The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya hosted TEDxIIMBG bringing together thought leaders, professionals, and changemakers from diverse domains to examine widely accepted assumptions around work, leadership, and society. The programme aimed to challenge the status quo and encourage independent thinking through meaningful dialogue among students, faculty, and invited guests.
The power-packed event commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, and was inaugurated by Dr. Vinita S. Sahay, Director of IIM Bodh Gaya, and Dr. Deepika R. Gupta, Chairperson of the Entrepreneurship and Industrial Relations Cell, set the context for the event. The speakers who took the stage to share ideas worth spreading were, Ameya V. Karrambe, Chief Human Resources Officer, LEAP India Limited; Dhananjay Ganjoo, Chief Resource Mobilisation and Marketing Officer at The Akshaya Patra Foundation; Bhavesh Jain, Managing Director and CEO of TransUnion CIBIL Limited; Shriya Lohia, Formula 4 racer; Dr. Shrikant Vadapalli, Head of Capability Development at Jio Platforms Limited Academy; Yogesh Sharma, Global Leader – Talent Acquisition at eClerx Services Limited; Nikhil Garg, Strategic HR Leader at ArcelorMittal Global Business & Technologies; and Rishav Agarwal, Founder of Picxele.
Across the sessions, speakers addressed the theme ‘Unfollow the Trend’ blending personal experiences with professional insight. Reflecting on her journey in professional motorsport, Shriya Lohia spoke about how journeys begin before clarity emerges, emphasizing discipline, consistency, and trusting one’s intuition. Dr. Shrikant Vadapalli reflected on personal responsibility and character, referencing Edgar Guest’s poem ‘Builder or Wrecker’ to underline how everyday choices shape long-term outcomes. Nikhil Garg examined disengagement in modern workplaces, reframing it as a consequence of poorly designed people systems and highlighting the role of clarity, feedback, and intentional organizational processes.
The event reaffirmed IIM Bodh Gaya’s commitment to fostering intellectual exchange beyond the classroom and to creating platforms where ideas can be examined critically and constructively. TEDxIIMBG contributed to this mission by encouraging participants to question assumptions, reflect on personal choices, and engage with ideas shaping the future of work and society.