Alok Shetty is redefining architecture, using design as a powerful tool for social change. As the visionary founder of Bhumiputra Architecture, he champions value-driven projects that transform communities and challenge conventional thinking.
One of his most impactful initiatives—designing affordable, flood-resistant housing for slum dwellers in Bengaluru—garnered global acclaim. Time magazine hailed him as a “Next Generation Leader”, recognizing his ability to craft intelligent, sustainable solutions for some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
A prodigy in the field, Shetty earned his Master’s in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University, New York, where he became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Lucille Smyser Lowenfish Memorial Award for Design Excellence.
His groundbreaking work has placed him among the most influential architects of his generation. National Geographic spotlighted him as one of India’s Future Leaders, while Forbes honoured him in their coveted “30 Under 30” list of trailblazing achievers.
Beyond contemporary urban projects, Shetty is also leaving his mark on history. He plays a pivotal role in the master planning and conservation of UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the majestic Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha, and the revered Shree Jagannatha Temple Heritage Corridor in Puri, Odisha.
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Anu Vaidyanathan is the only Asian to have competed in and finished 6th at Ultraman – a three day stage-race comprising a 10K swim, 420K bike ride and an 84.4K run. She also received her Ph.D., is a visiting professor of intellectual property, and has her own intellectual property managment company.
WEBSITE: anuvaidyanathan.com , patnmarks.com
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Bilal Ghalib is an Iraqi American promoting the maker spaces (a “Do-It-Yourself”/ open-source platform) around the world. His makerspaces fostered ideas such as landmine detection systems and a heart monitor that works without the use of electricity, a limited resource in developing nations.
WEBSITE: bilalghalib.com
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Dale J. Stephens left school at twelve to become an unschooler, the self-directed branch of homeschoolers. Instead of going to middle and high school he organized collaborative learning groups, found mentors, and volunteered in his community. Dale leads UnCollege, the social movement empowering students to create their own education.
WEBSITE: uncollege.org
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He identifies rare artists and engages them in collaboration with contemporary artists, which creates an accessible art form for everyone around the world. He has put together a platform for folk music called ‘La Pongal’ for Tamil folk musician to take their music outside of the interiors of Tamil Nadu.
WEBSITE: lapongal.com
Vivek Nair is a visionary inventor, entrepreneur, and investor known for his groundbreaking contributions to nanotechnology and energy storage solutions. With a stellar reputation in the field, he has carved a niche for himself through pioneering advancements in advanced lithium-based battery technology and cutting-edge material sciences.
At just 23, Nair co-founded Damascus Fortune, a revolutionary company that developed an eco-friendly, cost-effective method to convert industrial carbon emissions into valuable carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Building on this success, he launched multiple ventures pushing the frontiers of nanotechnology.
His company, Salus Nanotechnologies, specializes in advanced coatings with transformative applications, while Elektron Lab focuses on preventing electric vehicle fires by leveraging AI-driven electrochemical analysis to predict cell failures in real-time. In recognition of his contributions, Nair was featured in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, highlighting his impact on technology and entrepreneurship.
He has also received accolades such as the National Research Development Corporation’s award for meritorious invention from the Government of India. Beyond entrepreneurship, Nair has played key roles in the tech sector, including leading strategy and research functions at Hyundai Cradle.
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Hind Hobeika is a self-tracking engineer who believes biological parameters are the most fascinating input for technological systems. She is the founder of Instabeat, an award winning startup that creates high-tech tools that track and improve athletes’ performance and well-being. Hind is also the founder of the Quantified Self, Beirut chapter.
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Isabel Pedraza is a seasoned educator, researcher, and innovator at the intersection of physics, data science, and technology. With a strong background in Computational Physics and a passion for advancing scientific discovery, she has made significant contributions to higher education and research.
She has worked on cutting edge science such as the search for the ‘God particle’ at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Her research primarily focuses on the search for charged Higgs bosons, dark matter, and the development of muon detection technologies within the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). She has co-authored over 650 publications in indexed journals, accumulating more than 40,000 citations. Combining her scientific acumen with business strategy, she holds an Executive MBA in Business Administration and Management, bridging the gap between research and real-world impact.
Kalki Koechlin is an Indian film actress of French origin. She has starred in critically acclaimed films such as That Girl in Yellow Boots and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Kalki also stars in award-winning plays which she writes and directs.
Noorie Sadarangani is an urban designer and the founder of Obataimu, a Mumbai-based fashion label and design studio. Sadarangani created Obataimu with a vision to blend comfort with versatility. Her designs combine homewear fabrics with multifunctional styles, making them suitable for both private and public settings.
Through Obataimu, Sadarangani challenges conventional fashion norms by merging traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, embracing a slower, more intentional approach to fashion. Her commitment to sustainability is reflected in Obataimu’s made-to-order model, which minimizes waste and emphasizes thoughtful production.
She has also been acknowledged for her inventive work in creating narrative products and experiences using disappearing, antiquated manual industrial processes found in Mumbai’s informal sectors. To preserve these fading skills, she established artisan schools to train and formalize floating talent. This initiative enabled the transformation of everyday items — typically mass-produced in factories — into handcrafted pieces without significantly increasing costs.
In her efforts to promote sustainable practices, Sadarangani also set up a dedicated dyeing atelier in Gujarat. Her work has been widely recognized, including features in publications like Vogue India.
Peter Frykman is an internationally recognized entrepreneur and founder of Driptech, a social enterprise dedicated to make small-plot farming more profitable through innovative irrigation solutions. Under Frykman’s leadership, Driptech gained international acclaim for its innovative approach to irrigation. The company’s technology has been recognized for its potential to significantly improve crop yields and livelihoods for small-scale farmers. In 2012, Frykman was honored as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, highlighting his contributions to sustainable agriculture. Driptech was acquired by Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd., a global leader in micro irrigation, in 2015.
Frykman has been active in mentoring emerging entrepreneurs, particularly in regions like Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he has shared his expertise to foster local innovation and enterprise development.
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Priyanka is a Ph.D. in environmental nano-biotechnology with a great aptitude towards biotransformation and biomonitoring of environmental pollutants . Her research focuses on the development of low cost immunosensors for pesticides detection. She has published many research papers in prestigious international journals cheering high impact factors. Recently, she has been selected as a sole women MIT TR35 young innovator award. She was also among the top innovators under the DST – Lockheed Martin India Innovation Programme 2012. Her innovation has been covered worldwide in many prestigious magazines and newspapers (CSIR News, Technology review, India today, Tehelka, Elektor, Femina, Chemical industry Digest, Good News Tab, BBC etc.). She has also been invited by Northwestern University, IL (USA) as a visiting research fellow .
Saba Ghole is an architectural designer turned education and technology entrepreneur. She is the Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of NuVu Studio, an innovation school for middle and high school students. NuVu emphasizes creativity and experimentation, allowing students to collaborate with experts in unique fields. Her multidisciplinary explorations in painting, photography, graphic design, film, architecture and urban planning have formed her holistic understanding of design and creative education. Saba is also an Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.
Prior to founding NuVu, Saba worked on educational projects globally, including planning the Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, the world’s largest center of higher learning for women.
Saba is passionate about creating interactive art that raises social awareness and strengthens community. She has also designed interactive art installations such as “Pulse and Bloom” and “Grove,” featured at international festivals like Burning Man and the Southbank Centre in London .A sought-after global speaker, she has taken the stage at TEDx and the MIT Global Startup Workshop. Her work has been published in outlets like The Economist and The Los Angeles Times. In 2023, Saba was honoured by The Design Museum as a designer who “uses the transformative power of design for social good,” highlighting her commitment to integrating design thinking into educational practices.
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Sai Gaddam is a computational neuroscientist and an author. He co-founded Comini Learning, a microschool aimed at providing an alternative, progressive education to children. The institution offers a progressive Finnish early education program tailored to the Indian context. Through his education ventures he blends neuroscience, technology, and education to transform early learning. He earned his Ph.D. in computational neuroscience from Boston University and has co-authored notable books like “A Billion Wicked Thoughts” and “Journey of the Mind”.
In the past, Gaddam also invented Makkhichoose, a price comparison browser extension designed for online shoppers in India. His latest venture, Giffie, an AI-powered educational tool, bridges his passion for neuroscience and learning technologies to shape the future of education.
Sandesh Reddy is a celebrated chef and restaurateur from Chennai, renowned for redefining the city’s culinary landscape with his innovative and nostalgic approach to dining. His expertise lies in seamlessly blending traditional flavours with contemporary techniques.
While studying engineering, he taught himself how to cook. At 21, Sandesh started his first food venture and has since created and operated over 30 different brands. As the visionary behind Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory, Old Madras Baking Company (OMBC), and several other groundbreaking dining establishments, Reddy has consistently demonstrated his culinary prowess and entrepreneurial acumen. Sandy’s is a haven for dessert enthusiasts, offering a unique selection of inventive sweets and savory dishes, while OMBC has carved a niche in the artisanal baking space, specializing in preservative-free, naturally made baked goods that have cultivated a loyal customer base.
Reddy also introduced GoGo Ramen, India’s first standalone ramen restaurant, bringing the authentic essence of Japanese ramen culture to the country.
Through his restaurants and dessert ventures, Reddy has gained immense popularity, captivating food lovers with his fuss-free, yet irresistibly crave-worthy creations. His culinary journey is defined by a deep understanding of diverse gastronomic traditions, from the bold and spicy flavors of his ancestral hometown, Nellore, to global cuisines that he masterfully reinterprets.
Shankar Tucker is an American clarinetist, composer, and music producer renowned for his ability to seamlessly blend Indian classical music with contemporary Western influences. A graduate of the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music, Tucker has carved a niche for himself in the global music scene through his innovative compositions and collaborations.
His breakthrough came with “The ShrutiBox,” an online music series where he reimagined Indian classical and contemporary songs with a fusion of Carnatic, Hindustani, jazz, electronic, and orchestral elements. This project brought him widespread recognition, attracting millions of listeners worldwide and leading to collaborations with talented Indian and fusion artists.
He has performed alongside legendary artists such as Zakir Hussain, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Raghu Dixit. His versatility as a musician has also seen him contribute to Bollywood, including a collaboration with Amit Trivedi for Coke Studio India.
Continuing to push musical boundaries, Tucker’s most recent project is a collaboration with Vidya Vox for her 2024 album, “Sundari”. This latest work showcases his signature fusion style.
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Shayamal Vallabhjee is a highly respected sports scientist, psychologist, and performance coach with over two decades of experience working with elite athletes across multiple disciplines. His expertise has shaped the careers of top-tier tennis players on the ATP Tour, Indian Premier League (IPL) cricketers, and international golfers.
Vallabhjee made a groundbreaking contribution to Indian football by joining the Indian Men’s National Football Team as a sports psychologist. His role emphasized mental resilience, team culture development, and effective communication. In 2020, he collaborated with Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman and acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur on an initiative focused on mental health challenges and holistic well-being. He is the author of Breathe Believe Balance, a book that integrates sports science, psychology, and spirituality to help individuals cultivate self-awareness. He has published four books, delivered 1000+ speeches, and appeared in various platforms, including National Geographic, Forbes, TEDx, and ESPN.
Currently, he serves as the Chief Sport & Performance Advisor at the Muthoot Pappachan Group, spearheading initiatives to promote sports development at both grassroots and elite levels across the state.
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Shubhendu Sharma is an eco-entrepreneur, celebrated for revolutionizing afforestation with his innovative, fast-track approach to growing forests.
He is the founder of Afforestt, a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to restoring native forests using the Miyawaki method. This technique accelerates tree growth up to 10 times faster than conventional reforestation methods, creating dense, self-sustaining ecosystems in just a few years. Under Sharma’s leadership, Afforestt has planted over 450,000 trees, establishing more than 150 forests in 50 cities across the globe. These thriving green spaces not only combat deforestation but also tackle urban environmental challenges—purifying air, cooling cityscapes, and reviving biodiversity.
Sharma’s work has gained international recognition, with collaborations spanning commercial giants, urban planners, and government bodies. His groundbreaking efforts have earned him prestigious fellowships and awards from Skoll, TED, and Ashoka, and his story has been covered by both national and global media.
In 2022, he launched Afforestt Institute, an initiative dedicated to educating and training the next generation of forest-makers across the world. By making Afforestt’s methodologies openly accessible, Sharma has empowered individuals, communities, and organizations to reclaim lost green spaces—one tiny forest at a time.
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Sourabh Kaushal is an Electronics and Communications Engineer and STEM Innovator. Kaushal’s fascinating work includes proposing novel techniques to mitigate space debris, a growing concern for satellites and space missions. His contributions to this critical area are paving the way for safer and sustainable space exploration for future generations. His contributions have earned him accolades such as the Dr. Kalpana Chawla Young Scientist Award and the Youth Revolutionary Award.
Kaushal co-founded Smartcircuits Innovation Pvt. Ltd., an organisation dedicated to revolutionizing technology integration in education and innovation. He also founded Seltos Innovation Foundation to promote experiential learning through innovative DIY hands-on projects.
Beyond his entrepreneurial journey, Kaushal has made significant academic contributions. He has authored several research papers, which have been selected for presentation at over 25 national and international conferences
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Tanmoy Ghosh is wildlife conservationist and photographer, renowned for his innovative and sustainable approaches to preserving biodiversity. His work encompasses leading survey expeditions, promoting ecotourism, and capturing compelling wildlife photography to raise awareness about conservation issues. One of Ghosh’s significant contributions includes the rediscovery of a new population of gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) in the Hooghly River, West Bengal. This finding is particularly noteworthy as gharials are among the most endangered crocodilian species globally.
In 2012, Ghosh collaborated with the U.S. National Park Service at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, where he participated in monitoring the critically endangered Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). He has served as a guest faculty member at various colleges and institutions, training students in wildlife conservation. He has been instrumental in converting former poachers into protectors of wildlife, demonstrating his commitment to sustainable and community-driven conservation solutions. Ghosh has also been actively involved in conservation efforts for the fishing cat, the state animal of West Bengal. He runs Belun Eco Village and Biodiversity Research Centre to promote sustainable tourism and environmental awareness.
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Varun Agarwal is an Indian entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker known for his various innovative ventures.
At the age of 22, he founded Alma Mater, one of India’s first E-Commerce companies, specializing in custom apparel and memorabilia for educational institutions across India. The company scaled from a startup to a million-dollar enterprise within three years. Alma Mater is India’s largest company for customised merchandise for schools and colleges. He also founded Mento, an online alternative education platform where he has engaged India’s best industry experts as faculty.
A dynamic speaker, Varun has delivered over 500 keynote talks across eight countries, addressing leading corporations and premier educational institutions. His national bestseller, “How I Braved Anu Aunty and Co-Founded a Million Dollar Company,” chronicles his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the obstacles he overcame. The book’s widespread success led to a Bollywood adaptation, set to be directed by Nitesh Tiwari (director of Dangal) and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur.
Varun is also a film-maker and runs a Youtube Channel called The Enthu Cutlets which has close to 25 Million views on Youtube and Fb combined.
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Vicky Roy is an internationally acclaimed photographer whose journey from a street child to a celebrated artist embodies resilience and determination. At the age of 11, Vicky Roy ran away from home as child and became a ragpicker. He found refuge at a NGO for street children where he met a photographer that changed his life. In 2007, he held his first solo exhibition, “Street Dreams at the India Habitat Centre. Vicky pursed his passion for photography and was selected to photo document the reconstruction of the World Trade Center in NYC. His photography has been showcased internationally, including participation in the Houston FotoFest Biennial and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2018.
Roy’s work often reflects his own experiences, focusing on marginalized communities and street life. His notable projects include “Home Street Home” (2013) and “This Scarred Land: New Mountainscapes” (2017).
Roy was named in the Forbes Asia “30 Under 30” list in 2016 and served as a MIT Media Lab Fellow. He also co-founded Rang, a Delhi based community of artists working towards creating an open and a democratic space for them.
For four years, Roy worked on“Everyone is Good at Something”, capturing the lives of individuals with disabilities across India. The culmination of this endeavour is a book featuring 100 stories from across India, aiming to challenge the stigma surrounding disabilities and promote inclusivity. This exclusive project was featured by The Guardian in march 2025.
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