December 20, 2025
2PM – 6PM
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Local Mission,
Global Vision
TEDxThiruvananthapuram 2025 is about ideas that begin in local lives and communities, shaped by real experiences. When these stories are shared, they connect across borders, turning local missions into global contributions that inspire learning, action, and change everywhere.
TEDx
TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three major realms : Technology, Entertainment, Design. The main Idea was to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.
Title Sponsor
Venue
Presenting Partner
Acsia Technologies
Taurus Downtown Trivandrum
Technopark Phase III Main Rd
Kazhakkoottam
Kerala 695583
Speakers
Dr S Somanath
Former ISRO Chairman
Dr S Somanath
Former ISRO Chairman
Dr. S Somanath served as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation while it carried out the prestigious lunar soft landing mission, Chandrayaan 3. Dr. Somanath earlier served as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), and the Liquid Propulsion Systems Center (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram. He is known for his contributions to launch vehicle design. A visionary engineer and vibrant organiser, Dr. Somanath continues to inspire the country’s youth through his speeches, writings and expert guidance. Among other numerous roles, he is currently advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government and Vice Chancellor of Chanakya University.
Seeram Sambasiva Rao IAS
Special Secretary, IT & Electronics
Seeram Sambasiva Rao IAS
Special Secretary, IT & Electronics
A graduate from IIT Madras and an experienced officer in the Indian Administrative Service, Sambasiva Rao has spearheaded numerous innovative projects during his stint as an administrator in Kerala including Namude Kozhikode, KFON and Ente Bhoomi. Currently he serves as Special Secretary for IT, Government of Kerala.
Nizamudeen A IAS
Director, Kerala Institute of Local Administration
Nizamudeen A IAS
Director, Kerala Institute of Local Administration
Mr. Nizamudeen A is an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (2018 batch). His career in public service began in 1998 when he joined the Kerala Government as a Soil Survey Officer. Since then, he has held several key positions, including Land Use Commissioner for eight years, Director of the Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre for five years and Mission Director, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. At present, he serves as the Director General of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration and Managing Director, IMPACT Kerala Limited. He has been honoured with the National Water Award, the Jal Prahari Award, and several other state and central awards for his pioneering work in watershed-based development and geographic information systems.
Dr. Methil Devika
Mohiniyattam Expert and Researcher
Dr. Methil Devika
Mohiniyattam Expert and Researcher
Dr. Methil Devika is a dance practitioner-academic from Palakkad, having 60 original dance compositions to her credit. She has a national award, two state awards Madras Music Academy Award, and an Oscar contention to her credit. She was senior researcher at IIST, ISRO and is presently CM’s Postdoctoral fellow and a research guide at Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University. She recently received the ‘Driver of Change’ award from India Today and was offered the Permanent Resident status by the Australian govt. for her global contribution to dance. Her dance film for the Deaf called ‘The Crossover’ screened at the International Film Festivals in Goa and Mumbai and was pivotal in the starting of the accessibility and inclusive segment in these festivals.
Santhy Balachandran
Actor and Screenwriter
Santhy Balachandran
Actor and Screenwriter
Santhy Balachandran is an actor, screenwriter and dramaturg with a degree in Visual Anthropology from University of Oxford. Her filmography as an actor includes award-winning projects such as Ennennum (2023), Gulmohar (2023), Sweet Kaaram Coffee (2023) and Jallikattu (2019). Santhy served as co-writer and dramaturg for Lokah, Chapter 1: Chandra, a fantasy film that has been praised for its nuanced recasting of an iconic character from Kerala folklore as India’s first homegrown female superhero. Santhy is also a theatre artist who has been part of productions of Mahesh Dattani’s 30 Days in September, Harold Pinter’s The Lover, and Roshan Mathew’s A Very Normal Family and Bye Bye Bypass.
Capt Litty Chacko
Research Scholar on the 14th century Kerala School of Mathematics
Capt Litty Chacko
Research Scholar on the 14th century Kerala School of Mathematics
Capt. Litty Chacko is a distinguished academic, writer, speaker, and researcher at St. Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda. Her expertise spans various fields, including academics, heritage preservation, and environmental protection. Academic and Research Contributions For over two decades, Ms. Chacko has conducted independent research on the life and works of the medieval Indian mathematician, Sangamagrama Madhavan, and the Kerala School of Mathematics. Her work has led to the discovery and preservation of numerous unpublished manuscripts and texts. Notably, she found and published a significant 12th-century stone inscription from the Irinjadappilly Mana, the ancestral home of Sangamagrama Madhavan. She also specializes in various South Indian scripts and ancient writing materials. Ms. Chacko initiated the “Script Garden” project at the college, a unique venture focused on Madhavan’s mathematical contributions. She implemented the “Malayalam & Manuscript Management” program, a three-year vocational course approved by the UGC and Calicut University for the scientific preservation of historical documents in 2018. As a result, she founded and now directs the Manuscript Research and Preservation Centre. Her international work includes an international research project on preservation at the British Library’s archives. She also completed several research projects for various organisations including UGC. She authored the book, “Two Works of Sangamagrama Madhavan,” published by the National Book Trust, India. The book was launched at the New Delhi World Book Fair and selected for the 2025 Moscow Book Fair. She has also delivered numerous national-level talks and papers on the Indian Knowledge System. Leadership and Other Roles Beyond her research, Ms. Chacko is an accomplished organizer who has led several national and international seminars. She has completed over 30 online courses from prestigious universities like Harvard and Yale, specializing in Astronomy, Heritage, and Preservation. She also serves as an Associate NCC Officer at the 7 Kerala Girls Battalion of the Indian Army in Thrissur. Ms. Chacko has received numerous national awards for her contributions in her diverse fields of expertise.
Sajana Chandran S
Retd Joint General Manager (Air Traffic Controller) at the Airports Authority of India
Sajana Chandran S
Retd Joint General Manager (Air Traffic Controller) at the Airports Authority of India
Sajana Chandran S, retired from the position as Joint General Manager (Air Traffic Controller) at the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Trivandrum International Airport, Kerala. He was Air Traffic Controller (ATC) for the last 30 years serving at various airports, including Chennai, Dibrugarh, Varanasi, and Trivandrum. Additionally, he contributed 8 years as an ATC Instructor, providing training to fellow ATCOs within AAI. His experience encompasses 19 years as a Radar Controller and 27 years as a non- Radar Controller, consistently ensuring safe and efficient Air Traffic Management (ATM) in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines. Sajana Chandran’s artistic experience includes acting in approximately thirty plays, notably including productions such as NEELAKKUYIL and AA MANUSHYAN NEE THANNE and directing ten plays including Crossbelt and Pujamuri. Furthermore, he has acted in 1600 episodes of Malayalam mega TV serials such as Chembarathi, Shyamambaram etc.
Shinomol
Race Director, Kovalam Marathon
Shinomol
Race Director, Kovalam Marathon
Shinomol Palathanath, a marathon runner is reshaping the culture of endurance sports and community wellness in Kerala. Since embarking on her running journey in 2016, she has completed 21 marathons, 45 half-marathons, and 19 ultra-marathons, including some of the toughest endurance events in India such as the Ladakh Marathon (2019 & 2020) and the 110 km Malnad Ultra, Karnataka – her longest run to date. But for Shino, running has never been about medals or personal milestones alone. She has been instrumental in nurturing the running culture in Trivandrum and beyond, creating inclusive spaces for people of all ages to discover the joy of movement, health, and resilience. From supporting small community runs to directing large-scale events such as the Olympic Marathon Trivandrum (2022), Purple Run for Epilepsy Awareness (2023), and the Kovalam Marathon (2023, 2024 & 2025), her leadership has brought thousands together under the banner of fitness and purpose. Her impact extends further as a three-time ambassador for SBI Green Marathon (2017, 2018 & 2019), championing sustainability through sport. Shino also played a vital role in conceptualising and supporting the Golden Peak Half Marathon, a high- altitude (1000m elevation) race in Trivandrum, where she has been deeply involved from its inception in 2017 through 2023. Her journey illustrates how running can become a catalyst for both personal transformation and collective well-being. Beyond sports, Shino is the Managing Director and Chief Strategist of ChōFluid Private Limited, a Kerala-based marketing agency. With over 13 years of experience in advertising, she has worked with leading agencies such as RK Swamy BBDO and Stark Communications, and holds postgraduate degrees in Mass Communication from Pondicherry Central University and in Marketing and Communication from MICA, Ahmedabad. She is also an active member of Young Indians (CII) and Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce & Industry (TCCI), further strengthening her role as a voice for progressive leadership and community growth. Her professional life adds depth to her identity, but her true calling has been her contribution to building healthier, stronger communities.
Team
Dr. Arun Surendran
Strategic Director and Principal
Trinity College of Engineering
Vishnu Prasad
CEO
Law Pundits
Aghosh Babu
Managing Director
Matsio Digital Marketers
Jijimon Chandran
Founder & CEO
Acsia Technologies
Mathew Jacob
Director
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