TEDx at Scindia: Voices of Courage, Creativity, and Change

14 August 2025

The much-anticipated TEDx Talk at The Scindia School, organised by SOBA opened on a soulful note with a semi-classical rendition of Lagaa Chunari Mein Daag by Swaraj Santosh Mahadik and Aryan Raj. The speaker lineup brought a tapestry of stories and life lessons. Saji Varghese, an English teacher turned eco-innovator, recounted his journey of creating coconut leaf straws — a testament to how one idea, paired with courage, can ignite global change.
Raj Zutshi (Batch of 1974), acclaimed Bollywood actor, traced his path from Scindia to cinema, reminding students, “Life is always bigger in movies; better to stay grounded”, and sharing his guiding belief: “Love is the lock that opens all doors, and a smile is the key.”
Activist Yogita Bhayana, a relentless voice for a rape-free India, urged the audience to speak up against injustice, declaring, “Jo bole woh itihas ka kissa hai, jo chup rahe woh aparadh ka hissa hai.”
Alok Ghosh, our own Art teacher narrated his struggles with polio, reflected, “The frontyard taught me how to walk, Shantiniketan taught me how to live life, and the students of Scindia taught me how to smile.” Skydiving pioneer Rudra Bhanu Solanki offered his metaphor for life: “Once you jump out of an aeroplane, either you fall to earth or fly in the sky. The choice is yours.”
Entrepreneur Gaurav Jain distilled his business philosophy into a cricketing analogy: “Play the ball on its merit. More comes out when you deliver more.”
Gagan Khosla, a 69-year-old marathon cyclist who journeyed from being left out of school sports teams to riding from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, shared his five mantras — desire, skill acquisition, action, mental resolve, and a dash of luck — along with three lessons: step beyond your comfort zone, protect your “second brain” (gut health), and strengthen your “third brain” (calf muscles).
Concluding the speaker series, Senior School Prefect Ayaan Agarwal explored the theme “Still Water Runs Deep”, underscoring that real growth stems from perseverance, quiet service, and inner strength rather than loud assertions of leadership.
The event closed with the Principal’s Vote of Thanks, weaving together each speaker’s wisdom into a resonant message: innovation, humility, resilience, courage, and empathy are the enduring hallmarks of true leadership.