Hey folks,
For the last two months or so, I’ve been trying to help out in organising what is India’s first ever TEDx event.
For starters, lemme explain what TEDx is. I’ll have to start off with TED.
TED is an invitational conference that started in the US in 1984. It is an initiative that promotes ideas that are worth spreading. There are a set of speakers who’re carefully chosen to be some of the best, in terms of their ideas. And then, there is the audience. The members of the audience are also carefully chosen to be the best-in-class. All this is to ensure that ideas translate into conversations that matter and actions that bring about change.
The registration fee for a TED Global Conference is about $6000. Wait, don’t jump yet. Everyone who’s ready to pay the money isn’t eligible! TED picks those that are eligible. There is even a popular argument that TED is too elitist. But I think they can afford to be that elitist or overly-selective in order to ensure amazing quality. You would better understand if you see a TED video. Go down to TED and watch a video now.
Now, apart from TED Global Conferences, there are also TED Conferences held in specific countries. This year it is taking place at the Infosys campus in Mysore. Find out more about TED India, here.
Apart from both the above Conferences, TED has a provision for independent communities to organise TED style talks in their own geographical locations. This is the TEDx. Naturally, TEDx events are not organised by the guys at TED. They’re organised by some independent group of people who’re passionate about bringing TED to their communities and about Ideas that are worth talking about.
Having said all that, let me tell you now that TEDx is coming to Chennai very soon! I’m part of a small team of folks that are keen on bringing TEDx to Chennai. We’ve been working on it for the past 3 months and it’s taken good shape now. So, here’s TEDx Chennai.
TEDx Chennai will take place at the IC&SR Auditorium inside IIT Madras on November 29th 2009 (Sunday). It will be a one-day-event and all the speakers are being hand-picked to ensure a very interesting experience for everyone.
Tickets are running out! So, do hurry to secure yourself a seat!
Yours Skeptically,
