Society Speakers

Devdutt Pattanaik is a renowned mythologist and speaker who uses Indian and World mythology as a toolkit to understand business, leadership, and life. He has authored over 50 books and 1000 newspaper columns. His TV shows Business Sutra and Devlok are pathbreaking. His key philosophy for business is that successful leadership is about paying attention to the "other" and ensuring that individual and corporate beliefs are congruent to avoid disharmony and disruption.

Farhan Akhtar is an award-winning Bollywood multi-hyphenate—an actor, director, writer, and singer. He is the co-founder of the successful production banner Excel Entertainment. His directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai, won him his first National Award and gained cult status, influencing a generation of filmmakers. His keynotes share insights into creative problem-solving, mindset, and the strategies required to achieve excellence across multiple creative domains.

Gurcharan Das is the former CEO of Procter & Gamble India and a bestselling author of a trilogy on Indian philosophy, including India Unbound and The Difficulty of Being Good. An alumnus of Harvard University and a columnist for The Times of India, his work explores the link between ancient wisdom and modern management. His keynotes provide senior executives with unique insights into organizational setups, leadership, and ethical decision-making to foster growth in a complex global environment.

William Bissell is the Chairman of Fabindia, India’s largest craft-based retail platform. He is an award-winning social entrepreneur and an alumnus of Wesleyan University. He founded the Bhadrajun Artisans Trust on the Gandhian model and was awarded the Entrepreneur with Social Impact award by Forbes. His keynotes focus on social entrepreneurship, community ownership, and the radical rethinking needed to catalyze economic and social change in India.

Ayushmann Khurrana is a leading Indian actor, a National Film Award winner, and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for India. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020. His choice of films, like Vicky Donor and Article 15, is known for challenging social norms. His keynotes share insights on creativity, resilience, and using one's platform for social good, drawing on his success across acting, singing, and media.

Martha Lane Fox is a celebrated entrepreneur who co-founded lastminute.com (acquired for £577 million). A leading advocate for digital inclusion, she is an expert on technology’s societal impact and a Crossbench Peer in the UK House of Lords. She served as the UK Government’s Digital Inclusion Champion and founded the Dot Everyone initiative to fight for a fairer internet. As a speaker, she provides critical insights on responsible technology, digital ethics, and how businesses and governments can lead the charge in achieving full digital capability and social equity.

Dr. Carl Benedikt Frey is a Professor at the Oxford Internet Institute and a globally recognized expert on AI, automation, and the future of work. His work is highly influential, cited by organizations like the OECD, the UN, and the Bank of England. His book, The Technology Trap, was a Financial Times Best Book of the Year, and his newest book, How Progress Ends, analyzes the delicate balance between innovation and bureaucracy over time. As a speaker, he provides authoritative insights on the impacts of AI on productivity, the US-China AI Rivalry, and how to build a social fabric that benefits from technological disruption.

Chetna Gala Sinha is the founder of the Mann Deshi Bank—India’s first bank for and by rural women—which has provided over $70 million in loans to female micro-entrepreneurs. She is a distinguished social entrepreneur, a former Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum in Davos, and a recipient of the Nari Shakti Puraskar (India’s highest civilian award for women). Her talks provide actionable insights into financial inclusion and the power of grassroots entrepreneurship for social transformation.

Sanjit “Bunker” Roy is the founder of the Barefoot College, an institution dedicated to making rural communities self-sufficient through sustainable, locally-owned solutions. He was named one of TIME 100’s Most Influential People in 2010 and is a recipient of the Padma Shri. His keynotes share a profound lesson on sustainable development, emphasizing that for a project to succeed, it must be organic, owned, and sustained by those it serves.

Simone Heng is an award-winning author and global expert in human connection, with over 20 years of experience as an international broadcaster for HBO Asia and CNBC. She is one of the youngest Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the world. Her book, Let’s Talk About Loneliness, is a Nautilus Book Award winner and focuses on mental wellbeing and social change. Her keynotes provide actionable strategies, including the 5 Pillars of Connection, to drive performance, keep talent engaged, and foster a culture of deep connection regardless of geography or polarized views.

Francis Fukuyama is a leading political theorist and a fellow at Stanford University, widely known for his book The End of History and the Last Man. His expertise covers global political philosophy, liberal democracy, and the challenges posed by biotechnology and identity politics. As a former policy advisor to the U.S. State Department and a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics, he brings a unique blend of scholarly rigor and policy experience. His talks offer deep, contrarian insights on the state of democracy, the future of governance, and the threats facing liberalism today.

Bhaichung Bhutia is an iconic former Indian footballer, the "Sikkimese Sniper," and the first Indian to sign with a European club. He is a recipient of the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri. As the founder of the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools, he is dedicated to developing the next generation of Indian footballers. His story of perseverance, international breakthrough, and national service continues to inspire audiences on leadership, focus, and achieving the impossible.

José Hernández is a former NASA astronaut and engineer who flew as the Flight Engineer on the 2009 STS-128 mission to the International Space Station. His inspiring life story from migrant farmworker to astronaut is the subject of the 2023 Amazon Prime biopic, A Million Miles Away. As a keynote speaker, Hernández shares his powerful message on perseverance, STEM education, and the power of achieving the impossible. His talks provide unique insights into aerospace consulting, technical due diligence, and the principles of leadership honed at NASA and LLNL.

Arunima Sinha is the first female amputee to climb Mt. Everest (2013) and a former national level volleyball player. Her life is a profound testament to resilience and human spirit. She is currently on a mission to summit all seven of the world's highest peaks, having already scaled Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Elbrus. Her mission extends to opening a free sports academy to help physically challenged and poor people achieve self-dependence.

Geeta Phogat is an Indian wrestling pioneer, the first Indian woman to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in wrestling (2010), and the first to qualify for the Olympic Games (London 2012). Her inspiring journey of shattering stereotypes and achieving elite success is immortalized in the 2016 Bollywood blockbuster Dangal. Her keynotes focus on Teamwork, Motivation, and Self-Belief, inspiring audiences to follow their passion by crushing all opposition.

Laxmi Agarwal is a global social activist and inspirational speaker who survived an acid attack and now stands as a powerful symbol of courage and inner beauty. She is a recipient of the prestigious International Women of Courage Award (presented by Michelle Obama) and the Mother Teresa Award. Her keynotes inspire audiences with her personal journey and her campaign to curb the free sale of acid in India.

Dr. Shefali is a 3x New York Times bestselling author, world-renowned therapist, and the pioneer of the Conscious Parenting movement, an approach hailed by Oprah Winfrey as "revolutionary." She works daily with clients in her private online practice and runs the Conscious Parenting and Life Coaching Institute, which has trained over 1,200 coaches globally. Her keynotes provide transformative insights on conscious living, personal healing, and empowering women to discover their authentic selves.

Rahul Bose is a renowned actor, former international rugby player, and President of Rugby India. Time magazine called him "the superstar of Indian arthouse cinema." He is the founder of The Foundation, an NGO dedicated to fighting discrimination. His keynotes, delivered globally, merge his experiences in live combat and high-level sports to provide motivational insights on leadership, life choices, and public commitment to social and environmental change.