the past months and more are scheduled everyday. Events of all sizes -- from TEDxKibera (held in a small church in one of the world's largest slums) to TEDxDubai (over 1,000 people attended) -- are engaging attendees through TED-like experiences at the local level. Learn more about TEDx here >>
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev recounts his journey to arrive at the conclusion that life is not human-centric; rather, experience is created from within the individual. He contends the body is just a piece of planet borrowed, and the boundaries of sensation determine who someone is and is not. He says people should embrace the separation of body and mind, and expand their boundaries of sensation to experience everyone as himself or herself. Empathy is natural to humans, so by including the experience of as many people as possible within our boundaries, we can conquer every pressing problem on the planet. Learn more about Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev here >>
Anil Srinivasan and Sikkil Gurucharan combine classical piano and traditional Indian vocals to perform a beautiful fusion of Eastern and Western song. They play music the way they interpret it and like to perform it, and hope to create an "atmosphere of possibility" for people to come together and create new wonders through a culture of inclusion. Learn more about Anil Srinivasan and Sikkil Gurucharan here >>
More TEDIndia coverage:
Comprehensive TEDIndia coverage >>
Read minute-to-minute updates on the TEDNews Twitter feed >>
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev meditates on majestic chaos
Photo: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev at TEDIndia, Session 3, "Wonder. Wonders." November 5, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's talk on mysticism and self-discovery captivated the imagination of TEDIndia's viewers on Facebook and Twitter. Here's a snapshot of what people were saying:
Nice quote by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev at #TEDIndia - "Do not destroy "I don't know", it's the engine that powers the quest for knowledge. -- amalesh
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev: There is incredible intelligence ; competence in every inch of the human body, yet it remains untapped -- tinucherian
Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev "I always noticed that people walking out of restaurants looked happier than those leaving temples." -- StoneGreg
Jaggi Vasudev is one hell of a funny Sadhu.. :) -- sachv
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Pranav Mistry awakens the Sixth Sense
Photo: Pranav Mistry at TEDIndia, Session 3, "Wonder. Wonders." November 5, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
The genius behind the Sixth Sense technology returned to TED to present a deeper look at his astonishing invention -- and share his plans for the future. Here's what viewers had to say on Twitter and Facebook:
OMG stuff going on . Pranav mistry is awesome -- LazyMohit
Pranav Mistry gets another standing ovation. This guys a rockstar. -- gprateek
bloody brilliant !! Pranav ... amazing stuff. -- tinucherian
To all those who talk of having national pride, be proud of young men like Pranav Mistry. -- vimoh
Pranav Mistry: Imagination is the only limit in merging this technology with real life. -- Syler_mi4
6th sense + Open source !! FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pranav mistry :o -- anveshg
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson
05 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 2: Not Business as Usual
Dr. R.A Mashelkar at TEDIndia, Session 2, "Not Business as Usual," November 5, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
A round-up from the second session of the first-ever TEDIndia:
Lakshmi Pratury begins Session 2 by asking, "Why was TED destined to come to India?" She says it's because 18 is a special number in so many areas of Indian culture, and also the length of a TED Talk. Lakshmi also explains that business is not just a means to make a living, and that this is what the session is all about.
Srivatsa Krishna has spent a lot of time looking at infrastructure. Every day, he says, you and I fight an invisible war to bring ourselves to a reasonable standard of living. India is beginning to make some headway in that war. Home to many thriving technology businesses, Hyderabad keeps growing, Infosys is highly successful and the fastest broadband cable in the world connects Singapore to India and is owned by an Indian company. Huge leaps are also happening in other parts of the world, like Dubai's huge urban plans, the skywalk above the Grand Canyon, and we may even be able to vacations in outer space soon. You and I comprise the system that we complain about. We can sit by the wayside or make that small change wherever we are working and be a part of a bigger change in the world. Read more about Srivatsa Krishna here >>
Dr. R.A. Mashelkar studied under streetlamps as a child, as his family could not afford electricity. He says that business as usual is about value for money, but we need value for many as well. He delves into the business plan of the Tata Nano and says that innvation, compassion and passion are the key ingredients in Tata. This is a prime example of his motto of "Getting more from less for more," meaning that it makes a difference not just for a few, but for everyone at a low cost. Mashelkar shows demos of innovations that are changing people's lives, like new low-cost prosthetics and psoriasis treatments. Mahatma Ghandi said that the earth has enough for every man's need, but not every man's greed. Read more about R.A. Mashelkar's work here >>
Anneke Jong is a 25 year old who has been involved with a non-profit on the side of her full-time job. She explains that she's part of Generation Y and that companies want their support. Having a comprehensive online presence is a great thing, but we want transparency and problem-solving, Jong says. We want to know exactly where our money is going and we want to solve core problems. Do those two things and we will accept your friend request.
Tony Hsieh is the CEO of Zappos, and although we know them as an online retailer of shoes and clothing, he really aims to create happiness in customers and happiness in employees. He's talking about happiness as a business model. He underscores passion, quoting Puff Daddy: "Don't chase the paper, chase the dream." He highlights the importance of company culture. And as everyone's ultimate goal is happiness for he spends a little time talking about the science of happiness and different types of happiness. Great businesses combine pleasure, passion and purpose, Hsieh concludes. Visit Zappos here >>
Tom Rielly takes the stage to discuss the TEDFellows Program. TED was mostly North American, wealthy over 40, Reilly explains, and the TED Fellows are the opposite. At TEDIndia, there are 100 Fellows from all around the world. He shows a selection of Fellows form all different fields and has them stand to be acknowledged. Learn more about the TED Fellows here >>
Scott Cook invented a new business for developing world. Farming is the biggest profession in India, and he discovered that farmers did not know how the prices they received for their crops were set. They would bring goods to the market where buyers and agents are, but the farmers lack all price data. They didn't know where best prices would be offered and didn't have a basis to negotiate from. Cook's employees document the prices as they are determined them and text them as report that farmers can receive on their cell phones. This brings farmers together as a force and changes the game. Read more about Intuit here >>
Mohnish Pabrai was the highest bidder competing to have lunch with Warren Buffett. In life, he says, we come naked, we leave naked and we have to figure out what to do in the middle. From Buffett, he learned about how to give his money away gradually, so that he really does live this world with every dollar going to a good place.
Harsha Bhogle says he has the Iatest on the world's longest running soap opera -- cricket. He covers the evolution of the game from timeless test matches to Twenty20 or 20 over cricket. In the past, he says, cricket in India was organized, but now it is promoted. Everyone was aghast when the cheerleaders arrived. The new owners of Indian cricket were people who ran serious companies and loved cricket. It changed the way Indians looked at cricket. They could fly in people from other countries. People in the movies started owning clubs. Song and dance started to appear in Indian cricket matches. Our population, which had always been a problem, suddenly became a big asset. All of a sudden, India was a land of opportunity. Read Harsha Bhogle's columns here >>
Read more TEDIndia coverage >>
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Scott Cook on mobilizing farmers
Scott Cook, founder of Intuit, explained how software that informs farmers of market prices is helping to improve the income for India’s largest profession. Viewers on Twitter and Facebook said:
"Farmers alone seem forgotten. But farmers aggregated are a force." Intuit's Scott Cook on #TEDIndia -- brainpicker
Farmers report 20% higher net income using Cook's software. -- TEDxShekhawati
Scott Cook doing some amazing innovation with regular Indian scenarios -- seeb
Excellent talk by Scott Cook from Intuit. How wonderful to find a CEO that's so humble. -- sifar
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Tony Hsieh on happiness as a business model
Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh took to the stage in Session 2 to speak about cultivating a corporate culture based upon inspiration (rather than motivation) and which matches personal values. Pursuing happiness is not just a life goal; it's a corporate mission. Check out what viewers had to say in Twitter and Facebook:
I like the way Tony Hseih talks about Commitable Core Values -- mumblr
Tony Hsieh: follow vision, not money (the latter will come if you are truly committed to your vision) -- nauiokaspark
"The only way employees can see work as calling is if they're growing personally & professionally the entire time." -- brainpicker
Tony Hsieh gave a clear and focused talk on delivering happiness in business and life. -- rajiv27th
Tony Hsieh: Do what you'd be happy to do for 10 years even if you didn't make a dime -- followsamir
Mail CEO@zappos.com to get copy of presentation & send mailing address for a personal copy of a book -- dhempe
05 November 2009
TEDIndia Session 1: Fast Forward
Photo: Lakshmi Pratury and Chris Anderson at TEDIndia, Session 1, "Fast Forward," November 5, 2009, in Mysore, India. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
A round-up from the thunderous first session of TEDIndia:
Usha Uthup's mesmerizing voice rings in the first day of TEDIndia magic --
Lakshmi Pratury, curator of TEDIndia, kicks off the first session with a poem by Rabindranath Tagore:
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Hans Rosling recalls being a schoolchild, in Sweden, in awe of how his Indian peers excelled beyond him. This humbling experience changed his life -- and revealed to him that India would advance in the world at a breakneck pace. He predicts Asia will (once again) become the dominant part of the world in the next century. He shows statistics animation that compares the income growth of the U.S., U.K. and Japan with China and India: the latter two are quickly catching up. But internal social inequalities are the major barriers to that happening. He concludes, to applause, that July 27th, 2047 is the exact date India will catch up with the U.S. Standing ovation. Read more about Hans Rosling >>
Devdutt Pattanaik shares the "business of mythology": what our mythologies reveal about our practices. They shape our thinking -- and the course of history. (Myth begets corporate rituals, too.) The myth of the deity Ganesha racing around the world against his brother, Karttikeya, where one circles "the world" and the other "my world," helps us understand differences in viewpoints -- and clashes of civilizations. The Western myth of Theseus tells us to be heroic and spectacular, to conquer the world. Krishna, a myth from India, teaches that "nothing lasts forever -- not even death." Understanding these constructs of "one" versus the "infinite" helps us prosper, globally. Visit Devdutt Pattanaik's website >>
Marc Christensen says, "Go fail with a child." As kids, we are taught only how to succeed -- but we need to be taught how to fail, too. If we experience failure, and see others fail, we learn the courage to overcome the fear of it -- and realize that failures are only stepping stones toward success.
Mallika Sarabhai's wild characterizations show how theater and performance art can bridge cultural gaps, making the whole world aware of injustices such as poverty and violence, and create global social change. Visit Mallika Sarabhai's website >>
Usha Uthup returns to the stage to bring the house down at the end of Session 1 with a rousing medley of popular songs, in several languages, from all around the world. Standing ovation. Encore. Visit Usha Uthup's website >>
More TEDIndia coverage:
Comprehensive TEDIndia coverage >>
Read minute-to-minute updates on the TEDNews Twitter feed >>
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Devdutt Pattanaik on how myths shape cultures
Mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik explained how our subjective truths shape our worldviews. The differences between Eastern and Western mythologies -- whether they portray life as linear or cyclical -- resonate in the beliefs and behaviors of today’s business world. Check out the reactions on Facebook and Twitter:
Brilliant point on "the world v/s my world" by Devdutt Pattanaik -- samraatkakkar
Devdutt Pattanaik at #TEDIndia: The way nations do business are defined by their #mythology - linear vs. cyclical -- infosys
Devdutt Pattanaik at #tedindia ... how belief systems (eg. reincarnation) have influenced our daily lives and the business environment. -- shantanughosh
Devdutt Pattanaik made me feel so proud of Indian philosophy...especially the logic of "zero". -- mumbir
Devdutt Pattanaik: There is divinity in all of us. Despite our varying world views we'll come together one day. -- gsbStanfordCSI
05 November 2009
The Buzz: Hans Rosling on the rise of Asia
Hans Rosling kicked off the first session of TEDIndia speaking about Asia's past and future life expectancy and per capita income. Using his trademark GapMinder bubble graph, he projects India and China will catch up to the US in 2048 … on July 27th, to be exact. The Twitter and Facebook audiences were impressed:
Hans Rosling at TEDIndia. Very interesting chart shows how income and life health in India, China, USA changed over decades. -- shantanughosh
Hans Rosling is the bestest. Sexy, sexy stats. -- digitalkulcha
Even after watching 4 talks by Hans Rosling earlier, still love his GapMinder charts and lively, witty speaking style :) -- rbx
Hans Rosling at #TEDIndia: Inequalities in India and China present the biggest challenge to growth. Social investments are needed. -- infosys
Hans Rosling at #tedindia : Income/person and life expectancy in India will catch up with that of the USA in 2048. -- shantanughosh
Hans Rosling gets a standing ovation! -- TEDxShekhawati
04 November 2009
3 hours to TED and the free live feed from Day 1
The TEDIndia webstream goes live in 3 hours! Get the stream here, on the Times of India site: ted.indiatimes.com
See the speaker list for Day 1 >>
And the phone-friendly schedule >>
Follow news from TEDIndia on Twitter:
@TEDNews for conference procedings
@TEDIndia for reports from onsite and our team around the world
Above: VS Ramachandran speaks at yesterday's session of TED U. See more pics of TED U. Photo: TED/ James Duncan Davidson
04 November 2009
TEDIndia: The audience gathers
The TEDIndia attendees are starting to gather at the Infosys campus in Mysore. Above, TEDIndia co-host Lakshmi Pratury, in yellow, in conversation at the first big community dinner last night.
02 November 2009
Watch Day 1 of TEDIndia live, for free
We're thrilled to announce that Day 1 of TEDIndia -- plus the closing session on Day 3 -- will be webcast live, to the world, for free. The webcast is hosted by the Times of India, TEDIndia's online media partner.
On Thursday and Saturday, watch the TEDIndia webcast at ted.indiatimes.com. Visit the link now to sign up for an email reminder when the show goes live.
Read about TEDIndia speakers >>
Webcast schedule (all times are India Standard Time, GMT+5:30):
Thursday, November 5
Session 1: Fast Forward
11am-12:45pm
Session 2: Not Business as Usual
2:15pm-4pm
Session 3: Wonder. Wonders.
4:45pm-6:30pm
Saturday, November 7
Session 9: Within You, Without You
11am-12:45pm
Want to watch the stream on your television screen? Download instructions for connecting your television to a Mac or a PC.
Follow @TEDNews on Twitter for real-time coverage. Use the hashtag #TEDIndia if you're tweeting the livecast!
We'll publish session recaps here on the TED Blog throughout the conference, so check back regularly.
You can see photos from the event once it starts >>
Become a fan and join the conversation on TED's Facebook fan page.
02 November 2009
More photos from TEDIndia setup
Above is the first grand meeting of the AV crews from India, UK and the US who'll be working on TEDIndia. Camera operators, video experts, cabling, wiring and lighting techs, even the slide guy. Lakshmi tells them: We may not all come from the same place, we may not be able to understand each other all the time, but we will work together to tell India's story to the world.
See more photos from TEDIndia setup in our Flickr set >>
31 October 2009
Onsite at TEDIndia: Q&A with TEDIndia volunteer Ishan Bhalla
Ishan Bhalla is a volunteer at TEDIndia. TEDIndia volunteers -- there are about 30 of them -- will be onsite throughout the conference helping with registration, special requests and generally making things run smoothly. We spoke to Bhalla after orientation on Saturday.
How did you find out about volunteering at TEDIndia?
I'd been following the TED.com website for a while, and when I saw on the website that there's a TEDIndia coming, I knew immediately that I wanted in. I sent email to the manager here, telling him that I would be a volunteer, waiter, sweeper, anything.
What will you be doing onsite?
We haven't had our assignments yet, but one job I'd like is, if one of the guests want something, arrange it for them. Let's say they want something delivered to their room. Or requests for information. Just to be helpful.
Watching the volunteers this morning, I was struck by your teamwork. You're systems thinkers. You talked together about the best way to do a particular job, then sat down and did it. So I have to ask: Is everybody on this team an engineer?
I think yes. It's a good guess to say 90 to 95 percent are engineers.
Are you? Do you work for Infosys?
I do. I'm an engineering analyst. I work in the department of Infosys that does solutions for engineering; for example, in the auto or aero sector. Our work is basically building applications that would improve the productivity of someone doing, say, an aircraft design, by taking a portion of the design cycle and automating that process. Because some of the processes are very repetitive. What we do is take some of the rules that are in the designer's head and write them down and build our applications to automate CAD processes, for instance.
What's your favorite TEDTalk?
My favorite TEDTalk is Ken Robinson. Apart from the content, which is absolutely great, his presentation, the way that he puts in those little funny things in between, I thought it was brilliant. It's a great talk. I've seen it like 6, 7 times.
The other one that I watch often is Yves Béhar, from fuseproject, because I'm very interested in design; that is what I want to take up as my future career. That talk really inspired me specifically, because I saw it at a point where I was trying to figure out my life, what am I going to do in my career going forward. Also the founder of IDEO, David Kelley, his talk on human-centered design. This talk is what pointed me to human-centered design.
Tim Brown's recent talk was interesting too, because he talks about using design to solve bigger problems, and that is something very close to my heart. I would like to explore the use of design to solve problems which are socially relevant. I'm not talking about social work specifically but problems that people have, real-life problems, especially in economically backward areas. Because that's a huge population in India.
I believe that a lot of design is targeted at a western audience. And those products come in to India, but they're not necessarily designed for India. And I believe there's a huge potential for that; I also think there's a huge need for that. As an example, a simple interaction thing: the radio button. You know where the radio button comes from -- it's a metaphor, right? It comes from car radios, where the button can be pressed only one at a time. But people over here are not familiar with that kind of a control. We don't have those kinds of radios in our cars. If I go and ask somebody what a radio button is, they'll say it's an interaction mechanism, but they don't relate to the source of that metaphor. This is just a very simple example, but let's say if we are targeting populations in a low-literacy area, who have not had the exposure to things that we have, like technology, we might need to find metaphors from their world to explain new concepts to them. That's very exciting.
Follow Ishan Bhalla at @lukwhostalking
31 October 2009
Scenes from TEDIndia setup
Onsite at the Infosys campus in Mysore: The TEDIndia war room is live, and staff from around the world are here pulling together details before Tuesday's events begin. TEDIndia co-hosts Chris Anderson and Lakshmi Pratury are in conference in one corner; employee volunteers from Infosys are sitting at a long table in another corner building badges; TED.com's media production team is wiring up a mobile production unit for capturing talks as they happen.
Outside, maybe the most spectacular feature is the Simulcast lounge, which crews are building from scratch atop a basketball court. Pictures from the site last week showed a thin metal skeleton; today, it's built and almost ready for the carpeting to go in. The photo above comes from the facade of this brand-new building. More onsite pics and reports coming soon.
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