The man behind the success of TEDx in Nepal

Every scroll on your YouTube page and chances are you’d happen upon a thought-provoking TED video that depending on your preferences you view or scroll past. Today TED, rather its local initiative TEDx, is a household name in almost every school and major city around the world; a global common creative think tank that looks to promote free thought and provide a platform for such ideas to surface.

Nepal, today too has become a hub for TED, with TEDx Durbar Marg being the largest and by far the most successful Local TED chapter in the country. Today, TEDx Durbar Marg not only vies to be the largest in the nation but stands in contention for being one of South Asia’s biggest TEDx chapters. On its journey to this point since 2018 it has hosted many conferences and workshops, more recently hosting the Regional Conference virtually attended by more than 200 creative minds from across 6 continents.

Behind this ongoing success story is the ever charismatic and smiling face of Mr.(to be Dr.) Sudeep Rauniar, the Managing Director of Tedx Durbarmarg.

“I am not the first guy to bring TED into Nepal, but I can proudly state that I helped amplify it to the gargantuan levels it is at today” says Rauniar. “Even before the inception there were a lot of TED chapters within the valley itself, however their activity was very inconsistent, since TEDx Durbarmarg, it is much more streamlined, accessible and has increased its reach massively” , adds Rauniar.

“Although I love TED and I’ve had some of my best moments in TED, it is a secondary passion of mine. Foremost, I am a medical student, I want to be a Doctor” affirms Rauniar. He is currently in his final year of his MBBS program at LLRM college at Delhi NCR. Along with being a TED spearhead and a medical trainee, Sudeep is also the State Director of the Global Association of Medical Students, Uttar Pradesh Chapter, a student member of the American College of Physics and Royal College of Edinburgh.

When asked how he juggles so many large-scale responsibilities along with taking one of the toughest courses in the world, he replies, “I’m the happiest when I work for TED or am at my MBBS class. These are my passions and when you pursue your passion everyday, every minute you spend on it doesn't drain you, instead it fuels you.”

While he loves his job, working for such long hours isn't something he would recommend to anyone. “Working such hours with less sleep might impact my health in the future and I don't advise anyone to follow the same path. I’m still trying to find that balance in work and personal life. At the same time I don't ever regret sacrificing my health for my work, I am dedicated to my work and I’m ready to make that sacrifice”, he claims.

When asked what the similarities are being an MBBS student and a leader in TED, he says that there aren’t much similarities accept the unpredictability on the job, “Working as a doctor in the future, I must be ready for any circumstance that might come up, similarly hosting TED events in Nepal, the sheer number of hurdles and problems that arise out of the blue is astounding.” he exclaims.

For the Nepali youth sphere that attributes most of its Brain drain problems to a lack of opportunity and misfortune, TED is one of many brilliant fields to explore themselves and break such norms. To that Rauniar says, “The major problem I see in the youth today in Nepal is severe lack of inspiration, they tend to give up very easily and accept their fate. And conform to society’s preconceptions and trends.”

“TEDx is about inspiration, innovation and creativity. It's also simply a platform for the more brilliant but shy people who work in the shadows away from the limelight to come forth and share their ideas with the world.” proudly states Rauniar. One such example is the pioneer of Blind Rocks Nepal, Shristi KC. “Initially she was a bit shy to share her story on such a large scale, but we persuaded her and through TED we provided her a platform to share her own inspiration to the masses” , he shares.

Sudeep Rauniar, having read of his credentials at this point might seem like one those mercurial men whose accomplishments and trajectory seem too difficult to emulate. But his journey to this point is a rather simple and relatable one. “I’m like everyone else, I make mistakes, I screw up a lot. The amount of mistakes I've made in my life, at any point I could've just stopped and no one would have batted an eye, but I’m not scared of failure. Failure excites me. When I first went to India for my MBBS, the first exam I got a 16 out of 100, with TED when I applied for the license I got rejected twice and even in personal life having made some bad decisions, but to quote Nims Dai, ‘Giving up is not in the blood sir’,” affirms Sudeep.

About the upcoming events and his future plans for TED, he informs us of the Regional Workshop that they are to host in the valley and also the Regional Convention that they will be hosting soon this year at Everest Base Camp.

The legacy and the name he’s made for himself is one that is truly admirable, “Legacy, and to be honest everything in life, is something to be pursued, it never comes naturally.” “The reason I have a niche in the history of TED Nepal forever is because I love TEDx and have accordingly dedicated myself to it.” says Rauniar.

“Everything that I am today and everything that I will be is because of my lack of fear of failure and my proactiveness. You can’t afford to give up, you might lose every bit of hope but you must be proactive in readying yourself for such outcomes and be ready to get right back up.” concludes Rauniar.