Theme: Manipur - Winds of change

Manipur, the land of jewels has become synonymous with instances of political unrest, armed violence and a decaying civil sphere. While regional newspapers are full of institutions and agencies and systems falling apart, the national media scene shuts off the state and its other counterparts in the north east region of the country. Once in a while, there will be a blip somewhere when sportspersons from this small state make it to the International arena. The angst and feeling of helplessness amongst its citizens fill up social networking sites.

But yet, there are the jewels of Manipur. People who have brought about social change and made the lives of other people better. People who have struggled with the near 20 hour/day electric load shedding and kept on with their zeal for life by not bowing down to diktats or social censure. People who have battled extreme odds to be a pioneer in their fields. People who give hope in the midst of despair.

TEDxImphal will be held on Dec 11, 2011 with the theme: Manipur – Winds of Change. The event will feature speakers whose voices and stories needs to be told to a larger audience.

The Classic Hotel, Imphal
Imphal, 795001
India

Arijit Sen

Arijit Sen reports from Northeastern India and the bordering regions, as the Senior Special Correspondent for CNN-IBN, India’s leading 24 hour news channel. Arijit has been a journalist since 1999, specializing in political economy, rural development and governance. Since 2007, he began work on armed conflict, militancy and secessionist movements, reporting exclusively from the 8 states comprising India’s Northeastern frontier. Arijit’s extensive travels in the region include special reports from these states as well as forays into the porous India-Bangladesh border, Myanmar and Bhutan. His reports include extensive coverage of the Indian general elections, the Dalai Lama’s visit to the Tawang Monastery (Arunachal Pradesh), the Indo-Naga conflict as well as an award-winning news documentary on extra-judicial ‘fake’ encounters in Manipur (September 2009). His reportage has received media recognition: most recently, the News Television Award for Best News Documentary (2010) and the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism (2008-09). Before the northeast assignment Arijit was with the prestigious Political Bureau of CNN-IBN in New Delhi. A 2010-11, Gerda Henkel Fellow at Oxford University, Arijit has a Masters Degree in Economics from Calcutta University.

Swar Thounaojam

Swar Thounaojam is a Bangalore-based playwright and theatre director. Her debut play Turel was directed by Sunil Shanbag and premiered at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai as part of the Writers Bloc Festival, 2007 – an India initiative of Royal Court Theatre, London in collaboration with Rage, Mumbai. Turel is being translated into French for a festival on contemporary Indian playwriting to be held in France in 2012. Dear Dirty, Opposite Day, Fake Palindromes and Lucky Lobster are some of her plays. She is a Charles Wallace India Trust awardee for the International Playwrights Residency, 2010, Royal Court Theatre, London and a recipient of Robert Bosch Art Grant 2010. She has worked extensively in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Munich. She now runs her own theatre project titled FewerEmergencies in Bangalore, and is currently directing Swetanshu Bora’s Once, on that street.

Johnson Rajkumar

Johnson Rajkumar is a media activist in Pedestrian Pictures, Bangalore (A media activist organization). He has been working for the past 4 years in the organization. As a media activist, he has been video documenting social movement, political protest in Bangalore. He has worked as a cameraperson for several documentary films, The Holy Wives, Workers in Shadow, Rainbows are Real, which are all based on social and political issues. He has also worked as an Assistant Director of international award winning director, Rakesh Sharma. Johnson has also been awarded as Best Delegate in Global Millennium Development Goal Summit in Mumbai 2008 by World Federation of UN Associations (WFUNA) in collaboration with the Indian Federation of UN Associations. A film which he directed in the summit was used as a campaign film by WFUNA. Johnson is also currently teaching Visual Communication in St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore. He regularly screen films in colleges and initiate discussions.

Nameirakpam Jilatombi

Nameirakpam Jilatombi belongs to a family steeped in a musical legacy. His roots can be traced to balladeers who performed for the royal court and for the common man. Jilatombi’s maternal great grand father was the first disciple of the legendary Dhobi Leinou who sang of the trails and tribulations of the manipur forces as they fought against the might of the British in the Khongjom War of 1891. Born into a family exposed to folk and indegenous music forms, Jilatombi picked up informal lessons as he grew up and played music for theatre troupes. He also dabbled in handicrafts and wood carving. His work were much loved. In his quest to engineer new sounds and musical notes for the theater troupes, he tried his hand at making the instruments himself. First he tried his hand at making already existing musical instruments - indigenous folk instruments, popular ones like the violin, etc. Gradually he started improvising on them, adding his personal touches. And now, he has some instruments to call his own creation! His instruments have been part of many exibitions and theatre productions around the world. He was also awarded the State Prize in 2004-05 by the Department of Handicrafts for his craftsmanship.

Jupiter Huidrom

Jupiter Huidrom, based out of New Delhi, has 3 years of experience in the Corporate Marketing function of HCL Technologies. He lives his life with the motto “In life we should DREAM, because with Dream comes Hope and with Hope Life becomes Easy”. Being quirky, animated and lively, he always knew that there’s something in life worth exploring and following one’s dream. The turning point came when he quit his job to host a Travel show “Life Mein Ek Baar” on Fox Traveller & National Geographic Channel, sharing screen with Bollywood actor, Purab Kohli and two other fellow companions. The show is about following the journey of these four boys and fulfilling their wish list. He is passionate about Cooking, travelling, reading and above all enjoys the company of people who make it all meaningful. He dreams to host more Travel & Food shows and open a Home Stay while simultaneously running a Restaurant.

Ngangbam Lelen Meitei

Ngangbam Lelen Meitei, from Kangla Sangomshang in Imphal East district, a First Class First Gold Medalist in History from Manipur University could have sought a Government job like most of his friends. His academic credentials could have taken him through any competitive examinations but he chose to head the Department of History at Ng. Mani College, a small private college located near to his locality. An avid gardener from his early life, Lelen wanted to practice what he was taught in Economic history and turned to farming. He gave up his teaching job after 3 years and started large scale farming of Chinese chives. Locally known as ‘Maroi Nakupi’, Chinese chives is a herb that is used for cooking and other medicinal purposes and is mostly grown in small patches in kitchen gardens. Lelen experimented with a year round plantation of the herbs and later took to large scale plantation. In the process, Lelen has triggered off a mini green revolution in his locality by inspiring other people to follow his initiative of farming.