Opening Keynote
Address - South Asia: Securing the Future
March 12, 2010; 10.00 -- 10.45
hrs
P. Chidambaram is among the most prominent cabinet ministers
of the United Progressive Alliance. His achievements at the
Ministry of Finance are legendary. Between 2004 and 2008,
India’s GDP rocked the charts surging past 9 per cent
annual growth for three successive years. He was entrusted
with Home Affairs after the terrible Mumbai terror attacks
of 26/11 to put internal security in order. In just over a
year, his presence has transformed what was a moribund ministry
into a fighting force. He has put in process a plan to create
an internal security environment that reflects the modernity
of India and ensures the safety of the billion-plus populace.
A successful lawyer, the Harvard-educated Chidambaram was Finance Minister between 1996 and 1998, Minister of Commerce in the Narasimha Rao government and Minister of Internal Security in Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet. One of the most articulate politicians, Chidambaram is a seven-time Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Vice President & Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai
Keynote Session: Dubai 2020
March 12, 2010; 10.45 -- 11.30
hrs
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. He has been largely responsible for transforming Dubai into a modern global city. Sheikh Mohammed is a man of many talents. He attended the Mons Officer School and Sandhurst and made his name as a skilled marksman and equestrian. He is also a trained fighter-jet pilot. He is the world’s biggest owner and breeder of racehorses and competes in international endurance races where he has won many top prizes. Sheikh Mohammed writes poetry rooted in the Bedouin culture. His book, “My Vision,” has also been a best-seller. He established the $10 billion Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation which trains young Arabs in leadership. He also sponsors Dubai Cares which educates children in a dozen countries, and Noor which treats diseases relating to blindness .
Kamal Nath
Minister of Road Transport & Highways
Round Table Discussion
-The Politics of Progress
March 12, 2010; 11.45 -- 12.45
hrs
Kamal Nath is among those Indian politicians who manage to blend good economics and good politics successfully. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways in the current regime, Nath was Commerce and Industry Minister between 2004 and 2009 when he introduced the concept of Special Economic Zones to promote investment and employment.
His firm grasp of issues and diplomatic skills at the WTO are legendary. At the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, Nath had emerged as one of the chief spokesmen for developing countries contributing significantly to the contours of the Climate Change Convention, the Biodiversity Conservation Convention and the Forestry Agreement. A member of the Congress Party since 1968 and a veteran parliamentarian, he has represented Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh eight times. A commerce graduate, Nath was first inducted into the Union Council of Ministers in 1991 and has successfully handled portfolios such as Environment and Forests, and Textiles .
Dayanidhi Maran
Union Minister for Textiles
Round Table Discussion
-The Politics of Progress
March 12, 2010; 11.45 -- 12.45
hrs
Counted among the young and dynamic politicians of India, Dayanidhi Maran has communicated effectively in a short span of time that good economics can be and is good politics. Born in the high voltage political family, the son of late Murasoli Maran and grand nephew of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi Maran was for most part of his life better known along with brother Kalanidhi Maran as founder of Sun TV. Dayanidhi was inducted as Union IT and Communications Minister in his very first term as MP in 2004. Among the most articulate of Indian politicians Dayanidhi stood out with his performance as IT & Telecom Minister. It is during his tenure that the world really came to know of the Telecom Revolution in India. As IT and Communications Minister he created the policy environment to attract investments in excess of $30b for the IT sector alone and set the ball rolling for making India a chip manufacturing hub. As Union Textiles Minister he is promising to weave a new success story. He is pushing for the modernisation of India’s oldest sector through technology upgradation, better credit line and by promoting it India textiles in new markets .
Nitin Gadkari
President, BJP
Round Table Discussion
-The Politics of Progress
March 12, 2010; 11.45 -- 12.45 hrs
Nitin Jayaram Gadkari is the youngest BJP President at 52. A businessman, a technocrat and a practicing grass roots politician, Gadkari has been chosen to guide the Indian Right back into limelight. Before heading the Maharashtra BJP in 2004, Gadkari was a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in his student days. A member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for four consecutive terms, he has also served as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Best known for successfully improving urban infrastructure in Maharashtra, Gadkari represents the can-do attitude of young India. In a country infamous for delayed public sector projects, he created history by ensuring the completion of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and over 50 flyovers before time and at less than the budgeted cost. Gadkari was also responsible for creating the blueprint for the highly successful rural connectivity initiative—Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Programme—that was engineered to connect “Bharat with India” during the Vajpayee regime.
John T. Chambers
Chairman & CEO, CISCO
Luncheon Keynote
Address - Enabling Country Transformation
Through Technology
March 12, 2010; 13.00 - 13.45
hrs
John Chambers (60) is Chairman and CEO of Cisco. Since
January 1995, when he assumed the role of CEO, Chambers
has grown the company from US$1.2 billion in annual
revenues to its current run-rate of approximately $36
billion. He has received numerous awards for his leadership
including being named as one of Time Magazine's
"100 Most Influential People".
Chambers has been widely recognised for his and Cisco's philanthropic
leadership, receiving the first-ever Clinton Global Citizen
Award from former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and the U.S.
State Department's top corporate social responsibility award
from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He has also received
the prestigious Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy Award,
given by CEOs to their CEO peers.
Chambers has served two American presidents; most
recently President George W. Bush, as Vice Chairman
of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC),
where he provided industry experience and leadership
to help protect the United States' critical infrastructure.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Philosopher & Expert On Risk
Session Economy - Power
of the Unknown
March 12, 2010; 14.30 - 15.15
hrs
Nassim
N. Taleb (49) is a combination of a scholar of risk
and randomness, writer of philosophical tales, and derivatives
trader. He is known for a multidisciplinary approach
to the role of the high-impact, rare event --across
psychology, economics, philosophy, finance, engineering,
and history. He is also known for putting his ideas
in practice with his "Black Swan" investment
strategy. Taleb has authored the New York Times Bestseller
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable,
besides other books and research papers. His books have
more than 2.7 million copies in print and his work has
been translated into 31 languages.
Although he describes himself as "flaneur"
(meditating in cafés), Taleb has the highest
academic title of Distinguished Professor in Risk
Engineering at New York University's Engineering department.
He has an MBA from Wharton and a PhD from the University
of Paris. The London Times has called him:
"A giant of Mediterranean thought ... Now the
hottest thinker in the world".
Nikesh Arora
President Global Sales Operations
& Business Development, Google Inc
Session Technology - The
World According To Google
March 12, 2010; 15.30 - 16.15 hrs
Nikesh Arora (39) is President, Global Sales Operations
and Business Development at Google. He oversees all
revenue and customer operations, and marketing and partnerships.
Since joining Google in 2004, he has held several positions
with the company, including global direct sales operations.
He developed and managed the company's operations in
the European, Middle Eastern and African markets and
was responsible for creating and expanding strategic
partnerships for the benefit of Google's growing number
of users and advertisers.
Nikesh's main areas of focus have been consulting, IT,
marketing and finance. Earlier he was chief marketing
officer and a member of the management board at T-Mobile
where he spearheaded all product development, terminals,
brand and marketing activities of T-Mobile Europe. In
1999, he started working with Deutsche Telekom and founded
T-Motion PLC, a mobile multimedia subsidiary of T-Mobile
International. Prior to joining Deutsche Telekom, Nikesh
held management positions at Putnam Investments and
Fidelity Investments in Boston.
Nikesh holds a master's degree from Boston College and
an MBA from Northeastern University, both of which were
awarded with distinction. He also holds the CFA designation.
In 1989, Nikesh graduated from the Institute of Technology
in Varanasi, India with a bachelor's degree in electrical
engineering .
Kapil Sibal
Union Minister for Human Resource Development
Session Human Resources: The Future of Education
March 12, 2010; 16.30 - 17.30 hrs
Well known lawyer, two-time Chandni Chowk MP, articulate defender of the government in TV debates and successful SMS poet, Kapil Sibal is determined to make education a game changer in India. Having taken on the mammoth task of transforming Indian education head-on in consultation with stakeholders, he is bringing about change one policy at a time, from building world class institutions such as Yale to making school exams trauma free. He believes that there are as many opinions on education in India as there are people, yet he is determined to leave his mark on a portfolio that will decide India's place at the global high table. Always an achiever, he has studied at St Stephen's College in Delhi and Harvard Law School. He was called in to Parliament to defend Supreme Court judge V. Ramaswami in his impeachment proceedings, which he considers the high watermark of his legal career.
Swami Ramdev
Yoga & Ayurveda Expert
Session Lifestyle - Sex
& Spirituality
March 13, 2010; 10.00 - 11.15
hrs
Swami
Ramdev, 54, also known as Baba Ramdev, is known for
his efforts in popularising Yoga as it is enunciated
in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. He is also one of
the founders of the Divya Yog Mandir Trust that aims
to popularise Yoga and offer Ayurvedic treatments.
Over 85 million people follow his yoga camps via TV
channels, and video. His TV programme is broadcast across
the world --in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe and America.
His yoga teaching sessions are offered free to
all. He was born Ramkishan Yadav and as a child he suffered
from paralysis. He has stated that it was through yoga
that he was able to regain the full functionality of
his body. He attended school till the eighth grade.
He then joined an aarsh gurukul in Khanpur village
to study Sanskrit and Yoga. Eventually, he assumed
Sanyas, taking his present name. He then moved to Jind
district and joined the aarsh gurukul Kalba and
started offering free Yoga training to villagers across
Haryana. Among other locations, Swamiji has been invited
to conduct a yoga camp at the President of India's residence,
Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Swami Ramdev's flagship project, the Patanjali Yogpeeth
(PYP) Trust, was inaugurated on August 6, 2006. Its
aim is to build the world's largest center for Ayurveda
and Yoga that includes facilities for treatment,
research and a teaching university. Through PYP, Swami
Ramdev continues to work with various institutions and
medical organizations in an effort to study and improve
yoga's effectiveness in working against diseases
like diabetes, hypertension and obesity, among others.
Swami Satya Vedant
Author and Philosopher
Session Lifestyle - Sex
& Spirituality
March 13, 2010; 10.00 - 11.15
hrs
In
1975 the enlightened mystic Osho initiated Dr. Vasant
Joshi into sannyas and named him Swami Satya Vedant.
He was appointed by Osho as Chancellor of Osho Multiversity,
Pune.
Swami Vedant holds a Ph.D. degree from the University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor,U.S.A., and M.A., Ph.D. from
M.S. University of Baroda. He has served on the faculty
of University of California, Berkeley, and at the University
of Michigan. He has also been a Visiting Professor,
India Scholar Program, Cleveland State University, Cleveland,
Ohio, U.S.A. He has given numerous public lectures,
presented papers, has held meditation workshops in India
and around the world including at the United Nations,
The World Bank, the Pentagon, as well as at Dr. Deepak
Chopra's program in San Diego. His workshops have been
mainly focused on Meditation and Awareness. Swami Vedant's
publications include books and a wide range of articles
published in journals, magazines, and newspapers .
Sir Salman Rushdie
Author
Dinner Keynote
Address - Freedom and Dissent
March 12, 2010; 20.00 - 21.30
hrs
Sir Salman Rushdie (62) is among the most celebrated and controversial
authors of our time - perhaps of any time. A brilliant provocateur,
he's penned a handful of classic novels, overcome an infamous
fatwa, received a Queen's Knighthood for "services to literature,"
and become both a pop culture icon and one of the most thought-provoking
proponents for free speech today.
His novels, greeted always with anticipation and acclaim, include
The Satanic Verses, The Moor's Last Sigh, The Ground Beneath
Her Feet and 2008's The Enchantress of Florence.
For his masterwork of magic realism, Midnight's Children,
he won the prestigious Booker Prize, and later, the Best of
the Booker. An eclectic writer and recently named one of the
top 100 public intellectuals in the world by Foreign Policy,
Rushdie has won many of the world's top literary prizes, published
a heralded collection of essays, Step Across the Line,
written a book on The Wizard of Oz, and served for two
years as president of The PEN American Center, the world's oldest
human rights organisation.
Alan Mulally
President & CEO Ford Motor Co.
Luncheon Keynote
Address -The Future Of Manufacturing
March 13, 2010; 12.30 - 13.15
hrs
Alan Mulally (64) is President and Chief Executive Officer
of Ford Motor Company. He was previously Executive Vice
President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where
he contributed to the design of the 727, 737, 747, 757,
and 767, and led the development of the 777. Mulally
is largely credited with Boeing's resurgence against
Airbus in the mid-2000s. Aviation Week named
him 2006 "person of the year." Moving to Ford
Motor Company as President and CEO in 2006 he implemented
the ONE Ford plan to transform Ford into a lean global
enterprise focused on great products. He negotiated
new agreements to reduce US labour costs; sold Jaguar
and Land Rover to Tata Motors, to concentrate on the
Ford brand; and led the effort to borrow $23.6 billion
to stabilise Ford's financial position. Ford is the
only Detroit-based automaker that has not sought a government
loan and Mulally's initiatives led to the company's
first profitable quarter in two years. For his achievements
at Ford, he was included in the 2009 Time 100 list.
Mulally is a member of the United States National Academy
of Engineering and a Fellow of England's Royal Academy
of Engineering.
Michael Specter
Author on Science & Technology
Session Health -
Does Science Work Against Nature?
March 13, 2010; 14.00- 15.00
hrs
Michael Specter, born 1955, is the author of "Denialism:
How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress,
Harms the Planet, and Threatens our Lives,"
published by The Penguin Press. In this provocative
outlook, Specter examines the growing fear of science,
(like the confusion within the use of vaccines given
their proven value) and the billions of dollars spent
on vitamins and supplements - despite increasing evidence
that they are all but worthless (and sometimes worse.)
He also writes about the anxiety created by personal
genomics. Why is there a growing obsession with organic
food and yet misconceptions about genetically modified
food which could cause starvation in the developing
world. Specter argues for a new Enlightenment, writing
that the only way to deal successfully with the challenges
we face as a species is to embrace science, not run
from it.
Specter writes about science, technology and global
public health for The New Yorker, where he has
been a Staff Writer since 1998. Since joining the magazine,
he has published articles about the AIDS epidemic in
Africa, Russia and India, as well as about scientific
efforts to resurrect extinct viruses, synthetic biology,
avian influenza, malaria, genetically modified food,
efforts to mine the human genome to fight disease, the
Bush Administration's war on science, the world's diminishing
freshwater resources and the debate over the meaning
of a carbon footprint. He has focused particularly on
our often contradictory approach to consumption, common
misconceptions about the putative value of organic food,
the exaggerated fear of science, and the confusion that
often obscures well meaning attempts to protect our
environment.
Suman Sahai
Convenor, Gene Campaign
Session Health -
Does Science Work Against Nature
March 13, 2010; 14.00- 15.00
hrs
Dr.
Suman Sahai, who has had a distinguished scientific
career in the field of genetics, was honoured with the
2004 Borlaug Award for her outstanding contribution
to agriculture and the environment. Dr. Sahai received
her Ph.D. degree in genetics from New Delhi and served
as a faculty member doing research at the Universities
of Alberta, Chicago and the University of Heidelberg.
She returned to India to organise the Gene Campaign,
an NGO dedicated to protecting farmers' rights and food
and livelihood security. She was appointed Knight of
the Golden Ark (Netherlands) in 2001.
Dr. Sahai, who has published extensively on science
policy and food security issues, Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR) and Ag biotechnology, has been working
both at the grassroots and policy levels, with considerable
impact. She is a member of several national policy
forums on international trade, biodiversity and environment,
biotechnology and bioethics, intellectual property
rights and research and education. Dr Sahai chaired
the Planning Commission Task Force on 'Agro biodiversity
and Genetically Engineered Organisms', for the Eleventh
Plan.
Chris Hughes
Co-Founder of Facebook & former Coordinator
of My.Barackobama.com
Session Social Net-Working
- The Power Of Social Net-Working
March 13, 2010; 15.15 - 16.00
hrs
Chris Hughes has spent his career developing technologies to
make social communication and political organising easier and
more efficient. After co-founding Facebook in 2004, Hughes worked
first as the site's spokesperson and later as a product manager
specialising in user experience. In 2007, Hughes left Facebook
to work on President Barack Obama's presidential campaign as
the Director of Online Organising, where he was charged with
developing web technologies to engage and empower supporters.
Hughes oversaw the development of the on-site network My.BarackObama.com
along with the campaign's distributed presence on all other
networks across the web like Facebook and Twitter. After working
in 2009 in venture capital for the firm General Catalyst Partners,
he is currently embarking on a new initiative to apply his knowledge
and skills to the field of global development.
David Bloom
Professor of Economics & Demography,
Harvard University
Session Demographics - India's
Population: Dividend or Disaster?
March 13, 2010; 11.30 - 12.15
hrs
David E. Bloom (54) is Clarence James Gamble Professor
of Economics and Demography and Chair, Department of
Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public
Health. Bloom holds a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations
from Cornell University (1976), an M.A. in Economics
from Princeton University (1978), and a Ph.D. in Economics
and Demography from Princeton University (1981). Dr.
Bloom serves as a Faculty Research Associate at the
National Bureau of Economic Research, and is a member
of the Board of Trustees of amfAR, the Foundation for
AIDS Research. Dr. Bloom also serves as Director of
Harvard University's Program on the Global Demography
of Aging. In April 2005 Dr. Bloom was elected Fellow
of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Bloom
has published nearly 300 articles, book chapters, and
books. His current research focuses on the theoretical
and empirical links among health, demography, and economic
growth.
Ranbir Kapoor
Actor
Session Youth Forum -
Change: Reality vs Idealism
March 13, 2010; 16.15 - 17.45
hrs
Ranbir Kapoor, 27, is the hot new sensation in Bollywood,
especially after his breakout performance in Rocket
Singh. Born to actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh,
Kapoor is the great grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor and
the grandson of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor. Acting
was always his chosen profession and he studied method
acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
in New York. Before starting his career as an actor,
Kapoor worked as an assistant to director Sanjay Leela
Bhansali, where he was involved in the making of the
film Black (2005). Kapoor later made his acting
debut in November 2007 with Bhansali's Saawariya
opposite newcomer Sonam Kapoor. The film failed
to do well at the box office though he received many
positive reviews for his portrayal of the lovesick singer,
Ranbir Raj. He went on to win a Filmfare Best
Male Debut Award and the Star Screen Award for
Most Promising Newcomer. Kapoor was then seen in Siddharth
Anand's romantic comedy Bachna Ae Haseeno but
it was his next film, Karan Johar's Wake Up Sid,
released in 2009, which established him as a star and
an accomplished performer. He will next appear in Rajneeti
which also features Katrina Kaif and is based on
India's political dynasties, typically the Nehru-Gandhi
family.
Asin Thottumkal
Actor
Session Youth Forum -
Change: Reality vs Idealism
March 13, 2010; 16.15 - 17.45
hrs
From the loveable chatterbox Kalpana in A. R. Murgadoss’ Ghajini to the fiercely independent Priya of Vipul Shah’s London Dreams, Asin Thottumkal has already impressed critics with her performances in Hindi films in less than two years. In Tamil and Telugu films, she is in a class of her own, having acted in a range of movies since the age of 15, from Varalaru with Ajith Kumar to Dasavathaaram with the great Kamal Haasan. She has acted in numerous blockbusters, from the college love story Ullam Ketkumae to the action thriller Pokkiri. Originally from Kerala, the award-winning actor switches easily from Malayalam to Tamil, Telugu to Hindi films, and is in demand for her stunning screen presence and effortless acting skills. The archetypal contemporary Indian girl, she is the face of several consumer brands and a style icon who is featured regularly on the cover of fashion glossies across India.
Deepender Hooda
Congress MP
Session Youth Forum -
Change: Reality vs Idealism
March 13, 2010; 16.15 - 17.45
hrs
One of the most dynamic youth leaders of his generation, Deepender Hooda, the 2nd term Congress MP from Rohtak, Haryana, has already made a mark as an articulate parliamentarian and a politician committed to rural development. An MBA with corporate experience in India and abroad, Hooda serves actively on several important bodies: He is Vice-Chairman, Indian Red Cross Society; Chairperson, Indo-UK forum of Parliamentarians; Member, Standing Committee on Human Resource Development; Member, Consultative Committee on External Affairs; and Patron, Sarv Hitkari Seva Trust (NGO focussed on education and health). Hooda is the third-generation in the Lok Sabha from a family with a rich political heritage: his father is the Chief Minister of Haryana and his grandfather was a freedom fighter and a member of the Constituent Assembly. He is actively involved in the modernization of the Youth Congress undertaken by Rahul Gandhi. He is also fast emerging as a passionate champion of agriculture and rural infrastructure.
Roopa Purushothaman
Head of Research, Everstone Investment Advisors
Session Youth Forum -
Change: Reality vs Idealism
March 13, 2010; 16.15 - 17.45
hrs
Roopa Purushothaman, the co-author of Dreaming with BRICS: The Path to 2050, is head of research at Everstone Investment Advisors. The group's last research paper, The Next Urban Frontier: Twenty Cities to Watch, in partnership with the National Council of Applied Economic Research, analysed spending, savings and demographic patterns in 20 of India's most dynamic urban centres. She is a member of the Prime Minister'’s advisory committee for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and was previously with Future Group as chief economist. Formerly with Goldman Sachs as vice president and global economist, she was educated at Yale University and the London School of Economics.
Tanya A. Dubash
Executive Director & President (Marketing),
Godrej Group
Session Youth Forum -
Change: Reality vs Idealism
March 13, 2010; 16.15 - 17.45
hrs
Tanya
Dubash, Executive Director & President (Marketing),
Godrej Group, is also a Director in Godrej Industries
and other entities within the group such as Godrej Agrovet,
Keyline Brands, Rapidol (Pty), and Godrej Holdings.
She heads the Strategic Marketing Group that drives
the development of the Godrej Masterbrand and also
chairs the Godrej Marketing Council which capitalises
on the group’s synergies, shares best practices
and develops standardised processes through training
and knowledge management.
Tanya has a supervisory role in all Group marketing
initiatives and is in charge of the Marketing &
New Product Development related to new initiatives.
A graduate in Economics and Political Science from
Brown University, USA, Tanya has completed an Advanced
Management Program from the Harvard Business School.
Adrian D'Souza
Goal Keeper, Indian Hockey Team
Session Youth Forum -
Change: Reality vs Idealism
March 13, 2010; 16.15 - 17.45
hrs
Adrian Albert D'souza is a field hockey goalkeeper and has more than 100 International Caps for his country in all competitions. Regarded as one of the most innovative and daring goal-keepers of recent times, Adrian bought the rushing technique to the hockey field. He was the captain of the India Junior Hockey team, which participated in the Rabobank 2005 Junior Hockey World Cup (Under 21s). His dream is to win an Olympic medal for India and in preparation for this Adrian has recently got the Olympic rings tattooed on his torso!
Hockey, happened to Adrian by accident, as the regular goal-keeper of the team did not turn up. He played as keeper, broke a tooth and promised never to play again. But his coach was impressed and Adrian has never looked back. At 19 Adrian represented India at the Athens Olympics.
Visionary
writer-director James Cameron has always been unconventional
whether it was dropping out of college to drive a truck
for the local school district or selling the script of
The Terminator to Hemdale Films for one dollar
on the condition that he could direct it. After tasting
global success with it, he directed The Abyss, Terminator
2: Judgment Day and True Lies. Moving away
from high-testosterone action films, he then directed
the ultimate love story, Titanic. Defying industry
pundits who predicted a disaster when the film ran months
over schedule and millions of dollars over budget, Titanic
broke box office records all over the world and won
an unprecedented 11 Oscars, including a statuette for
Cameron as Best Director. Even as his driven perfectionism
became part of Hollywood legend, he worked for four years
on his most ambitious film of all, Avatar, a dazzling
science fiction epic based on a script he first wrote
in 1994. The first big budget action film to be shot in
3D, it used revolutionary camera technology he developed
himself, and earned over $1 billion in its first three
weekends. Avatar's box office receipts have made
history, exceeding those of every other film ever made.
Aamir Khan
Actor, Director & Producer
Dinner Keynote Address -
The Future of Cinema
March 13, 2010; 20.00 -- 21.30 hrs
Beginning as an assistant director, Aamir Khan has worn many hats, as actor, director and producer. India's most consistent box office star has always challenged the norm, whether it was ushering in the era of romantic films with his first lead role, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, in 1988; producing and acting in Lagaan, which was only the second Indian film to be nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 2001; or directing a sensitive film on child disability, Taare Zameen Par, in 2007.
Whether it is playing an unbending police office combating terrorism in Sarfarosh in 1999, doing an all-out action film like Ghajini in '08 or an ensemble comedy that mocks the education system, 3 Idiots, in '09, which has since become Bollywood's biggest ever blockbuster, he has always aimed for perfection. A mass entertainer who also manages to enlighten with his films, Aamir Khan has been a lead actor for 22 years in an industry notorious for its short attention span. He's been a teen idol, a romantic hero, an avenging angel, and in his most recent avatar, a rebel with a cause, in a career blessed with critical acclaim and commercial success
**
Invited, yet to confirm
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
After a rocky start to the new
millennium, the world looks
forward to the promise that the new decade brings — resurgent economic growth in Asia, a new security architecture to fight terror,
a fresh wave of technological
innovations, action on climate
change and less conflict.
More
than ever before,
this decade
holds great
expectations for
India
and the world.
Aroon PurieChairman The India Today Group
P. Chidambaram is among the most prominent cabinet ministers
of the United Progressive Alliance. His achievements at the
Ministry of Finance are legendary. Between 2004 and 2008,
India’s GDP rocked the charts surging past 9 per cent
annual growth for three successive years. He was entrusted
with Home Affairs after the terrible Mumbai terror attacks
of 26/11 to put internal security in order. In just over a
year, his presence has transformed what was a moribund ministry
into a fighting force. He has put in process a plan to create
an internal security environment that reflects the modernity
of India and ensures the safety of the billion-plus populace.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. He has been largely responsible for transforming Dubai into a modern global city. Sheikh Mohammed is a man of many talents. He attended the Mons Officer School and Sandhurst and made his name as a skilled marksman and equestrian. He is also a trained fighter-jet pilot. He is the world’s biggest owner and breeder of racehorses and competes in international endurance races where he has won many top prizes. Sheikh Mohammed writes poetry rooted in the Bedouin culture. His book, “My Vision,” has also been a best-seller. He established the $10 billion Mohammed bin Rashid Foundation which trains young Arabs in leadership. He also sponsors Dubai Cares which educates children in a dozen countries, and Noor which treats diseases relating to blindness . 
Kamal Nath is among those Indian politicians who manage to blend good economics and good politics successfully. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways in the current regime, Nath was Commerce and Industry Minister between 2004 and 2009 when he introduced the concept of Special Economic Zones to promote investment and employment. 
Counted among the young and dynamic politicians of India, Dayanidhi Maran has communicated effectively in a short span of time that good economics can be and is good politics. Born in the high voltage political family, the son of late Murasoli Maran and grand nephew of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi Maran was for most part of his life better known along with brother Kalanidhi Maran as founder of Sun TV. Dayanidhi was inducted as Union IT and Communications Minister in his very first term as MP in 2004. Among the most articulate of Indian politicians Dayanidhi stood out with his performance as IT & Telecom Minister. It is during his tenure that the world really came to know of the Telecom Revolution in India. As IT and Communications Minister he created the policy environment to attract investments in excess of $30b for the IT sector alone and set the ball rolling for making India a chip manufacturing hub. As Union Textiles Minister he is promising to weave a new success story. He is pushing for the modernisation of India’s oldest sector through technology upgradation, better credit line and by promoting it India textiles in new markets . 
Nitin Jayaram Gadkari is the youngest BJP President at 52. A businessman, a technocrat and a practicing grass roots politician, Gadkari has been chosen to guide the Indian Right back into limelight. Before heading the Maharashtra BJP in 2004, Gadkari was a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in his student days. A member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for four consecutive terms, he has also served as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly. 
John Chambers (60) is Chairman and CEO of Cisco. Since
January 1995, when he assumed the role of CEO, Chambers
has grown the company from US$1.2 billion in annual
revenues to its current run-rate of approximately $36
billion. He has received numerous awards for his leadership
including being named as one of Time Magazine's
"100 Most Influential People".
Nassim
N. Taleb (49) is a combination of a scholar of risk
and randomness, writer of philosophical tales, and derivatives
trader. He is known for a multidisciplinary approach
to the role of the high-impact, rare event --across
psychology, economics, philosophy, finance, engineering,
and history. He is also known for putting his ideas
in practice with his "Black Swan" investment
strategy. Taleb has authored the New York Times Bestseller
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable,
besides other books and research papers. His books have
more than 2.7 million copies in print and his work has
been translated into 31 languages.
Nikesh Arora (39) is President, Global Sales Operations
and Business Development at Google. He oversees all
revenue and customer operations, and marketing and partnerships.
Since joining Google in 2004, he has held several positions
with the company, including global direct sales operations.
He developed and managed the company's operations in
the European, Middle Eastern and African markets and
was responsible for creating and expanding strategic
partnerships for the benefit of Google's growing number
of users and advertisers.
Well known lawyer, two-time Chandni Chowk MP, articulate defender of the government in TV debates and successful SMS poet, Kapil Sibal is determined to make education a game changer in India. Having taken on the mammoth task of transforming Indian education head-on in consultation with stakeholders, he is bringing about change one policy at a time, from building world class institutions such as Yale to making school exams trauma free. He believes that there are as many opinions on education in India as there are people, yet he is determined to leave his mark on a portfolio that will decide India's place at the global high table. Always an achiever, he has studied at St Stephen's College in Delhi and Harvard Law School. He was called in to Parliament to defend Supreme Court judge V. Ramaswami in his impeachment proceedings, which he considers the high watermark of his legal career.
Swami
Ramdev, 54, also known as Baba Ramdev, is known for
his efforts in popularising Yoga as it is enunciated
in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. He is also one of
the founders of the Divya Yog Mandir Trust that aims
to popularise Yoga and offer Ayurvedic treatments.
Over 85 million people follow his yoga camps via TV
channels, and video. His TV programme is broadcast across
the world --in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe and America.
His yoga teaching sessions are offered free to
all. He was born Ramkishan Yadav and as a child he suffered
from paralysis. He has stated that it was through yoga
that he was able to regain the full functionality of
his body. He attended school till the eighth grade.
He then joined an aarsh gurukul in Khanpur village
to study Sanskrit and Yoga. Eventually, he assumed
Sanyas, taking his present name. He then moved to Jind
district and joined the aarsh gurukul Kalba and
started offering free Yoga training to villagers across
Haryana. Among other locations, Swamiji has been invited
to conduct a yoga camp at the President of India's residence,
Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In
1975 the enlightened mystic Osho initiated Dr. Vasant
Joshi into sannyas and named him Swami Satya Vedant.
He was appointed by Osho as Chancellor of Osho Multiversity,
Pune. 
Sir Salman Rushdie (62) is among the most celebrated and controversial
authors of our time - perhaps of any time. A brilliant provocateur,
he's penned a handful of classic novels, overcome an infamous
fatwa, received a Queen's Knighthood for "services to literature,"
and become both a pop culture icon and one of the most thought-provoking
proponents for free speech today.
Alan Mulally (64) is President and Chief Executive Officer
of Ford Motor Company. He was previously Executive Vice
President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where
he contributed to the design of the 727, 737, 747, 757,
and 767, and led the development of the 777. Mulally
is largely credited with Boeing's resurgence against
Airbus in the mid-2000s. Aviation Week named
him 2006 "person of the year." Moving to Ford
Motor Company as President and CEO in 2006 he implemented
the ONE Ford plan to transform Ford into a lean global
enterprise focused on great products. He negotiated
new agreements to reduce US labour costs; sold Jaguar
and Land Rover to Tata Motors, to concentrate on the
Ford brand; and led the effort to borrow $23.6 billion
to stabilise Ford's financial position. Ford is the
only Detroit-based automaker that has not sought a government
loan and Mulally's initiatives led to the company's
first profitable quarter in two years. For his achievements
at Ford, he was included in the 2009 Time 100 list.
Mulally is a member of the United States National Academy
of Engineering and a Fellow of England's Royal Academy
of Engineering.
Michael Specter, born 1955, is the author of "Denialism:
How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress,
Harms the Planet, and Threatens our Lives,"
published by The Penguin Press. In this provocative
outlook, Specter examines the growing fear of science,
(like the confusion within the use of vaccines given
their proven value) and the billions of dollars spent
on vitamins and supplements - despite increasing evidence
that they are all but worthless (and sometimes worse.)
He also writes about the anxiety created by personal
genomics. Why is there a growing obsession with organic
food and yet misconceptions about genetically modified
food which could cause starvation in the developing
world. Specter argues for a new Enlightenment, writing
that the only way to deal successfully with the challenges
we face as a species is to embrace science, not run
from it.
Dr.
Suman Sahai, who has had a distinguished scientific
career in the field of genetics, was honoured with the
2004 Borlaug Award for her outstanding contribution
to agriculture and the environment. Dr. Sahai received
her Ph.D. degree in genetics from New Delhi and served
as a faculty member doing research at the Universities
of Alberta, Chicago and the University of Heidelberg.
She returned to India to organise the Gene Campaign,
an NGO dedicated to protecting farmers' rights and food
and livelihood security. She was appointed Knight of
the Golden Ark (Netherlands) in 2001.
Chris Hughes has spent his career developing technologies to
make social communication and political organising easier and
more efficient. After co-founding Facebook in 2004, Hughes worked
first as the site's spokesperson and later as a product manager
specialising in user experience. In 2007, Hughes left Facebook
to work on President Barack Obama's presidential campaign as
the Director of Online Organising, where he was charged with
developing web technologies to engage and empower supporters.
Hughes oversaw the development of the on-site network My.BarackObama.com
along with the campaign's distributed presence on all other
networks across the web like Facebook and Twitter. After working
in 2009 in venture capital for the firm General Catalyst Partners,
he is currently embarking on a new initiative to apply his knowledge
and skills to the field of global development.
David E. Bloom (54) is Clarence James Gamble Professor
of Economics and Demography and Chair, Department of
Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public
Health. Bloom holds a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations
from Cornell University (1976), an M.A. in Economics
from Princeton University (1978), and a Ph.D. in Economics
and Demography from Princeton University (1981). Dr.
Bloom serves as a Faculty Research Associate at the
National Bureau of Economic Research, and is a member
of the Board of Trustees of amfAR, the Foundation for
AIDS Research. Dr. Bloom also serves as Director of
Harvard University's Program on the Global Demography
of Aging. In April 2005 Dr. Bloom was elected Fellow
of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Bloom
has published nearly 300 articles, book chapters, and
books. His current research focuses on the theoretical
and empirical links among health, demography, and economic
growth.
Ranbir Kapoor, 27, is the hot new sensation in Bollywood,
especially after his breakout performance in Rocket
Singh. Born to actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh,
Kapoor is the great grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor and
the grandson of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor. Acting
was always his chosen profession and he studied method
acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
in New York. Before starting his career as an actor,
Kapoor worked as an assistant to director Sanjay Leela
Bhansali, where he was involved in the making of the
film Black (2005). Kapoor later made his acting
debut in November 2007 with Bhansali's Saawariya
opposite newcomer Sonam Kapoor. The film failed
to do well at the box office though he received many
positive reviews for his portrayal of the lovesick singer,
Ranbir Raj. He went on to win a Filmfare Best
Male Debut Award and the Star Screen Award for
Most Promising Newcomer. Kapoor was then seen in Siddharth
Anand's romantic comedy Bachna Ae Haseeno but
it was his next film, Karan Johar's Wake Up Sid,
released in 2009, which established him as a star and
an accomplished performer. He will next appear in Rajneeti
which also features Katrina Kaif and is based on
India's political dynasties, typically the Nehru-Gandhi
family.
From the loveable chatterbox Kalpana in A. R. Murgadoss’ Ghajini to the fiercely independent Priya of Vipul Shah’s London Dreams, Asin Thottumkal has already impressed critics with her performances in Hindi films in less than two years. In Tamil and Telugu films, she is in a class of her own, having acted in a range of movies since the age of 15, from Varalaru with Ajith Kumar to Dasavathaaram with the great Kamal Haasan. She has acted in numerous blockbusters, from the college love story Ullam Ketkumae to the action thriller Pokkiri. Originally from Kerala, the award-winning actor switches easily from Malayalam to Tamil, Telugu to Hindi films, and is in demand for her stunning screen presence and effortless acting skills. The archetypal contemporary Indian girl, she is the face of several consumer brands and a style icon who is featured regularly on the cover of fashion glossies across India. 
One of the most dynamic youth leaders of his generation, Deepender Hooda, the 2nd term Congress MP from Rohtak, Haryana, has already made a mark as an articulate parliamentarian and a politician committed to rural development. An MBA with corporate experience in India and abroad, Hooda serves actively on several important bodies: He is Vice-Chairman, Indian Red Cross Society; Chairperson, Indo-UK forum of Parliamentarians; Member, Standing Committee on Human Resource Development; Member, Consultative Committee on External Affairs; and Patron, Sarv Hitkari Seva Trust (NGO focussed on education and health). Hooda is the third-generation in the Lok Sabha from a family with a rich political heritage: his father is the Chief Minister of Haryana and his grandfather was a freedom fighter and a member of the Constituent Assembly. He is actively involved in the modernization of the Youth Congress undertaken by Rahul Gandhi. He is also fast emerging as a passionate champion of agriculture and rural infrastructure. 
Roopa Purushothaman, the co-author of Dreaming with BRICS: The Path to 2050, is head of research at Everstone Investment Advisors. The group's last research paper, The Next Urban Frontier: Twenty Cities to Watch, in partnership with the National Council of Applied Economic Research, analysed spending, savings and demographic patterns in 20 of India's most dynamic urban centres. She is a member of the Prime Minister'’s advisory committee for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and was previously with Future Group as chief economist. Formerly with Goldman Sachs as vice president and global economist, she was educated at Yale University and the London School of Economics. 
Tanya
Dubash, Executive Director & President (Marketing),
Godrej Group, is also a Director in Godrej Industries
and other entities within the group such as Godrej Agrovet,
Keyline Brands, Rapidol (Pty), and Godrej Holdings.
Adrian Albert D'souza is a field hockey goalkeeper and has more than 100 International Caps for his country in all competitions. Regarded as one of the most innovative and daring goal-keepers of recent times, Adrian bought the rushing technique to the hockey field. He was the captain of the India Junior Hockey team, which participated in the Rabobank 2005 Junior Hockey World Cup (Under 21s). His dream is to win an Olympic medal for India and in preparation for this Adrian has recently got the Olympic rings tattooed on his torso!
Visionary
writer-director James Cameron has always been unconventional
whether it was dropping out of college to drive a truck
for the local school district or selling the script of
The Terminator to Hemdale Films for one dollar
on the condition that he could direct it. After tasting
global success with it, he directed The Abyss, Terminator
2: Judgment Day and True Lies. Moving away
from high-testosterone action films, he then directed
the ultimate love story, Titanic. Defying industry
pundits who predicted a disaster when the film ran months
over schedule and millions of dollars over budget, Titanic
broke box office records all over the world and won
an unprecedented 11 Oscars, including a statuette for
Cameron as Best Director. Even as his driven perfectionism
became part of Hollywood legend, he worked for four years
on his most ambitious film of all, Avatar, a dazzling
science fiction epic based on a script he first wrote
in 1994. The first big budget action film to be shot in
3D, it used revolutionary camera technology he developed
himself, and earned over $1 billion in its first three
weekends. Avatar's box office receipts have made
history, exceeding those of every other film ever made. 
Beginning as an assistant director, Aamir Khan has worn many hats, as actor, director and producer. India's most consistent box office star has always challenged the norm, whether it was ushering in the era of romantic films with his first lead role, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, in 1988; producing and acting in Lagaan, which was only the second Indian film to be nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 2001; or directing a sensitive film on child disability, Taare Zameen Par, in 2007.
Whether it is playing an unbending police office combating terrorism in Sarfarosh in 1999, doing an all-out action film like Ghajini in '08 or an ensemble comedy that mocks the education system, 3 Idiots, in '09, which has since become Bollywood's biggest ever blockbuster, he has always aimed for perfection. A mass entertainer who also manages to enlighten with his films, Aamir Khan has been a lead actor for 22 years in an industry notorious for its short attention span. He's been a teen idol, a romantic hero, an avenging angel, and in his most recent avatar, a rebel with a cause, in a career blessed with critical acclaim and commercial success 
