Theme: Social Justice, Economic Disparities, Global Health Inequalities, Empowerment through Education

TEDx DSU is a full-day event, curated by a passionate team at DSU, and will take place at our Main Campus in Harohalli. Our Pro-Chancellor, Dr. D Premachandra Sagar, has a deep commitment to advancing DSU to new heights of excellence and innovation in education.

Our goal is to bring together brilliant minds from various fields to share ideas that inspire, provoke thought, and challenge conventional thinking. The event will feature talks on diverse topics, sparking conversations that encourage wonder, curiosity, and change by Consulates from various countries and prominent personalities from various fields.

TEDxDSU
Dayananda Sagar University, Main Campus, Harohalli, Kanakapura Road, Dt, Ramanagara, Karnataka 562112
Ground Floor
Kanakapura, Karnataka, 562112
India

Deepak Himmat

Executive Vice President – Star Health | Angel Investor

Deepak is a seasoned business leader with extensive experience across industry giants and high-growth startups. He specializes in P&L management, product development, market expansion, and scaling businesses. Currently, he leads the D2C and Partnership portfolio at Star Health, India’s largest health insurance company, driving 100% YoY growth while enhancing profitability. He successfully launched the flagship product "Super Star" in under two months, leveraging technology to boost customer retention & reduce acquisition costs. As an active angel investor, he has backed 100+ startups across mobility, fintech, edtech, agritech, SaaS, and D2C through platforms like Venture Catalysts and 100 Unicorns, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Previously, he held leadership roles at BYJU'S, upGrad, & Admission Box, driving business growth and global expansions. His expertise in strategic growth and business transformation continues to make a significant impact across industries.

Dr. Karuna Shankar Pande

Vice President Operations, Amazon India

Dr. Karuna Shankar Pande is a seasoned leader with over 35 years of expertise in supply chain management, operational excellence, and leadership. He currently serves as the Vice President of Operations – International at Amazon India, where he leads operations across 1,800+ delivery stations in 350+ towns. His career spans major companies like ITC, PepsiCo, JK Tyre, SABMiller, and AB InBev. Holding a Mechanical Engineering degree, an MBA in Operations, and a PhD in Supply Chain, Dr. Pande combines academic depth with hands-on experience. He is passionate about leadership, people development, and unlocking human potential. As a certified Executive Coach and author of three books, including *Latent Output* and *Management Karma*, Dr. Pande emphasizes the importance of mindset in overcoming challenges and achieving success. His leadership approach focuses on resilience, empowerment, and turning obstacles into opportunities for growth.

Dr. Krishna Ella

Chairperson of Bharat Biotech International

Dr. Krishna Ella is an Indian scientist and entrepreneur. He is the joint founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech. Bharat Biotech was responsible for developing India's COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin; world's 1st clinically proven conjugated Typhoid Vaccine, TypbarTCV; and ROTAVAC.

Jairaj K

Retired Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka

Mr. K. Jairaj, IAS, retired as Additional Chief Secretary, GOK. With extensive experience in infrastructure, energy, transport, finance, and urban development, he has held key positions including Principal Secretary & ACS, Energy Department, Chairman of BESCOM and four other DISCOMs, & Managing Director of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. As the first Managing Director of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), he led the development of India’s first Greenfield Airport under a Public-Private Partnership. He also served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Commissioner of Bangalore City Corporation (BBMP). His key contributions include launching SAKALA for time-bound service delivery, introducing property tax Self-Assessment Scheme, establishing branded luxury bus services (Airavata), & driving major power project completions & served as a Senior Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank, Washington DC.

Kisha Gupta

Senior Director and Global Head of Academic Relations at Infosys

Kisha Gupta is the Senior Director & Global Head of Academic Relations at Infosys, leading InStep to become the world's No. 1 internship program by Vault Firsthand for five consecutive years. She is the 7th Chairperson of AIESEC India, only the second woman to hold this role, joining a distinguished list of past leaders like Ratan Tata. A recipient of the IAMWOMAN Award (2019) for Women Empowerment and the Economic Times Young Leader Award (2016), Kisha has visited 80+ countries and collaborated with people from 106+ nationalities. With 95K+ social media followers, she shares insights on work and life. Passionate about conservation, she supports reforestation, anti-poaching, and wildlife rehabilitation. She is also a proud cat parent to Ginger & Pepper.

Orli Weitzman

Consul General of Israel to South India, posted in Bengaluru

Orli Weitzman brings extensive diplomatic experience and a strong dedication to strengthening the ties between Israel and South India. Over the course of her distinguished career with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has served in a range of key positions, gaining valuable expertise in international relations, trade, and cultural exchange. Her diplomatic journey has also included postings in West Africa, Latin America, and Europe, providing her with a well-rounded global perspective. Prior to her current role as Consul General, Orli served as the Political Advisor to the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, further enhancing her deep understanding of foreign policy and international diplomacy. As Consul General, Orli is focused on advancing cooperation in areas such as innovation, technology, agriculture, and education, continuing to build on the strong foundation of friendship and collaboration between Israel and India.