This year’s theme, “Asli Creativity”, is our way of going back to the roots of what creativity truly means. Not the polished, presentation-ready version, but the kind that’s real, imperfect, and deeply personal. It’s about the sparks that come from courage, collaboration, and chaos and how that authenticity shapes design, innovation, and leadership today.

At Asli Creativity, we are bringing different domains together and focusing on how they solve problems creatively in their respective domains. Creativity is not just about creating something aesthetic but is present in every aspect of our day-to-day. How we understand something, tackle a complex situation, and solve it to serve the purpose – all this is creativity in action.

Speakers line up

AAQUIB WANI

Creative Director AWD | Forbes 30 Under 30

TOPIC: Creativity at Scale

Aaquib is a self-taught experiential designer and the creative mind behind some of India’s most iconic visual worlds.

From Apple to Adidas, NBA to NMACC, Lollapalooza to the India Cricket Team, JSW for Olympics ‘24 to Ambani weddings… His studio has shaped moments, spaces, and stories that millions have experienced.

 ADIT GUPTA

Ex-Director, Product Design, ServiceNow

TOPIC: Two dead guys & a Design language walk into a bar

A design leader and entrepreneur passionate about maths and philosophy.

He has led impactful design across industries and, as ServiceNow’s Design Director, built global teams shaping products for millions.

Now he’s building TypMo, a tool to go from quick wireframe experiments to detailed, production-ready prompts.

His talk explores what happens when maths meets interface design, when wireframes become notation, and when ideas travel across domains. This session is going to expand your brain in the best way.

 APEKSHA GUPTA

Founder & Educator at Foldr.Studio | ex-Target, Landor

TOPIC: Creative Careers Built to Last

A creative leader who has spent 13 years building teams, shaping brands, and mentoring thousands. A Google Rare Fellow and multidisciplinary designer who has led creative functions across startups and Fortune 500s.

Her talk, “Creative Careers Built to Last”, is a deeply honest look at the realities of creative life. Creative careers can test your belief in yourself and get lonely fast. Which is why we must take a practical look at how creatives can build careers that don’t burn out. In her talk, she’ll talk about longevity, adaptability, and the mindset needed to stay in the game

VIVEK DUBEY

Founder, Cruvet | Ex-Google & Microsoft

TOPIC: Designing for AI

From rejection letters from Microsoft & Google to now building Curvet. This is what Asli Creativity looks like.

We’re thrilled to reveal our next speaker, Vivek Dubey, whose journey is pure grit, mad talent, and a pinch of rebellion. A designer, founder, and creator whose journey spans global tech giants and breakthrough AI innovation.

 PANEL DISCUSSION

TOPIC: Chaos, Constraints & Creativity

KALPANA RAMESH

An architect, designer, and the woman who literally brought water back into Hyderabad’s story.

From restoring 400-year-old stepwells to building a tanker-free home to leading projects like Save 10K Bores and Blue Hyderabad… Kalpana has shown what creative leadership looks like when it’s rooted in responsibility.

She’s the founder of The Rainwater Project, head of water initiatives at SAHE, a TEDx speaker, a water hero recognised by the government of India, honoured by UN Women, and the force behind some of the most impactful water restoration work in Telangana.

Kalpana joins our panel at Asli Creativity to share how design, community, and conviction can change the way a whole city lives.

RAMAKRISHNA & MONIKA

Production Designers – PUSHPA 1&2, Rangasthalam, etc.

 Graduating from FTII, Pune, the creative duo has created immersive worlds for actors in many blockbuster movies across the film industry.

Ponnurangam Kumaraguru (PK)

World's 2% Scientists by Stanford University

TEDx Speaker & Eminent Speaker

A professor of computer science at IIIT-Hyderabad.

Associate Researcher at Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science & AI - IIT Madras

Visiting Faculty at IIT Kanpur

Adjunct faculty at IIIT Delhi.

PK was inducted as an ACM Distinguished Member in 2021.

PK is an ACM India Council Member and Chair of the Publicity & Membership Committee of ACM India.

PK is a TEDx and an ACM Distinguished & ACM India Eminent Speaker.