Goa Institute of Management Hosts TEDxGIM, themed ‘Decipher’, on 8 February 2026

Goa Institute of Management (GIM) recently hosted TEDxGIM Chapter 6, themed ‘Decipher’, on 8 February 2026 at the Fr Romuald D’Souza Auditorium, GIM. The sixth edition of the independently organised TEDx event brought together thought leaders, artists and members of the GIM, Goa community for an evening of ideas that explored the many interpretations of the act of deciphering in a rapidly evolving world. The event examined themes ranging from artificial intelligence and branding to neuroscience, social empathy and personal identity, offering the audience diverse lenses through which meaning can be uncovered.

The evening opened with a compelling address by Rear Admiral Puneet Chadha, who invited participants to pause, reflect and reassess the perspectives they often overlook amidst constant noise. He articulated that deciphering is not about withdrawal from action, but about cultivating clarity and awareness. Emphasising that perspective cannot be outsourced, his talk set the intellectual tone for the evening by highlighting personal responsibility in meaning-making.

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Adding a powerful artistic dimension, Ankita Shah, spoken word poet, delivered a deeply evocative performance rooted in lived experience. Through poetry, she explored girlhood as a space of rebellion, contradiction and quiet resilience. Her narrative traced journeys of generational constraint, personal agency and redefinition, resonating strongly with the audience and highlighting how lived realities themselves demand to be deciphered.

Geetanjali Chopra followed with a reflective talk on social action and solidarity. Drawing from personal experiences, she urged the audience to examine the fine line where support can unintentionally become superiority. She reframed outreach as a horizontal partnership built on empathy and mutual respect, encouraging participants to reconsider how impact is created and sustained within communities.

Musical interludes further enriched the evening, with Rahul Shah, singer-songwriter and indie-pop artist, accompanied by guitarist Ravi Prakash, delivering an emotionally charged performance. His music explored vulnerability, honesty and the courage to remain authentic despite misunderstanding, reinforcing the evening’s broader theme of decoding one’s inner truth.

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Representing the GIM community, Umang Maheshwari offered a strategic perspective on branding in an AI-driven environment. He argued that true differentiation lies in leveraging long-tail data, understanding timing and building engaged communities rather than pursuing scale alone. His talk highlighted that meaningful brands are shaped not by averages, but by attention to extremes and nuance, offering practical insights into strategy and relevance in a technologically saturated marketplace.

Bringing a scientific lens to the discourse, Himani Kashyap, a neuropsychologist, explored the brain’s capacity for change and adaptation. She explained how small, repeated behavioural shifts enable neural rewiring, reinforcing the idea that growth is incremental rather than transformative overnight. Her session provided a grounded, empowering close to the speaker segment, linking neuroscience with everyday decision-making.

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The event concluded with a dynamic hula hoop performance by Sheena Da Cunha, who blended artistry with personal reflection. Through her performance and narrative, she illustrated how passion can evolve into a profession, embodying the idea that what may appear as a closed loop can, in fact, hold infinite possibilities.

Reinforcing Goa Institute of Management’s commitment to holistic education and thought leadership, TEDxGIM Chapter 6 created a platform where ideas, art and science intersected meaningfully. By engaging students, faculty and the wider community in conversations that challenge assumptions and deepen understanding, the event reflected GIM’s continued effort to foster reflective, responsible and forward-thinking leaders in an increasingly complex world.

Disclaimer: The article has been published as a part of the marketing initiative between Careers360 and the Goa Institute of Management.