Sukriti Y.J. (pen name: “Sukriti”) is an author, screenwriter, and researcher.

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Her company Unibrow Stories (@suki_unibrow) produces novels, comics, and videos on fun, real stories of India.

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Her novels include The Lehenga Games (a bridal fashion quest), Gold Digger: Treasure of Son Bhandar (action-adventure set in Bihar) and Beta Builder: Mumbai in the Metaverse (a sci-fi architecture novel).

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Sukriti is the writer and producer of the Webtoon comic Love on a Visa (YA campus rom-com), and the Instagram comic NINK (No Income, No Kids).

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Her writing has also appeared in Quartz, Bustle, New Statesman, The Hindu, The Times of India, and elsewhere. Her essay for Vox—"Donald Trump Could Save My Love Life”—went viral on publication.

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She is the researcher of The Power of Bad (2019), written by New York Times’ science columnist John Tierney. She is the researcher and co-author of Untapped (2018), a corporate publication by Womenkind in Manhattan.

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Sukriti has developed original and adapted screenplays for feature films and web-series, with Ashutosh Gowariker, Shonali Bose, Kunal Kohli, Prajakta Koli, and others. Her sci-fi feature Beta Builder, was awarded top awards at the Writers’ INK Lab 2023 by NYU and UCLA film faculty. Her sitcom DIL MIL was shortlisted at Netflix’s 2023 TakeTen contest. She is represented by Tulsea.

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Sukriti holds an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from Columbia University, and is also an alum of the London School of Economics, and Dhirubhai Ambani International School.

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She lives in Mumbai. You can find her at @suki_unibrow on Instagram.

Pearl William, also known as Manzil, is a Mumbai-based fire performer who has carved her space in the city’s vibrant art and entertainment scene. Known for her authenticity and versatility, she is among the very few Indian women actively performing this unique and powerful art form.

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Her journey into fire performance began as a form of self-discovery and expression, a way to explore her emotions and channel her individuality through the raw energy of flame. Over the years, Pearl has built a distinct identity within this art, bringing her own authenticity, style, and personality to every stage. She performs not only at events but also at Indian festivals, reflecting how fire has always been part of the country’s cultural roots.

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Blending traditional influences with contemporary expression, Pearl infuses her fire art with hip-hop, modern music and diverse genres, showcasing her ability to adapt and create something unique each time. She has been featured in reality shows, web series, music videos, performed in high-end events, concerts— bridging tradition and modern artistry through every performance.

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For Pearl, fire art is more than performance; it is a statement of courage and being versatile. Through her work, she continues to challenge perceptions of what fire performance can be, especially for women in India. Her journey is a reminder to be confident, real, and true to oneself.

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Today, Pearl represents a rare blend of artistry and purpose, a performer who uses fire not just to entertain but to connect, inspire, and remind audiences of the beauty in embracing one’s truth.

Yukta Kandhari is a global strategist and community architect helping people and ideas thrive across borders. With experience spanning 160+ nationalities and six continents, she has built and led initiatives with universities, creators, and institutions worldwide — from Harvard classrooms to global innovation programs. Through Founders Across Borders, her storytelling platform, she amplifies the voices of founders and changemakers shaping a more connected, collaborative world.

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Gautam Vaishnav is a balance artist from Mumbai whose journey into the world of rock balancing began with a single spark of disbelief and curiosity. When he first saw pictures of stones stacked perfectly atop one another, he was convinced they were fake. That curiosity pushed him to explore the craft himself, diving deep into the process of learning, failing, and eventually mastering the delicate art of balance. Over time, rock balancing became more than an artistic pursuit it turned into a meditative practice and a way of connecting deeply with nature and stillness.

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Since those early explorations, Gautam has shared his art with more than 18,000 people across India through workshops and performances. His participants range from CEOs to schoolchildren, from specially abled individuals to children with Down syndrome, and even to lively groups of homemakers. Each session focuses not on perfection but on presence on experiencing stillness, mindfulness, and a reconnection with one’s inner calm. His work reminds people that balance is not found; it is created, one mindful moment at a time.

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An extrovert by nature, Gautam is also a passionate trekker and traveler, having scaled more than 500 mountains and journeyed across 27 states of India. His love for the outdoors deeply influences his art, as he draws inspiration from natural landscapes, rivers, and ridges where he often creates his temporary sculptures. Each rock he balances echoes his bond with the Earthan expression of patience and playfulness with gravity and form.

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Through his workshops, and public installations, Gautam continues to advocate a simple yet profound philosophy: to slow down, to listen deeply, and to find beauty in imperfection and instability.

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Whether he’s balancing stones, brands’ products, or capturing attention through live performances, Gautam Vaishnav’s art stands as a quiet rebellion against haste—an invitation to pause, breathe, and rediscover the harmony hidden in chaos.

Pallavi Verma is a writer, speaker, and founder of PenPal: a storytelling and branding collective built around the belief that connection is the soul of everything we do . She’s known for daydreaming, always carrying a tattered journal, turning conversations into ideas and locking her tea cabinet. Whether it’s leading large-scale wellness events across the UAE or crafting narratives that make people laugh, think, and care, her work lives at the intersection of creativity and community.

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Her journey didn’t start with a blueprint..more like a plot twist. Pallavi dropped out of college to go to film school, to her mother’s absolute joy (the “I told you so” kind). A few years, several drafts, and one existential crisis later, she found herself back in academia studying psychology and marketing, two fields that helped her understand why people do what they do, and how stories can move them. She went on to surprise her parents by earning a master’s degree which almost made up for the earlier panic.

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At nineteen, she landed in Dubai with a suitcase, a journal, and the kind of dreams that make airport security suspicious. She worked everywhere- call centres, cafés, admin desks, and that’s where her stories took shape. “There’s something so extraordinary in the ordinary, and so ordinary about the extraordinary,” she often says. It’s this philosophy that built PenPal: a creative agency that doubles as a modern pen-pal project: sending handwritten letters and curated packages from small businesses to subscribers. As she describes it, “It’s a hug in a box.

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”When she’s not writing, Pallavi can be found collecting mugs she doesn’t need, quoting Michael Scott like it’s gospel, and wearing enough rings to outdo Phoebe Buffay. She claims to entertain (or torment) her brother daily and proudly takes credit for her parents’ grey hairs.

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Professionally, she’s known for shaping campaigns like She Runs, #LeadHers and #LeanIn and other initiatives that amplify women’s voices. The rest..she’s mostly just figuring it out- one campaign, one poem, and one dad joke at a time.

Dr. Jaimine Anita Vaishnav is a dynamic researcher, author of 6 books, and educator rooted in Mumbai, India, where he passionately explores the intersections of global politics, economics, and social sciences.

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With a Ph.D. in Social Sciences, his groundbreaking doctoral research on India-China border trade and informal exchanges through India’s North-East Region has sparked policy dialogues, earning endorsements from India's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Ministry of Commerce. This achievement highlights his knack for transforming complex geopolitical insights into actionable strategies that foster regional growth and international cooperation.

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As a faculty member at ATLAS SkillTech University, Dr. Vaishnav ignites curiosity in subjects like Geopolitics, World Trade, Street Entrepreneurship, and Media and Culture. His innovative teaching style blends theory with real-world adventures, including student field trips to bustling street markets, where learners uncover the secrets of grassroots innovation and ethical business practices.

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Previously affiliated with many other educational institutions in Mumbai, he champions critical thinking, leadership, and interdisciplinary wisdom to empower the next generation of thinkers and doers.

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A prolific researcher with citations across business management, economics, media studies, and liberal arts on Google Scholar, Dr. Vaishnav pens influential books that demystify management principles and organizational success. His articles grace prestigious platforms like Modern Diplomacy, The CSR Journal, Medium, etc., pressing topics from economic reforms and social equity to governance and cultural dynamics with clarity and foresight. Through these writings, he sparks meaningful conversations on global progress, individual freedoms, and sustainable development.

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Engaged in community initiatives with a few NGOs, Dr. Vaishnav extends his impact beyond classrooms, promoting social awareness and inclusive growth.

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Active on LinkedIn, he connects globally, sharing ideas that inspire change. Reach him at jaiminism@hotmail.co.in