What sustains, and what haunts? A smartphone without a charger, a chip packet, and an old love letter—three everyday objects become metaphors in this talk that challenges the way we think about design, consumerism, and sustainability.Jhanak Sharma explores how our choices of “design for expiry” create waste and “ghosts” of consumerism, while “design for forever” enables regeneration and continuity. She reframes design as karma, a cycle of deeds that shape destiny—not just for individuals, but for communities and ecosystems.Through vivid stories rooted in the Marwar region, including the Bhogishail Parikrama mentioned in the Skanda Puraan, the talk highlights indigenous traditions where nature, culture, and spirituality coexist symbiotically. Pilgrimages, ponds, mountains, and rituals emerge as living examples of commons-based sustainability where ecology and economy are deeply interwoven.The message is sharp and personal: plastic packets designed to last forever but used for minutes, phones that die without chargers, and love letters that carry meaning across generations. Which of these do our systems resemble—ephemeral, haunting, or regenerative?Recognized by the United Nations Environment Program in 2025, this talk is a call to rethink how we design, consume, and connect. It urges us to shift from exploitation to regeneration, from ghosts to legacies, and from waste to wisdom. Jhanak Sharma is a student voice breaking beyond boundaries, where science, art, and activism intersect. A citizen scientist from childhood, she first found her place among the stars—winning global recognition in an astropoetry and astronomy podcast competition. That spark of curiosity grew into a belief that young people can be both explorers and storytellers of our shared world.Recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2025 for her petition on sustainable change, Jhanak has debated at the national stage, represented nations in Model UNs, and produced a documentary on the relationship between culture and nature. Alongside her activism, she is an emerging poet, capturing the raw emotions of youth through her first collection of poetry.With conviction, creativity, and compassion, Jhanak steps onto the TEDx stage as a scientist, artist, and storyteller for change. 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

What does education look like in a world without borders? This insightful talk explores the idea of reimagining modern education to transcend boundaries of geography, culture, age, and convention. It highlights how learning today must evolve to prepare individuals for a future where knowledge and opportunities flow freely, proving that age is never a barrier to growth.Challenging traditional notions of classrooms and curricula, the talk emphasizes the need for an education system that nurtures global citizens — adaptable, collaborative, and future-ready. It invites us to embrace a vision of education that is inclusive, innovative, and truly borderless. Jyoti Kathju is an educator, faculty development coach, and lifelong learner with over four decades of experience in teaching and teacher training. She has conducted workshops across India, empowering hundreds of educators with innovative strategies and effective classroom practices. A former CBSE Examiner for English Core and Soft Skills Trainer, she brings deep expertise and passion to every learning space.Jyoti’s academic journey is equally inspiring—after early degrees in English and History, she returned to academics two decades later to pursue additional postgraduate studies, an MBA, and is currently completing her M.Ed. Having graced the TEDx stage twice before, she now returns to share her vision of education as a transformative journey that transcends boundaries. 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

Emilia explores techniques for changing our perspective and the benefits of doing so. Emilia is a 9th Grade student at Franconian International School. 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

Can you imagine there is a connection between wild fires in Sahyadris and the cottage cheese (Paneer ) consumption in Pune City? In his talk, Dr. Gurudas explains his proprietory research on the ecology of these mountains and also presents facts to prove the co-relation, which he discovered using an innovative research methodology. "Gurudas is a Professor and Director of Centre for Sustainable Development, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, and a visiting professor at IIT Kanpur.His work is focused on challenges to India's sustainable development in rural and urban landscapes. His approach is to identify root causes and find levers of change that are culturally and ecologically appropriate. He has published several books, research papers, and articles. He is a recipient of two prestigious literature awards for his books. Gurudas is on the board of Ecological Society, and Advanced Centre for Water resources Development and Management, and a Senior Fellow at the Pune International Centre. 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

Can the past be rewritten—not erased, but reimagined through the stories we choose to tell? Cultural anthropologist Jilleen Sheldekar explores how embracing our full, complicated truths—even the painful parts—can lead to deeper connection, self-acceptance, and bold new possibilities.Jilleen Sheldekar is a cultural anthropologist with 18 years of experience exploring how culture and personal stories shape identity. Her work spans global organizations, cross-cultural environments, and community-building initiatives. In her TEDx talk, she shares a personal story that challenges how we see ourselves and others, questioning the role of choice and imagination in shifting deeply held beliefs. Beyond her speaking and facilitation work, she is co-creating an eco-village in India’s Western Ghats — an experiment in sustainable living and reimagined community. 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

Can we program cells like we program apps? In this jaw-dropping talk, scientist Anu Raghunathan reveals how our DNA is no longer a sacred scroll—it’s a script we could rewrite. From curing brain cancer to engineering fuel-producing microbes, she shows how synthetic biology is turning "what ifs" into real-world edits—one gene, one cell, one bold idea at a time. Dr. Anu Raghunathan is Chief Scientist at CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India where she leads the Metabolic Inquiry and Cellular Engineering (MICE) group. Her research on metabolic engineering, synthetic and systems biology integrates experimental and computational techniques to understand cancer drug resistance, rationally design microbial cell factories, and develop genome-scale models for metabolism. She played a key role in India’s COVID-19 genome surveillance including detecting the first Omicron variant in Pune. Dr. Raghunathan is Associate Editor for international journals, founding member of the Bioengineering Society of India, a columnist for The Indian Express, and recipient of the 2022 FICCI FLO Award (Pune Chapter) for Women Achievers in Science & Technology. 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