TEDx at Amity Lucknow focuses on collective thinking, AI and the power of reading
Lucknow: The second edition of TEDx Amity University Lucknow brought together industry leaders and young achievers to discuss the power of shared perspectives, the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the role of imagination in shaping society.
Held at Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, the event was themed “From Me to We: The Power of Shared Perspectives.” Speakers highlighted how diverse viewpoints, meaningful dialogue and collective thinking can encourage innovation and help build a more connected society.
At the second season of TEDx Amity University Lucknow, the speakers shared their views, including Ms. Anuradha Sehgal, Chief Brand & Sustainability Officer at Coforge; Vivek Srivastava, Managing Director, Business Transformation at PwC; and Tania Mishra, an officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS).
Welcoming the speakers, Prof. (Dr.) Anil Vashisht , Pro Vice-Chancellor of Amity University Lucknow Campus, emphasised on the transformative power of collective thinking and shared perspectives. He said, “A single voice can raise a concern, but collective voices can start a movement. A single idea can spark change, but with shared perspectives, we can transform the world. He said that The real power of collectives does not lie in everybody thinking alike; it lies in everyone being different yet being willing to listen to one another and review shared perspectives. It is about understanding that your experience may not be the same as mine, my truth may not be your truth, and my vision may not be your vision. But when these perspectives come together with curiosity, respect and empathy, we can create a shared vision for progress.”
Anuradha Sehgal , chief brand and sustainability officer at Coforge, spoke on “The Infrastructure of Imagination” and highlighted the importance of reading and public libraries. Known for her contribution to brand-building initiatives, she spearheaded Airtel’s “Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hai” advertising campaign and led the Indian market launches of brands including Veet, Vanish, Air Wick and Clearasil.
Sehgal said books play a crucial role in developing language, knowledge, imagination and critical thinking. Deep reading, she noted, helps build understanding and thoughtfulness, while fragmented reading and short social media content can limit comprehension. She stressed that making knowledge accessible requires not only access to books but also peaceful, welcoming and barrier-free spaces where people, particularly children from diverse backgrounds, can read.
Vivek Srivastava, managing director, business transformation at PwC, explored the relationship between artificial intelligence and human capabilities in his talk, “When AI Gets Agency, What Happens to Ours?” He highlighted the distinction between efficiency and capability, cautioning that greater efficiency through AI does not necessarily translate into stronger human capabilities.
“While AI is making us much more efficient, the real question is whether AI is making us more capable or less,” he said, emphasising the need to preserve human judgement, critical thinking and problem-solving skills while using automated systems.
Tania Mishra , an alumna of Amity University Lucknow and an officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS), spoke on “From Personal Ambition to Public Impact.” A BSc Physics Honours graduate, Mishra secured All India Rank 269 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 before joining the service.
Sharing lessons from her journey, Tanya Mishra gave 4 lessons to achieve the seemingly impossible, she said that we must first learn to let ourselves be bored away from constant distractions, continuously use positive affirmations to train our minds, believe in the sheer madness of our dreams, and guard those dreams by sharing them only with people who will support and affirm them.”
The event was attended by Wg. Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Tiwari, deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor of Amity University Lucknow Campus, and Dr. Alpana Srivastava, officiating head of Amity Business School. Students participated in the programme, which provided a platform for exchanging ideas and engaging with perspectives from different professional fields.
The second edition of TEDx Amity University Lucknow sought to encourage critical thinking, innovation and leadership among students, reinforcing the importance of bringing individual ideas together to create meaningful change.
