TEDxISME November 2025

November 29, 2025 - 10:00
Bengaluru, Karnataka India
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TEDx ISME Bangalore 2025 is set to explore the exciting idea Society and Culture in a Rapidly Changing Urban Landscape. Cities today are evolving at an unprecedented pace, shaped by migration, technology, and rapid urbanization. This talk explores how these forces are redefining the way people live, connect, and create meaning in urban spaces.

It focuses on three key themes:

Urban Belonging: How diverse communities build identity, inclusion, and shared purpose in multicultural cities.
Public Spaces and the Urban Commons: The challenges and opportunities of preserving parks, streets, and markets as inclusive spaces for creativity, democracy, and connection.
Urban Changemakers: The visionaries—artists, planners, and community leaders—who are driving sustainable and equitable solutions to modern urban challenges.

Through these perspectives, the talk invites audiences to imagine inclusive, resilient cities where culture and community flourish—reminding us that the true essence of any city lies in its people and their shared stories.

Our Speakers

Manivannan P
1998-batch IAS officer as BDA Commissioner

The Karnataka government on Friday appointed 1998-batch IAS officer Manivannan P., Principal Secretary, Social Welfare Department, as the Commissioner of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) with concurrent charge.

Mr Arunjot Singh Bhalla
Managing Director

Arunjot Singh Bhalla is an accomplished Urban Designer and Architect with over 35 years of experience in India and abroad. As one of the founding professionals of RSP India, he leads a team of 700+ professionals across eight offices in India and Dubai. Under his leadership, RSP has delivered over 350 million sq. ft. of projects across 36 cities for leading global corporations and developers.

His diverse portfolio spans mixed-use, commercial, IT campuses, retail, residential, and interior design projects. Featured in the Forbes India’s Top 30 Architects (2021) and ITP Media’s Hot 100 Architects (2025), Arunjot continues to drive RSP’s growth with a strong focus on strategy, design excellence, and sustainability.

Ms Nisha Mathew Ghosh
Architect-Artist-Independent Curator

Ms Nisha Mathew Ghosh is an Architect, and Strategist in the space of communities and ecologies. She is a Co Founder of Mathew and Ghosh Architects who have designed some of Bangalore’s landmark public architectures such as The National Military Martyrs Memorial by BDA and The Freedom Park by BBMP amidst other public spaces. She is also the founder of Mathew and Ghosh sustainable CREATION care Foundation which creates solutions in the space of communities and environment using a multi-stakeholder approach. Her present keen interest in the urban sphere is especially with respect to the large migration of people groups and how the city must respond. She curates immersive workshops for students and professionals for the awareness of sustainability through the Foundation. She can be contacted at nishamathewghosh@gmail.com

Divit Garg
Youth Advocate for Sustainable and People-Centered Design

Divit Garg is a Grade 11 student with a deep interest in urban design and sustainable development. He has received awards by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Architectural Foundation at San Francisco in international design competitions for his innovative and sustainability focused design ideas. His work with NGOs has allowed him to contribute to small-scale development initiatives, where he explored the use of upcycled, eco-friendly materials to develop community playscapes for children and animals. Representing the voice of the younger generation, Divit looks forward to helping build the future of sustainable cities. He plans to pursue business and entrepreneurship in infrastructure and real estate to address the evolving needs of the future.