Arjun Khanna is CEO of MhyMatch, which uses AI and machine learning to connect human talent to job opportunities anywhere in the world. His fields of interest include data science, the future of work, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Besides being an inventor of cutting edge, tech-based solutions to business problems in the banking, manufacturing, FMCG, IT and other sectors, Arjun has also been the “HR person in charge of the nation’s HR” having worked with the best minds in the government to improve employability skills amongst Indian youth. In his conversation with Madhuri Dass Woudenberg at The Goa School’s Open Talk, Arjun helps us understand what AI is, how artificial general intelligence has been achieved, and what lies in the future as AI emerges as perhaps the most important invention that humankind has ever made.
Bernadette Rai has been working in the social sector and in development programming for the last twenty years or more. Her focus is on women and children, particularly in the area of programme planning, monitoring and evaluation. She has been associated with organisations such as Plan International, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, India Alliance on Child Rights, and UNICEF. Bernie spoke in a personal capacity to The Goa School from Italy, where she is currently posted at UNICEF’s Global Office of Research and Foresight. She is in conversation with Madhuri Dass Woudenberg, Founder-Director of The Goa School.
Abhishek Karmali has over two decades of experience dealing with students at Higher Education levels in Goa having worked as the head of the management department of one of Goa’s top undergraduate management colleges. Besides his experience in the field of academics, he has also worked in the corporate sector with exposure to diverse verticals such finance, advertising, shipping and logistics. In terms of his educational qualifications, Abhishek has a PhD, and a post-graduate MBA. He has recently set up his own enterprise known as Career Crafters, which specialises in career counselling and skills training. In this talk, he tells The Goa School about his own career ‘mistakes’ and how many parents are in fact ‘living in the past,’ unable guide young people in modern day environments.
Dutch Maestro Saskia Rao-de Haas is a world renowned cellist, composer, educator and author. She believes that music has the power to unite and heal people. She has been making music with her Indian cello at prestigious venues around the world and in India, and with leading record labels. Her Guru, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, said that she has ‘learned from God’ and everyone should listen to her music. Her duet with her life partner Pt Shubhendra Rao is celebrated across the world and they also perform with Ishaan Leonard Rao, their son, as the Rao Trio. Since Saskia Rao-de Haas believes that music education can change the outlook of a future generation, she created India’s first complete music curriculum and framework from pre-school to grade 12, which has ‘M’-powered over 50,000 children. At The Goa School, Saskia tells us about her life’s journey, as well as how we can get in touch with ourselves through music.
Mee Young Han is an educational assessment expert with more than 20 years of experience. Mee Young has worked at educational policy institutions in Australia, India, South Korea and the USA. Her research interests cover quantitative and qualitative research and impact evaluation. She has been involved in some of the world’s largest learning assessment programmes, including the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), as well as various national and sub-national assessments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. Mee Young works at an international educational research organisation and provides evidence-based policy recommendations to governments in South Asia to improve their student learning outcomes. She talks to The Goa School about what good education looks like, how to keep an eye on the system, support its policies and more.
Jyotsna Kaur Habibullah is CEO of Lucknow Farmers Market — the first online community in India connecting grassroots level entrepreneurs and farmers with consumers. She is a lifelong proponent of living sustainably, and is often heard saying, “Let food be your medicine, before medicine becomes your food.” She started the Awadh Mango Festival in 2013, held in June each year. In this month’s talk, she opens up about what it means to live sustainably, her life’s work, and motivations, as well as how she promotes small farmers and rural entrepreneurship, ecotourism and agribusiness. She is in conversation with Madhuri Dass Woudenberg, Founder-Director of The Goa School.
Niloufar Pourzand is an Iranian-Canadian Development practitioner/activist/professor with a focus on children, women, refugee rights, gender equality and equity, and a regional focus on the Middle East/Central Asia. She has worked for many years with UNICEF in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Eastern Caribbean, Indonesia and India with shorter assignments in Jordan, Tunisia and Bangladesh. She teaches at York University in Toronto, has written commentaries on social issues and has mentored young professionals from around the world. In this talk, Niloufar tells us her life story and experiences, especially why it is so important to invest in young people around the world. She is in conversation with Madhuri Dass Woudenberg, Founder-Director of The Goa School.
Shibani Sharma Khanna is driven by the desire to connect people for a greater cause. She has been following The Goa School and helping it gently to grow it from the ground up, as she has done for many other projects where she has led teams to be close knit, inspired and hooked on success. Among several other highlights in her career, Shibani was an integral part of NDTV for two decades, where she launched several TV shows, and also set up its social business arm, NDTV Initiatives. In this prerecorded talk, Shibani is being interviewed by Shruti Verma Singh, who has been a speaker at The Goa School, and who needs no introduction as an erstwhile newsreader on NDTV. Shruti now runs Zen Brain, a video content platform on cognitive neuroscience, mental and emotional health.
Anne Ikiara is a social advocate in Kenya. Her areas of expertise are gender, racial justice, decolonisation and humanitarian work. She has been a versatile social entrepreneur, who has led and managed vibrant teams of people who desire to make a difference in society. Anne says, “I cannot abide by the fact that African and other marginalised people are made to feel inferior and accept second place.” She feels that empowerment starts with people accepting and being proud of who we are. Anne will be in conversation with Lenze Pekelsma, a mentor with The Goa School. Tune in on Wednesday, 29 March at 15.30 hours IST
Nishant Upadhyay is a conservation architect trained at KU Leuven, Belgium, as a recipient of the Erasmus Mundus EXPERT scholarship, where he is also a doctoral researcher. He is the founder architect of DHARATAL, an Indo-European design atelier with focus on local communities, their heritage and cultural landscapes. He is presently also a heritage consultant to UNESCO and part of the executive committee of ICOMOS India. Nishant’s talk, titled ‘Shapeshifting: Spaces for Future Living’ will throw light on cities, conservation, culture, life, and much more. Join us on Wednesday 15 February 2023, at 4.00 pm IST.
Shaahina Ali The Maldives is a vast stretch of 1200 islands spread across the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is on a mission to safeguard its future and lead change by educating, empowering and connecting an ecosystem of ocean champions. This goal inspires — and has in many ways been shaped by Shaahina Ali, Director of Parley Maldives. Shaahina has engaged a network of island communities schools, resorts, businesses, NGOs and government agencies in programs to reduce plastic waste, introduce recycling programs, boost eco-innovation, strengthen existing conservation efforts and inspire a new generation of ocean advocates. From swimming, snorkelling and diving lessons to community education on the impacts of plastic pollution, Shaahina’s work has helped people of all backgrounds, especially young Maldivians, experience the ocean and understand the fast-changing world beneath the surface.