MEET THE SPEAKER
Learning is not simply about knowing the answer. It is about knowing what to do when there isn’t one.
For learners navigating a changing world, curiosity, adaptability, problem-solving and the ability to see possibilities matter deeply. At PULSE 2026 | Where Culture Meets Learning, Arjun Puri brings a distinctive educational perspective shaped across communities, schools, universities and global platforms.
Arjun Puri
Arjun began his career at Merrill Lynch in London, managing relationships across international markets, before taking a very different path with ITC.
His work with ITC took him through villages in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, where he worked on farmers’ access to fair and transparent price information while contributing to rural education initiatives.
That experience would continue to inform his work in education.
As Dean of Admissions at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, Arjun led a talent identification programme for gifted young people from rural India, taking the initiative from concept to reality in Meghalaya.
At Woodstock School, he served as Director of Development and also mentored students as a pastoral leader. At O.P. Jindal Global University, he directed admissions across seven schools, taught, and helped build the foundation for the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities.
A Wider Lens on Learning
Arjun’s journey brings together perspectives rarely found in one career: access, opportunity, talent, mentorship, institutional leadership and lived experience.
For a conversation centred on learning spaces, this offers an important shift in perspective.
Learning is shaped not only by what is taught, but also by where learners come from, what opportunities they encounter, who believes in their potential and the environments in which they grow.
From Experience to Story
A three-time TEDx speaker, global keynote speaker and published author, Arjun has carried these ideas to audiences across the world.
His interest in human experience extends into his writing as well. He is currently working on a book exploring nostalgia, food and memory—three powerful ways in which people connect experience with place and identity.
He holds a master’s degree from the University of St Andrews.
Why Arjun at PULSE 2026?
Where Culture Meets Learning is ultimately a conversation about the many forces that shape education.
Arjun brings a perspective built across rural communities, schools, universities and global platforms—and an understanding of learning that goes beyond the boundaries of a classroom.
His presence invites us to consider:
How do culture, context, opportunity and human experience shape the way we learn?
And what can educational communities do when they begin looking at the learner through a wider lens?
PULSE 2026 | WHERE CULTURE MEETS LEARNING
5–7 October 2026 | Sheraton Grand Palace, Indore
We are delighted to welcome Arjun Puri to PULSE 2026.
With a journey spanning London, rural India, Hyderabad, Meghalaya, Woodstock School and O.P. Jindal Global University, he brings a distinctive voice to a global conversation on learning, people, place and possibility.
We look forward to welcoming Arjun to Indore—and to hearing the stories, questions and perspectives he brings to the PULSE stage.