The Future Spoke Here: Inside TED-Ed Student Talks – December 2025 at Symbiosis Ishanya Bhavan

In December 2025, Symbiosis Ishanya Bhavan, Pune, transformed into more than a venue—it became a space for listening. Across two thoughtfully curated halves of the TED-Ed Student Talks – December 2025 Edition, young voices emerged with clarity, courage, and conviction, reaffirming a simple truth: powerful ideas are not defined by age, but by purpose.

Organised under the guidance of the VSPEAK Institute, the event marked the culmination of months of disciplined exploration, reflection, and mentorship. Far from a conventional student speaking programme, the initiative stood as a living example of how education evolves when expression is treated not as an add-on, but as a core life skill.

Students, educators, mentors, parents, and distinguished guests gathered to witness a generation thinking deeply, speaking responsibly, and engaging with the world through ideas shaped by curiosity, research, and lived experience.

The Essence of TED-Ed: Empowering Young Voices

The TED-Ed Student Talks Program, designed for students aged 8 to 18, follows a structured 13-module experiential journey. Unlike traditional public speaking formats, the process begins not with delivery, but with self-discovery.

Students identify questions that matter to them—rooted in observation, emotion, and personal experience. These ideas are researched, refined, written, and rewritten through peer feedback and mentor guidance before students step onto the stage.

Throughout the process, the emphasis remains clear: authenticity over performance, clarity over cleverness, and meaning over memorisation.

At Symbiosis Ishanya Bhavan, this philosophy was evident in every talk. The stage did not demand perfection; it invited honesty. Students spoke not to impress, but to express—turning the audience into active listeners rather than passive spectators.

Two Halves, One Shared Vision

By structuring the December 2025 edition across two distinct halves, the organisers created space for deeper engagement and thoughtful listening. Instead of compressing ideas into a single showcase, the format allowed each voice the time and attention it deserved.

Across both halves, the atmosphere was marked by attentiveness rather than applause, and presence rather than pressure—reinforcing a core TED-Ed belief: listening is as important as speaking.

First Half: Learning with Balance, Leadership, and Purpose

The first half of the event was distinguished by the presence of eminent guests whose journeys reflected holistic education, conscious leadership, and purposeful living.

The Chief Guest was Mrs Nanditha Chauhan, a respected model, speaker, and nutritionist, crowned Mrs Maharashtra 2024 and First Runner-Up, Mrs India 2025. Beyond her titles, her journey of resilience, self-discipline, and intentional growth resonated deeply with the young speakers, reinforcing that sustainable success is rooted in physical health, emotional balance, and mental clarity.

The session was further enriched by the Guests of Honour—Ms. Venicia Reneesh, Dr Pratik Mungekar, Dr Selvakumari Sankaranarayanan, and Ms Desiree Dhami—each contributing perspectives spanning academia, global exposure, creativity, and authentic self-expression. Together, they set a thoughtful tone aligned with the TED-Ed philosophy of learning with purpose and leading with empathy.

Second Half: Courage, Endurance, and Inspiration in Motion

The second half brought forward a powerful narrative of resilience through its Chief Guest, Ms. Prisha Tapre.

At just 16 years of age, she completed a solo swim across the English Channel in 11 hours and 48 minutes—an extraordinary achievement reflecting discipline, mental strength, and unwavering focus. Trained in the United Kingdom, her journey illustrated what sustained preparation and belief can accomplish.

Beyond the feat, she used her achievement to support child nutrition causes, transforming personal success into meaningful social impact. Her presence resonated strongly with students, particularly young girls, offering a living example of courage, consistency, and purpose in action.

The Student Voices That Defined the Stage

At the heart of the TED-Ed Student Talks – December 2025 Edition were 27 student speakers, each presenting an idea shaped by reflection, research, and lived experience. The student speakers and their talk topics were:

• Aanya Uppal – Turning Change Into Strength

• Aarav Subhedar – Mastering Money: The Wealth Code

• Arnav Pushkar Papalkar – Gen Alpha: Generation for Growth

• Anvita Bansal – Beating Procrastination

• Ayan Bairagi – When Expectations Turn Into Pressure

• Gargi Golande – The Paper We Can’t Uncrumple

• Garv Bhandari – The Words That Build or Break You

• Harshvardhan Pawar – Lessons from Shivaji Maharaj for Leaders

• Kesho Ahluwalia – Sip Safe, Skip the Struggle, Save the Water!

• Kiara Mathur – Water: Why We Can’t Afford to Waste a Drop

• Krisha Gandhi – The World Through My Colours

• Krutir Kulkarni – Change Isn’t Scary, It’s a New Adventure!

• Manasvi Dudwadkar – Outsmart Your Brain into Being Happy

• Meydhansh Bahl – Creating Connections in New Environments

• Ragupathy Thejeshvar – How One Flick Can Save Earth

• Rheya Agarwal – The Power of Choice

• Rishit Mantri – Minimal Tag, Maximum Me

• Rohan Edlabadkar – Public Speaking Through Public Speaking

• Shaurya Khot – Reviving Sports Before We Lose More

• Shiv Aggarwal – Why Your Hydration Matters

• Shreeya Rajwade – The Earth Was Once Green

• Smayan Amin – Hobbies vs Screens: The Real Battle

• Tiara Tandon – Life Matters More Than Your Screen

• Trisha Relhan – The Power of a Puzzle Piece

• Ved Bansal – Stuck in the Middle (Again)

• Vedant Nayudu – The Power of a Step

• Zaric Makhani – AI and Robots: Helpers, Not Replacements

  
  

Collectively, these talks addressed themes such as mental health, emotional resilience, financial literacy, environmental responsibility, leadership values, technological ethics, identity, creativity, self-worth, and social pressure. The depth and clarity with which these themes were handled underscored the program’s emphasis on thinking before speaking.

Collectively, the talks explored mental health, emotional resilience, financial literacy, leadership ethics, technology, creativity, empathy, identity, and self-worth—reflecting a generation deeply engaged with the world it inhabits.

Mentorship and the Ecosystem Behind the Voices

The success of the December 2025 edition was strengthened by a robust mentorship and institutional framework.

Mr. Virendra Nirmalkar, TED-Ed Mentor and Founder of VSPEAK Institute, guided students through the process with a focus on clarity of thought, authenticity of voice, and responsible expression.

Ms. Puja Talesara Bhandari, Founder of Leadership Demystified, contributed as a leadership mentor, grounding the programme in conscious leadership and the philosophy of Swabhava—honouring each learner’s innate nature.

Ms. Ira Ghosh, Director of Research and Learning and Primary School Principal at Victorious Kidss Educares, advocated listening without judgement and creating safe spaces for expression. The initiative was further supported by Victorious Kidss Educares, RHYTHM Music Academy, Design Mediaa, and Stay Featured—whose collective collaboration enabled a truly holistic TED-Ed experience.

Listening to Tomorrow: A Call to Action

The TED-Ed Student Talks – December 2025 Edition reaffirmed a simple yet powerful truth: the future is already speaking.

At Symbiosis Ishanya Bhavan, young voices were not rushed, reshaped, or ranked. They were simply heard—and that made all the difference.

Listening to these voices is not merely an act of appreciation; it is a responsibility toward shaping a more thoughtful, expressive, and humane future. The phrase "listening is as important as speaking" encapsulates the essence of the event, reminding us all of the power of attentive engagement.