IdeaFest Speaker Profiles
Dileep Cherian -Governance & policy
Mr. Dileep Cherian is widely regarded as India?s foremost “image guru”. He is a founder partner at Perfect Relations, one of the first agencies to introduce and establish the concept of Image Management in India in the early nineties. He is a former editor of Business India and the Observer newspaper, and writes columns appearing in several newspapers. He is also on the governing board of the Advertising Standards Council of India as well as the Board of Governing Council of the National Institute of Design.
Vineet Rai – Venture Capital & Social Entrepreneurship
Mr. Vineet Rai is the founder and CEO of Aavishkaar, a micro venture capital fund founded to promote development in rural and semi-urban India. Prior to Aavishkaar, Mr. Rai was a founder and the CEO of GIAN, an incubator for rural innovations and ventures based here in Ahmedabad. He has co-authored several papers on issues concerning rural and micro innovations along with Professor Anil Gupta. He has been elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2006 for his work towards sustainable change in rural India through the provision of venture capital financing.
Anshu Gupta – Social Entrepreneurship
Mr. Anshu Gupta is a former journalist and the founder director of Goonj, a non-profit organization that has created a mechanism for second-hand clothes and goods to pass from the wealthy to the poor. In 2004, Anshu was made an Ashoka Fellow for his innovative work with Goonj and his entrepreneurial ability. He also won the Development Marketplace award from the World Bank in 2007.
M R Madhavan - Governance & Policy
Mr. M R Madhavan is [part of the core team of / Head of Research at] PRS Legislative Research, an independent research initiative that seeks to strengthen the legislative process by making it better informed, transparent and participatory. He is also a leading columnist with the Indian Express. He has been the Principal and Senior Strategist for the Asia region for Bank of America. An alumnus of IIM-Calcutta, Mr. Madhavan was recently selected as a Chevening Gurukul Scholar at the London School of Economics.
Mr. Anil Joshi - Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship
Mr. Anil Joshi is head of operations at Mumbai Angels, a leading angel investment forum in India. He has professionally been involved in various corporate management functions, investment in startups, project management, joint ventures and business development. Mr. Joshi has a bachelor?s degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Strategic Finance and Control.
Prof. Jagdeep Chhokar - Governance & policy
Prof. Jagdeep Chhokar is a founding member of the Association for Democratic Reform, which is working to improve democracy and governance in India. His writes on electoral reform, informed choice and world affairs. A PhD in management and organizational behavior from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Delhi University, Mr. Chhokar taught here at IIM-Ahmedabad for 22 years. He was also the Director-in-charge and Dean here. In the past, he has worked with the Indian Railways and at a public sector company as an international marketing manager. Apart from his professional interests in organizational functioning, international marketing and cross-cultural management, Mr. Chhokar is also an avid birdwatcher. He has been published in the National Geographic BirdWatcher.
Anand Lunia - Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship
Mr. Anand Lunia is Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer at SeedFund, a leading early-stage venture capital fund in India. He leads investments in technology, internet, education and retail ventures and has over 11 years of experience as an entrepreneur, venture investor and corporate executive. An MBA from IIM-Lucknow, Mr. Lunia is also an active charter member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE).
Kiran Sethi – Education
Ms. Kiran Sethi is the founder and Director of Riverside School here in Ahmedabad, a school whose curriculum focuses on creating curious, competent future citizens. She was presented the “Call to Conscience” award in 2009 from Stanford for her work at the Riverside school. She is also the founder of „aProCh?, an initiative to make our cities more child-friendly, for which she was elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2008. Ms. Kiran Sethi has a background in design and a diploma in visual communication from the National Institute of Design.
Dileep Cherian -Governance & policy
Mr. Dileep Cherian is widely regarded as India?s foremost “image guru”. He is a founder partner at Perfect Relations, one of the first agencies to introduce and establish the concept of Image Management in India in the early nineties. He is a former editor of Business India and the Observer newspaper, and writes columns appearing in several newspapers. He is also on the governing board of the Advertising Standards Council of India as well as the Board of Governing Council of the National Institute of Design.
Vineet Rai – Venture Capital & Social Entrepreneurship
Mr. Vineet Rai is the founder and CEO of Aavishkaar, a micro venture capital fund founded to promote development in rural and semi-urban India. Prior to Aavishkaar, Mr. Rai was a founder and the CEO of GIAN, an incubator for rural innovations and ventures based here in Ahmedabad. He has co-authored several papers on issues concerning rural and micro innovations along with Professor Anil Gupta. He has been elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2006 for his work towards sustainable change in rural India through the provision of venture capital financing.
Anshu Gupta – Social Entrepreneurship
Mr. Anshu Gupta is a former journalist and the founder director of Goonj, a non-profit organization that has created a mechanism for second-hand clothes and goods to pass from the wealthy to the poor. In 2004, Anshu was made an Ashoka Fellow for his innovative work with Goonj and his entrepreneurial ability. He also won the Development Marketplace award from the World Bank in 2007.
M R Madhavan - Governance & Policy
Mr. M R Madhavan is [part of the core team of / Head of Research at] PRS Legislative Research, an independent research initiative that seeks to strengthen the legislative process by making it better informed, transparent and participatory. He is also a leading columnist with the Indian Express. He has been the Principal and Senior Strategist for the Asia region for Bank of America. An alumnus of IIM-Calcutta, Mr. Madhavan was recently selected as a Chevening Gurukul Scholar at the London School of Economics.
Mr. Anil Joshi - Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship
Mr. Anil Joshi is head of operations at Mumbai Angels, a leading angel investment forum in India. He has professionally been involved in various corporate management functions, investment in startups, project management, joint ventures and business development. Mr. Joshi has a bachelor?s degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Strategic Finance and Control.
Prof. Jagdeep Chhokar - Governance & policy
Prof. Jagdeep Chhokar is a founding member of the Association for Democratic Reform, which is working to improve democracy and governance in India. His writes on electoral reform, informed choice and world affairs. A PhD in management and organizational behavior from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Delhi University, Mr. Chhokar taught here at IIM-Ahmedabad for 22 years. He was also the Director-in-charge and Dean here. In the past, he has worked with the Indian Railways and at a public sector company as an international marketing manager. Apart from his professional interests in organizational functioning, international marketing and cross-cultural management, Mr. Chhokar is also an avid birdwatcher. He has been published in the National Geographic BirdWatcher.
Anand Lunia - Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship
Mr. Anand Lunia is Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer at SeedFund, a leading early-stage venture capital fund in India. He leads investments in technology, internet, education and retail ventures and has over 11 years of experience as an entrepreneur, venture investor and corporate executive. An MBA from IIM-Lucknow, Mr. Lunia is also an active charter member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE).
Kiran Sethi – Education
Ms. Kiran Sethi is the founder and Director of Riverside School here in Ahmedabad, a school whose curriculum focuses on creating curious, competent future citizens. She was presented the “Call to Conscience” award in 2009 from Stanford for her work at the Riverside school. She is also the founder of „aProCh?, an initiative to make our cities more child-friendly, for which she was elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2008. Ms. Kiran Sethi has a background in design and a diploma in visual communication from the National Institute of Design.