Director | Curator

SHOMA
CHAUDHURY
CHAUDHURY
FOUNDER, LUCID LINES PRODUCTIONS
AWARD WINNING JOURNALIST
EDITOR, CURATOR, MODERATOR
Winner of Ernest Hemingway Award for political journalism
Winner of Chameli Devi Award for best woman journalist for “going where angels fear to tread’
Picked by Newsweek as one of “150 power women who shake the world”
At the helm of culture-shaping
public discourse
A large body of work
in defence of an open, just, and plural
society
Respected for her eloquence,
evidence-based argument,
ability to engage with adversarial people
and positions
Anchored more than 500 conversations
with the world’s leading
personalities
Invited to speak around the world, including the US, UK, Australia, Morocco, Singapore, Italy,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan
Delivered the prestigious Gandhi
Oration in Sydney in 2018
- Anchor, online show, ENQUIRY, which features conversations with frontline minds & IGNITION, a pop-up platform that explores keys to different worlds.
- Former managing editor and co-founder of Tehelka, an acclaimed investigative and public interest news magazine, where she led a feisty team of journalists. Several of her stories in defence of human rights activists and citizens falsely accused helped free them from wrongful imprisonment.
- Former co-founder & director, THiNK, a paradigm-setting international conference of ideas, where she interviewed people as varied as Robert de Niro, Shahrukh Khan, Thomas Friedman, chiefs of the CIA, Mossad & Taliban, along with a galaxy of philosophers, writers, artists, scientists, political leaders, economists, grassroot workers, and disruptors of every kind
- Former co-founder and director, ALGEBRA, the Arts & Ideas Club, where she interviewed more than 200 eminent Indians from every discipline, at live stage events, across multiple cities.
- Former founder & editor, CATCHNews, a digital newsmagazine
“Shoma is the best convenor of conversation in the world”
-TINA BROWN
Former editor, New Yorker

ADITYA PURI
Co-founder, Lucid Lines
Marketing & Operations Professional
Man for all seasons
Host, Syat House by the River, a boutique resort near Corbett National Park
Former General Manager, Future Group, where he helmed retail chains for fashion wear
Universally considered a conclave of calm, well of warmth, and algorithm of efficiency
→ Co-director, SYNAPSE, a first of its kind science tech society conference
→ Co-director, IGNITION, a pop-up platform exploring keys to different words
→ Co-producer, ENQUIRY, an online show featuring conversations with frontline minds
→ A jungle loving, river jumping, adventure seeking,nature lover masquerading as a multifaceted production and marketing professional in urban centres.
The Team

Ritika Passi
Executive Editor
Writer and curator, researcher and analyst. Ideas and narratives are her bread and butter. 2024 MoFA Taiwan Fellow. 2023 NASC Fellow, Takshashila. 2021 Perth USAsia Indo-Pacific Fellow. Formerly at Global Trade Observer and Observer Research Foundation. SciencesPo alum.

Taruna Ummatt
Vice President, Marketing and Operations
Topper of the Goldman Sachs-ISB Leadership Program for Women Entrepreneurs . 24 years in Marketing and Operations. Winner of 17 awards, including FICCI BAF, ASSOCHAM EME, and Indian Television Academy Award. Honorary Doctorate (PhD) from Rai University. Formerly with TV Today Network, ITG.

Manik Sharma
Deputy Editor
Writer, editor, cultural columnist, relapsed engineer and disgruntled poet, Manik has been writing about art, cinema and culture for more than a decade. He was the last editor of Arre, wrote a popular column called Devil's Advocate and has been widely published in India & abroad.

Navamita Chandra
Senior Editor
Writer, theatre artist, and creative strategist. 7 years in a range of communication roles. Psychology and film studies graduate.

Aishwarya Gupta
Head, Intellectual Property Management
Journalist, lawyer, policy strategist. 2019 Schwarzman Scholar. Over 12 years of experience across investigative journalism, capital markets, policy and government affairs. Graduate in law, political science and international relations.

Atharva Pandit
Editorial Assistant
Writer and ex-journalist. Author of the novel Hurda. 2021 South Asia Speaks Fellow. Loves to read bulky books and watch lengthy movies.

Nooruddin
Senior Motion Designer & Video Editor
Editor and animator. 5 years of work experience with multiple brands like Canon, MTV Beats, Colors Infinity, Adani Group, Select Citywalk. Animation and Visual effect diploma from MAAC. Post graduate from IGNOU

Rumjhum Gupta
Designer and Visualizer
Creative practitioner passionate about driving change through design. A dabbler of various mediums and modes with an artistic vision. Believes in the value of balancing clear communication and aesthetics. Graduated from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

Dipanshu
Graphic Designer & Video editor
Artist and creator. Self-taught. Keen eye for visual storytelling. Passionate about bringing brands to life with a design savvy approach.

Himanshu Rana
Assistant Manager, Operations
MBA Finance graduate, skilled Data Analyst known for turning complex data into actionable insights. With expertise in financial analysis and advanced analytics, drives strategic decisions and enhances business performance

Kamal Kant
Assistant Manager, Accounts & Finance
An MBA graduate with 8 years of experience in managing accounts payable/receivable, petty cash, reconciliations, and TDS/GST payments. Known for precision, efficiency, and continuous improvement in financial processes.

DEEPANJALI RAO
Event Consultant
Events consultant and philanthropist. Previous stints with Interpol and G20. 22 years across brands like Wizcraft, Star Radio City, Showtime, Radio Mirchi, and DeePositive Foundation.

Aniket Maithani
TECH CONSULTANT
11 years of experience in tech innovation and business strategy. 6 years as consultant and CTO, specialising in fintech and edtech. Amity University graduate.

Mallika Vayalombrone
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Currently at For Young India. Dancer and yoga practitioner. Sociology and MBA graduate.
About Us
We are an independent intellectual properties company based in New Delhi, passionate about the power of ideas and conversation.
In a hyper-polarised world, we seek to create middle ground. Space for intelligent connection.
Our goal is to create a vibrant eco-system of platforms that enable informed dialogue, discovery, and debate. Spaces that invigorate minds. Challenge perspectives. Move hearts. Bridge divides.
From large international conferences and festivals to salons, roving pop-up platforms, and digital series, we envision platforms that are not only multi-disciplinary but anti-disciplinary in their mission to disrupt ideological, cultural and political silos.
Our canvas ranges from the urgently public to the intimately personal. We seek to engage with a diverse range of frontline minds across the world to explore the biggest questions of our time. From politics, science, technology, business, and environment to film, literature, art, media, and health. From spirituality, sexuality, and religion to sports, climate, and public policy. We are interested in every facet of the human experience.