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GUIDING THE PULSE OF

GOA’S IDEAS MOVEMENT

The TEDxPanaji Advisory Board is a dynamic circle of thought leaders, community influencers, cultural stewards, and innovators whose voices matter—and whose wisdom shapes the direction of our journey.

This board exists at the intersection of vision and action. Its members serve as strategic guides, cultural connectors, and talent scouts — helping TEDxPanaji stay deeply rooted in Goa's evolving identity while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Guiding the
Future of TEDxPanaji

As TEDxPanaji evolves into a year-round platform for ideas, the Advisory Board plays a central role in ensuring we stay grounded in relevance and impact. Board members:

• Shape Our Direction: Offer tactical advice regarding themes that resonate with local challenges, cultural dynamics, and global conversations.

• Champion Local Talent: Help discover and elevate hidden voices, community leaders, and unconventional thinkers who deserve the TEDx stage.

• Steer xPERIENCES: Recommend and refine powerful xPERIENCES between conferences that keep our community engaged and inspired.

• Facilitate Collaborations: Create opportunities for significant partnerships, sponsorships, and community alliances that enhance the platform.

• Safeguard the Ethos: Ensure that TEDxPanaji remains inclusive, ethical, and purpose-driven in every step we take.

How the Board Operates

Board Culture & Commitment

The Advisory Board meets once a month to review ongoing work, offer guidance on upcoming initiatives, and explore what else can be done to deepen impact. The conversations are candid, strategic, and fuelled by a shared belief: that ideas have the power to transform communities.

Being part of this board means being part of a larger mission — to spotlight Goa's most pressing questions and promising possibilities and to ensure TEDxPanaji is always listening, learning, and leading.

A Collective of Purpose

We are grateful to have a board made up of individuals whose opinions are respected and whose actions ripple across Goa. This isn’t a passive committee — it is an active, engaged, and visionary group that helps TEDxPanaji remain meaningful to the community it serves.

Shawn Kenneth Fernandes
TEDxPanaji Fluxatic Global, Entrepreneur Goa

Shawn Kenneth Fernandes: Serial Entrepreneur

Shawn Kenneth Fernandes is an Award Winning Serial Entrepreneur, Technology Enthusiast, and Creative Visionary, serving as the Founder and Managing Director of Fluxatic™ Global, MenezesFernandes Technologies (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. , CreativeJoule Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and ShawnKenneth Digital Creative Studios. With a passion for innovation and over 14+ years of Industry Experience, Shawn and his brands have positively impacted 312+ brands across 14+ countries, delivering cutting-edge Digital Solutions, Branding Strategies, and UI/UX Systems. His work has facilitated more than INR 21 Crore+ in client revenue, earning him accolades such as #LeaderofChange by Times of India and features in prominent publications like Business Goa, Incredible Goa, Rolling Stone India, and Business Goa.

An accomplished Educator and Mentor, Shawn has shared his expertise with 15,000+ students through his role as an educator and a course creator at SkillStudio Goa, an ed-tech startup he co-founded and where he published more than 6+ Expert Courses. He has also been a Judge leading events like Smart India Hackathon, and been a Guest Lecturer at top institutions and government entities.

Beyond entrepreneurship, he is a talented musician, recognized for his debut EP “The Passion Inside” and songwriting features in Rolling Stone India.

Shawn’s journey, which began with founding his first business at just 13, reflects his commitment to blending technology, creativity, and education to create meaningful impact.

“TEDxPanaji particularly excites me because it stands for the unapologetic & powerful portrayal of unique, important and world-changing ideas and thoughts. As a person who values innovation, net-good to humanity and freedom of speech and thought, I am ecstatic to be a part of the movement because I am able to contribute to all this on a stage that impacts my hometown and State.”

Something fun
“I can find you a fun party/event/hangout in Goa on any day of the week and I can also solve a Rubik’s cube in less than a minute :)”

Varun Hegde: Founder - Soul Travelling

Varun Hegde is the Founder, Soul Travelling. Varun was born and brought up in the picturesque Goan village of Benaulim. Having graduated with a degree in Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering, he worked for 4 years with the prestigious Tata Consultancy Services. His last job was in Frankfurt, Germany as an onsite coordinator with a multinational bank. Varun quit his job in 2017 and founded Soul Travelling, a leading Offbeat Experience- Based travel Company in India along with Kedar Borkar. Soul Travelling has been featured in leading magazines like National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller and Lonely Planet for its experiences. It was featured in Live Mint for curating one of the most unconventional trails in India.

Founded in 2018 by Varun Hegde and Kedar Borker, Soul Travelling had an objective of introducing experience based travel as a mindset, and making travelling a part of people's lives instead of luxury. It has catered to more than 35000+ travellers and has strong local routes along with a global outreach. Soul Travelling played an integral part in hosting the G20 and India Energy Week delegates in Goa for offbeat experiences along with Goa Tourism. Soul Travelling is also empanelled with Goa Tourism as their official partners for Experiential Tours and Treks.

**About TedX Panjim**

Stories are something that can inspire and change the world, and TedX is the best platform to make sure that's done in a comprehensive way. It's one place where people can meet, discuss and change thought processes, and this can really motivate big changes in the world. TedX Panjim has been doing it for a while now, and the journey continues with new stories about a place very close to our hearts.

**It's about time**

We always think of changes as something that will take a while and will happen in parallel - it's about time gives it a definitive deadline and a notion that if not now, it might be too late to ever get it done. It gives a sense of urgency and a motivation to make sure it's implemented now, rather than waiting for it to happen on its own.

The TEDxPanaji
Advisory Board

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GUIDING THE PULSE OF

GOA’S IDEAS MOVEMENT

Guiding the Future of TEDxPanaji

How the Board Operates

The TEDxPanaji Advisory Board

Guiding the
Future of TEDxPanaji

The TEDxPanaji
Advisory Board