What if one small step could transform your entire future? In this candid talk, fashion and beauty creator Alfiya Karim Khan shares her journey from secretly publishing her first blog post in 11th grade to becoming one of India’s leading digital creators. Battling cultural expectations, family resistance, and limited resources, she turned her passion for modest fashion into a movement that resonated with millions.From stacking spice boxes as makeshift tripods to walking at Paris Fashion Week and being featured in Forbes Top 100 Digital Stars, Alfiya’s story is proof that courage and consistency can create ripples far beyond imagination. Her journey reminds us that bold choices, no matter how small, have the power to rewrite our lives. Alfiya Karim Khan is a fashion and beauty creator who transformed a hobby into a global platform. From secretly posting her first blog to becoming one of Forbes Top 100 Digital Stars, she illustrates how bold decisions and consistent effort can create ripple effects, inspiring others to pursue passion despite challenges. Her story highlights the power of persistence, creativity, and turning small steps into life-changing outcomes. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this insightful talk, Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai explores the timeless principles of Chanakya Neeti and how they continue to influence leadership, strategy, and personal growth in the modern world. Drawing from his own journey, he reflects on how these ancient ideas shaped his thinking and inspired him to author the bestselling Chanakya series. With practical wisdom and real-life applications, Dr. Pillai shows how centuries-old knowledge can empower individuals today. His message highlights the enduring ripple effect of ideas worth spreading. Author of the bestselling Chanakya series, leadership coach, and Director of the Chanakya International Institute of Leadership Studies, University of Mumbai. He is known for his research and practical applications of Arthashastra and Chanakya Neeti in modern management and governance. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Gen Z refuses to suffer in silence and is rewriting the rules of mental health. As a member of this outspoken generation, Aarushi has witnessed how sharing their struggles openly can dismantle stigma, create community, and spark change. In this talk, Aarushi explores the cultural shift from silent endurance to collective healing — and why being vulnerable in public is one of the bravest, most powerful things we can do. She believes in being herself and wants to portray the world in a way just as authentic as her in nature. Having worked with a number of NGOs and featuring in the columns of well known newspapers, she has tried to express herself and stand out in this generation who HEALS.OUT. LOUD. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Krishna breaks down effective communication into three steps: contextualize, aim, and teach. He shows how we can simplify complex ideas into impactful messages. Krishna Bhatt is a nationally awarded high school researcher and writer who spends his time developing projects in the intersection of neuroscience and technology. Currently a sophomore at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, he spent the last five years competing in research symposiums and business challenges–dedicating months to a project before presenting it in a few critical minutes. Krishna is highly engaged in the science fair community, co-founding the BISV Science Fair Club to guide middle schoolers, and is on a mission to ensure that his research will leave a positive and tangible impact for patients around the world. Outside of these activities, Krishna's free time is spent on track, karting, or with his family. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In his talk, Mr Arun Shenoy shares how a single act of saving a forest from encroachers transformed into a lifelong commitment to forest conservation. He narrates the incident when he was a small part of the team that saved large trees on government land right next to their basecamp from being cut. He believes that this is one of the greatest accomplishments of his life, a story that he can tell till the day he dies. Following the incident, he started to look for an answer to the question burning in his mind, namely how much forest we still have remaining, and the answer troubled him greatly. To get these points across to large numbers his team created what is called the Broken Forest Tour at the Kanthavara Forest Basecamp. Visitors, mainly students, educationists and families sit on the same fallen tree trunks, and ponder over these findings. Many are deeply moved by the sight of the broken forest and have gone on to spread the word. His words highlight both the urgency of preservation of forests and the responsibility of future generations Mr Arun Shenoy is an environmental educator and conservation activist. He established “Kanthavara”, a forest base camp and training centre and a hub for conservation and education, following his encounter with a tree-poaching incident in the forested area nearby. Here, he conducts forest walk programmes, study tours, sessions on the ‘Broken Forest’ segment, Seed ball making and bamboo in construction and design study. Around fifty such camps have been held in the past two years. Through the activities at Kanthavara, he has effectively demonstrated the impact of unchecked human intervention on forest ecosystems, sensitised the public on the after-effects of forest encroachment, the possible threats to wildlife caused by human activities, and methods to prevent forest fires and protect forest borders. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Jocelyn shares how running became her personal escape from stress and hopes to inspire others to find their own resilience. Jocelyn Gou is an 8th grader at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley who finds joy in running, reading short stories and novels, writing fiction prose and free-verse poetry, and traveling the world with her family. Still uncertain about her future, Jocelyn is currently on a journey of self-exploration as she strives to learn more about herself and the world around her through both her hobbies and academics. Jocelyn hopes that what she discovers will help humanity universally value Earth’s natural environment and overcome our ecological crises. As her time in middle school draws to an end and high school approaches, she looks forward to further developing her personality, perspective, and passions through new knowledge and experiences. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx