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GD Goenka University hosts TEDx 2026 — “Thrive: The Resilient Mind”
Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Shenoy emphasised the importance of dialogue in shaping resilient minds among students.
GD Goenka University hosted TEDx GD Goenka University 2026 on May 9, 2026, at its campus, bringing together voices from mental health, entrepreneurship, defence, diplomacy, fitness, design, public policy, and the GD Goenka alumni community under the theme “Thrive: The Resilient Mind.” The TEDx event provided a platform for the university community to engage in interdisciplinary discussions and ideas outside the traditional classroom setting . The event welcomed educators, students, parents, industry professionals, mental health practitioners, artists, entrepreneurs, GD Goenka alumni, and distinguished guests for an exchange of ideas centred on resilience, adaptability, and personal growth.
The event commenced with an inaugural session featuring Lamp lighting ceremony and a Ganesh Vandana performance by Kunal Adhikary. Addressing the gathering, Dinesh Shenoy, Vice-Chancellor, GD Goenka University, set the tone for the day’s conversations on resilience, growth, and human potential. The first session included Dr. Anjali Midha Sharan, Professor and Dean of Research & Development and the School of Liberal Arts at GD Goenka University, who formally introduced the theme.
Nipun Goenka, Managing Director, GD Goenka Group and Pro Chancellor, GD Goenka University, said, “TEDxGDGoenka University reflected the kind of conversations young minds need today; thoughtful, honest and unafraid to challenge perspectives. We want our students to grow in environments where ideas are explored with curiosity, courage and purpose.”
Adding further, Dinesh Shenoy, Vice-Chancellor, GD Goenka University, said, “Resilience is not built in comfort. It is shaped through perspective, dialogue and the ability to adapt. TEDxGD GoenkaUniversity brought together voices that encouraged our students to think deeper, question more and engage meaningfully with the world around them.”
Anchored in TEDx’s global ethos of “ideas worth spreading,” the university hosted TEDx GD Goenka University 2026 as a platform for progressive dialogue and holistic learning. Through four curated sessions, speakers explored resilience through diverse lenses, from emotional wellbeing and leadership to entrepreneurship, disability, productivity, public policy, maternal health, environmental wellbeing, and personal transformation. The event aligns with the university’s goal of supporting academic growth alongside creativity, emotional intelligence, and practical skills. The speaker sessions and performances together reflected the spirit of GD Goenka’s THRIVE philosophy, celebrating resilience, adaptability, collaboration, and personal growth through diverse perspectives and experiences.
Across four sessions, speakers shared their diverse perspectives and personal experiences . The first session included Geetika Kapoor, Consultant School Psychologist and PhD Alumni, GD Goenka University, who addressed resilience in children and emotional grounding; Sonali Saraogi Singh, Founder of Feed Smart and three-time HYROX India podium finisher, who reflected on personal endurance and inner strength in “The Only Race That Matters Is the One Inside Your Head”; Brigadier T. Rajneesh of the Directorate General of Quality Assurance and PhD Scholar, GD Goenka University, who spoke on “Building a Resilient Mind” through the lens of military leadership; and Shreya Agarwal, Director and Chief People Officer at Think Future Technologies, who explored sustainable performance in “Redefining Productivity: Why Doing Less Can Help You Thrive More.”
The second session brought together a wide range of perspectives, featuring Myshkin, a young speaker, who reflected on emotional vulnerability in “The Problem with ‘Be Strong’”; Harman Sidhu, Postpartum Fitness Educator and Content Creator, who challenged societal expectations in “Why Mothers Don’t Need to Bounce Back”; Siddharth Vij, Founder and CEO of Scentra, who examined shifting definitions of achievement in “Unlearning Success”; and Dr. Angad Bedi, Chairman of the BCD Group, who shared entrepreneurial perspectives on resilience in leadership and institution-building.
The third session featured cultural performances by Bharat Gupta and Seemant Adhikari, followed by insightful talks from Commander Kartikay Saini, Founder Chairman of Scottish Schools and PhD Scholar, GD Goenka University, who spoke on overcoming adversity in “The Quiet Power of Belief: Defeating Disability”; Siddharth Rajhans, Diplomacy and Public Policy Expert, who discussed leadership amid uncertainty in "Quiet Leadership: Resilience, Power, and Decision-Making in an Age of Global Turbulence"; Barun Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Breathe Easy Consultants, who explored environmental wellbeing in “The Biology of Resilience: How the Air You Breathe Shapes Your Mind”; and Suryansh Saigal, Managing Director of GD Goenka School, Sitapur and GD Goenka School Alumni, who reflected on "My Journey from Being a Goenkan Student to a Successful Partner with GD Goenka".
The final session featured Dhruv Bhasin, Co-Founder of Arata, who discussed discipline and consistency in “The 5 AM Argument You’re Losing”; Disha Subramanium, Founder and Principal Designer at Design by Disha Subramanium, who spoke on intentional change in “The Most Resilient Thing I Ever Did Was Quit”; Dhruv Madhok, Co-Founder of Arata, who explored the role of humour in resilience through “The Humour Hack”; and Aaradhana Dalmia, Co-Lead of National Policy and Advocacy at FICCI-FLO, who concluded the speaker sessions with “Quiet Leadership in Chaotic Times.”
The event concluded with a finale performance, followed by a valedictory address delivered by Dhirendra Singh Parihar, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Admin) & Registrar, GD Goenka University. The day ended with a networking session and high tea, allowing attendees to continue meaningful conversations sparked through the event.
The TEDx event supported GD Goenka University's focus on academic discussion, interdisciplinary dialogue, and student development . By bringing together diverse voices and ideas under the theme “Thrive: The Resilient Mind,” GD Goenka University emphasised the goal of preparing thoughtful graduates to handle modern global challenges .
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