Media Release

Mangaluru, Aug 15: The administration of St Agnes College, Mangaluru, will organise TEDxSt Agnes College on Saturday, August 16. The event is operated under a licence issued by TED Conferences LLC, New York, which may authorise its partners and licensees to distribute the talks worldwide at its discretion.

As an educational institution, the objectives for organising this TEDx event are tied to the broader goals of fostering learning, critical thinking, inspiration, and positive change.

TED Talks bring speakers from various fields, offering students access to real-world ideas beyond the textbook. These talks often include personal journeys, failures, and breakthroughs, inspiring students to think ambitiously, innovate, and overcome challenges.

Organising or attending TEDx events also provides students with practical experience in planning, communication, and teamwork. The theme for this year’s event is Threads of Change for Sustainability.

The speakers for TEDxSt Agnes College are:

1. Sharan Chilimbi: A popular influencer, Tulu content creator, and YouTuber, Sharan Chilimbi collaborates with brands to craft compelling messages for audiences in Dakshina Kannada and the global Tulu-speaking community. Known as ‘The Powerhouse’, he hosts the popular Tulu podcast Chilling with Chilimbi, featuring conversations with personalities such as Raj B Shetty, Anchor Anushree, CID Daya Shetty, and others.

His acting portfolio includes several Tulu web series and films, and appearances alongside Kannada Bigg Boss celebrities Raghu Gowda and Shamanth Gowda. He also reached the quarterfinals of Naach Nara Naach Nari, a Konkani dance reality show aired on Daijiworld.

2. Arun Shenoy: An environmental educator and conservation activist, Arun Shenoy established ‘Kanthavara’, a forest base camp and training centre, following a tree-poaching incident in a nearby forest. He successfully halted the destruction and saved three acres of pristine forest.

Kanthavara hosts forest walk programmes, study tours, ‘Broken Forest’ sessions, seed ball making, and bamboo construction workshops. Over 50 such camps have been held in two years, raising awareness about the effects of forest encroachment, threats to wildlife, and forest fire prevention.

3. Privy D’Souza: A postgraduate student at St Agnes College, Privy D’Souza has been an Agnesian from school to university. She is the only student to be elected president at all three educational levels—school, pre-university, and college—winning the Best Outgoing Student award at both PU and degree levels.

A state-level basketball player and champion in debate, declamation, and elocution, she was crowned Miss Teen India 2021 and won the State-Level District Youth Parliament. After losing her father at 16, she became a professional emcee, hosting events including the National-Level Miss India 2024. She is also a video presenter for national brands and a sought-after resource person.

4. Dr Saji Varghese: Associate professor in the Department of English and Coordinator of the Social Entrepreneurship Wing at Christ University, Bengaluru, Dr Saji Varghese developed 100% biodegradable straws from fallen coconut leaves, earning one of India’s fastest patents in 2018. His venture, Sunbird Straws, employs 118 women in coastal India.

He was part of the President of India’s business delegation to the Philippines in 2019 and has received multiple national and international awards, including UN recognition on World Environment Day for contributions to social impact and sustainability.

Talk topics:

• Sharan Chilimbi – The Positives and Negatives of Being an Influencer

• Arun Shenoy – The Broken Forest Files

• Privy D’Souza – From Pain to Power

• Dr Saji Varghese – Weaving the Fabric of Sustainability

Event details:
Venue: Mother Mary Aloysia Centenary Auditorium
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
Time: 9 am

St Agnes College, established in 1921 in Mangaluru, is a reputed institution in the field of education. It is the only college under Mangalore University to be re-accredited by NAAC in Cycle 5 (2025) and was awarded ‘College of Excellence’ status by the UGC in 2017—the first under Mangalore University, third in the state, and eighteenth in the country.

The college has also been awarded Star College Status by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, for its outstanding progress in the promotion of basic sciences.