TedX Chennai licence scrapped for flouting norms: Kiruba Shankar, curator of TEDxChennai

CHENNAI: The online media has been abuzz on Tuesday with news that TEDx, a non-profit venture "that promotes ideas worth spreading," has cancelled the TEDx Chennai licence for flouting norms, including ones regarding sponsors. In a telephonic chat with ET, Kiruba Shankar, the licencee of TEDx Chennai, admitted to the scrapping of the licence and explained what went wrong. He has since stepped down from his role. Edited excerpts:

There is a buzz online that TEDx Chennai licence has been cancelled. Is it true?

Yes, the license has been cancelled.

What went wrong?

TEDx has a set of rules and regulations that need to be followed. It is an exhaustive list. During this year's events, some of those rules were unintentionally missed out. We had some fifty people who worked on this year's event and this happened. For instance, according to TEDx, press conferences should not be organised. But there was a press meet but it was for promoting the good things of the event. We had a hotel sponsor, which we should not have had. But in all fairness, it was the biggest and best event we had.

You have organised two TED events prior to this. Were you not aware of all this?

Yes, I was. But as I said it was not intentional. A lot of work goes into this and these things slipped out of the list. We have always organised it as a non-profit event. It's a great community that brings smartest people from diverse cultures. Sorry, wish this mistake did not happen.

Will you be applying for license again?

I take this cancellation in a positive way, so that others who are organising such events would now be extra cautious. We will take a break and now I would be happy if other people take charge. It would be good to have some fresh blood organising it.