Last week, I received an invite for an event called Knowledge Factory from Blogadda. It was a great opportunity for networking with celebrities like Riccha Chadda, Sona Mohapatra, Chairman of 5F World, were some of the speakers for the event. The event included activities like Quiz, Networking Lunch etc.
What is Knowledge Factory?
Knowledge Factory is a platform for young professionals to meet over a meaningful experience. It is an avenue for knowledge exchange through a fun and interesting way. The tagline Mind. Mischief. More is about serious fun. It leaves a lot to the imagination because the Factory is an open canvas. Much of what happens on the day is open to interpretation.
When was the event?
9 February 2017
Where?
Taj Santacruz
Arrival at the venue- Arrived at the venue as per the scheduled time.
The presenter for the event was Rini Simon Khanna who introduced us to the speakers and the sessions for the events. In her words, ‘what is Knowledge Factory’?
To summarize, Rini Simon Khanna, in short
Knowledge factory-fun way to learn #KF2018 @knowfactind
Who is Rini Simon Khanna?
Rini Simon Khanna is a noted Indian television news anchor, who worked with state-run Doordarshan (1985 – 2001) which made her a “household name”, and later started a career as voiceover professional and anchor person for various events. She started her career as a newscaster with All India Radio in 1982.
In addition to presenting news, Rini is an experienced Voice talent, rendering commentary and voiceovers for documentaries, advt films and feature-films. She also anchors international and national conferences, cultural shows and seminars for prestigious organisations, UN agencies, corporate groups and Government agencies. She has also given the female voice over for the Delhi Metro along with male voice over of Shammi Narang.
About the event–
Knowledge Factory- A day long festival of knowledge, insights, and trivia. It was not a bad way to spend a Friday! #KF2018 @knowfactind
Not a bad way to spend a Friday! #kf2018 @KnowFactInd pic.twitter.com/5fGpUtm8X3
— Tricia Silveira (@Triciasilveira6) February 9, 2018
Knowledge Factory event started with the 1st session ‘The Leadership Dilemma: Is authority an outmoded word?’ The speakers for the event were Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom 18 and Madhavan Narayan-Senior Journalist.
Kicking off the first session at #KF2018 – the Leadership Dilemma with Madhavan Narayanan and Raj Nayak in conversation. pic.twitter.com/OWPjvozJOt
— Amith P (@amithpr) February 9, 2018
Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom 18 stated that ‘Leadership does not come with title or experience. Integrity and trust are 2 most important traits of leaders.’ Success does not come at the cost of others. We can all grow together. You have to be a good human being to be a good leader. Every human being as a good and bad quality. Everyone works for respect and recognition. Respect, recognition and reward are the three things that make the younger generation empowered.
@rajcheerfull of @Viacom sharing some gems on leadership with @madversity at #KF2018 @RepTodayMag
1. People misconstrue leadership for titles
2. Leader has to be first among equals
3. Engagement remains the key pic.twitter.com/26QGI3KHsO— S A N I L (@SaNiLNoTSuNiL) February 9, 2018
The 2nd session was “Future of travel-What possibilities does travel hold in the age of online everything?” It was a panel discussion between Malini Gowrishankar, Founder CEO F5Escapes, Rajnish Kumar, CTO and Co-Founder of Ixigo and Meena Vaidyanathan, Founder director of Nitti Consulting.
• Rajnish states that the travel agent of the future will not be a human.
• Chat bots, AR and not VR are the future of travel. Voice activated Tara from Ixigo is impressive. Alexa needs to watch out this competition if there is no collaboration.
• VR is not picked up because of lack of content and also is costly.
• A travel agency that thinks about improving your travel experience as personal choices will be a game changer.
• Content is a game changer.
• Tara is the new travel assistant for your travel needs.
• A story pops up on your handset based on GPS- how tech can aid tourism.
• Lots more stuff to elevate travel say panelists enabled by technology as a Bolton.
• AR will emerge as quality of content improves.
• No substitute for infrastructure. Infrastructure is not letting tourism bloom in India.
Rajnish states – “Imagine moving from one point on the planet to another in 2 hours. Rocket science, meet sustainable hotels.”
Networking at Tea
The 3rd session was “The Chef’s way to a healthier life: Balancing the way and the palate’
This panel included Vikas Seth- Culinary Directory, Embassy India, Gresham Fernandes- Corporate Chief, Impressario Group and Madulika Dash- Food and culture columnist.
- Vikas Seth said ‘Millets are healthy as quinoa, less expensive. We can make millets interesting. Even make nachos. Millets require minimum water, less pesticides are used.”
Millets to be added to breakfast will keep you full #KF2018 @v_seth add it to Roti, Dosa #foodtrick #foodtip #eathealthy pic.twitter.com/fp9g9PFmPF
— Moksh Juneja (@mokshjuneja) February 9, 2018
- Gresham Fernandes- “Fresh is good” “Make your own food. You want apple pie? Get your apples, knead the dough, bake it yourself. That is healthy.” “Eat what your ancestors ate, what your grandmother cooked. That’s how you will be healthy.
- Vikas Seth- “Too much demand for fish has caused overfishing and this affects production. You should eat everything. Fish is healthy and light but everyone need to eat everything.
- Gresham Fernandes’s health tip- “Seasonal eating in restraint’’
- Madulika Dash- “Mushrooms won’t be around in a decade because it is difficult to grow.”
- Dessert will vanish post meals by 2040.
- Eat local, consume what you have been eating at home…Mindful eating is the key.
- A health tip-“Start with dessert before you have a meal.”
- Sodium in packaged food needs to be curtailed for health.
4th session “Environment and US- Quest of our young and the restless for a green, fair life” -Richa Chaddha, actor
@RichaChadha at Knowledge Factory 😃 #KF2018 pic.twitter.com/960DObO7do
— Daksh Juneja (@dakshjuneja) February 9, 2018
- Climate change is a serious matter.
- Food choices, are also impacting climate change and a simple switch, individual decision can make a bigger impact.
- Eat organic and local food produce.
- The problem is not in food production but the food distribution.
- We laughed at bottled water some year back, not far away, kids will be using bottled air.
- Don’t confuse consumerism with development. Be mindful of the interrelatedness and consequences of nature and environment.
- Technology is supposed to assist us and not make us its slave.
The 5th session was about “Gender Pay Gap: Exploring work and fair play for millions of women.”
The panel consisted of Sona Mohpatra- singer, lyricist and composer, Ganesh Natarajan, Chairman, 5F World (formerly with Nasscom) and Senthil Chengalvarayan, Former President, CNBC-TV18
- We are truly regressing as we are progressing when it comes to gender equality! Sadly there are less of females given chance to go everywhere.
- Women need to be part of decision-making process- Sonam Mohpatra
- To highlight gender gap-a Canadian magazine publishes two issues-one for women and other priced 26% higher for men.
- Ganesh Natarajan- “My belief is women have all the skills of a man and more.
- Women need to support women. Women must be competitive and not put each other down.
Because inequality in decision-making is the biggest hurdle in empowerment & merely changing policies without the will to implement, visit & revisit informal cultural norms & start & sustain a dialogue is not sufficient to transform deeply imbedded power structures. #KF2018 https://t.co/TLnTGR4Yg1
— SONA (@sonamohapatra) February 9, 2018
6th session after lunch- Terrorism through other prisms: Unravelling the individual and social
The panelists were Brahmachari Jamal Spiritual teacher, Ananda Sangha, Prof. Anil Sawarikar- Head of Psychology Department, Fergusson College, Shreya Narayan Actor, writer, Chakra Healing Follower.
“Terrorists are not usually a psychopath” – Anil Sawarkar #KF2018 pic.twitter.com/u3v4743M4Q
— Knowledge Factory (@KnowFactInd) February 9, 2018
• Human beings are inherently violent ~Freud
• Prof. Anil Sawarkar comes up with insight on how mass violence can be induced by manipulating psychology: an experiment backed this up.
• Energy within us defines us in terms of feeling hopelessness or positively.
• “Politicians love separating people. We are living in a dangerous age” as stated by Brahmachari Jemal. How terrorism gets mass justification.
• A terrorist is low on self-esteem
• According to Prof. Anil Sawarkar, suicide bombers have low self-esteem manipulated by terrorist leadership to extreme acts personality disorders and terrorism.
- If you have critical thinking, you cannot be turned into a terrorist- Prof Anil Sawarkar on how kids need to be taught to face failure and made psychologically strong.
- A measured mindful look at how terrorism can be overcome through active thinking and psychology. Intriguing though no solutions found.!
The 7th session – Theatre in the digital age with Sanjana Kapoor, Prithvi Theatre, Deepa Gehlot of NCPA and Subodh Maskara, Producer, actor, entrepreneur, Cineplay, Hotstar
Great to see @sanjnawithjunoo at #KF2018 discussing #theatre in the digital age with @deepagahlot and @subodhmaskara pic.twitter.com/A4KpByvgnv
— Madhavan Narayanan (@madversity) February 9, 2018
• Theatre is an art form which has been dying since many years but still continues to thrive.
Next stop – theatre in digital age #KF2018 pic.twitter.com/kDUoYkCAtK
— Daksh Juneja (@dakshjuneja) February 9, 2018
- Cineplay blends stage with cinema to shoot in a studio for a hybrid to take it to larger audience.
- Nothing can replace the magic of a live engagement says Sanjana Kapoor on theatre. Says technology enhances but does not replace it.
- Technology helps archive theatre.
- In a play, the viewer, uses their imagination and captures it, unlike in cinema.
- Theatre stories are politically and socially charged.
- Technology, library like @LetsCinePlay will help bring in monetary benefit to plays.
Tea break and then there was the Hindi Cinema Nostalgia Quiz.
All in all, not a bad way to spend a Friday at the Knowledge Factory and getting goodies to take home.
Love the goodies in the big bag of ideas #kf2018 pic.twitter.com/Y9h5SFBO49
— Moksh Juneja (@mokshjuneja) February 9, 2018
Thank you, Blogadda
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