The INK Conference, held in partnership with TED, begins today in the hillside town of Lavasa, India. Speakers and attendees began arriving last night, and shared an incredible dinner under the stars with the inaugural class of INK Fellows. Among these 20 astonishing thinkers and doers are Mushtaq Ahmed, a self-trained inventor whose pole-climbing devices curb the dangers of an everyday task; Shivam Sai Gupta, a 14-year-old game developer; Ugesh Sarcar, a contemporary and revered Indian street magician; and Shilo Shiv Suleman, an illustrator who is breathing new life into her magical worlds with augmented reality.

A few behind-the-scenes shots of the day’s set-up in the breathtaking conference center at Lavasa:

Preparations begin for the INK Fellows inaugural dinner

Stunning wicker light installations at the Lavasa Conference Center

Kiruba Shankar of TEDxChennai poses with blogger Ommsharravana Sendamaraai and INK Fellow Anand Giridharadas

The incredible view from the Lavasa Conference Center

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