THRIVE Project is incredibly grateful to Prof. Jayant Mahajan, Tahreem Shah, and Hafiz Khan for their inspirational presentations during the September 2025 Thrivability Matters Webinar. This webinar focused on THRIVE Project’s September theme – Globalisation: Smart Communities. Our presenters captivated us as they shared their extensive knowledge regarding this theme, as they discussed how our cities and communities can become more thrivable as our world becomes increasingly connected, providing people with happy and prosperous lives, now and into the future.
Here are the highlights from our webinar!
About the September 2025 Speakers
Prof. Jayant Mahajan is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in the corporate sector, complemented by seven years as a business management academic at Christ University in Lavasa, Pune, India.
Renowned for his leadership and passion for sustainability, he has spearheaded the ‘Change Before Climate Change’ initiative—an extraordinary cycling journey tracing India’s borders to raise awareness about the urgent need for climate action.
Committed to driving positive change, Jayant exemplifies how individuals can leverage their professional expertise to make a meaningful impact on society and the planet. His dedication continues to motivate many to take proactive steps in addressing the climate crisis.
An architect turned entrepreneur, Tahreem Shah blends design thinking with business strategy to create technology-driven solutions for societal challenges.
Passionate about empowering communities and women, Tahreem has led ventures tackling healthcare, food security, and financial inclusion, addressing systemic challenges while enabling communities to adapt and thrive in rapidly changing environments.
Her current focus lies in designing technology solutions that serve the global Middle Affluent Class, reflecting her commitment to harnessing innovation not only for growth but also for inclusive and sustainable societal progress.
Hafiz Khan, whose name means Protector, has dedicated his life to conserving nature and biodiversity.
True to his name, he began his endeavor to protect the birds and butterflies, trees and flowers, inspiring collective action for nature.
Over the past eight years, CommuniTree has created more than 150 thriving urban forests and today nurtures and manages over 1.5 million trees across India, ensuring their survival and long-term ecological impact.
With over a decade of experience in large-scale afforestation, Hafiz has pioneered intensive, community-driven plantation models that transform barren lands into vibrant ecosystems.
Passionate and action-oriented, Hafiz continues to inspire schools, corporates, governments, and communities to build climate-resilient cities.
Summary of the September 2025 Webinar
As an organisation, THRIVE Project endeavours to guide humanity towards a more thrivable future. We had the privilege of hosting these speakers as guest presenters for our webinar.
Prof. Jayant Mahajan –
“Fixing Irresponsible Tourism Now”
In a compelling presentation, Prof. Jayant Mahajan explored the hidden costs of irresponsible tourism—from carbon-intensive travel to cultural exploitation—and proposes actionable strategies to shift towards regenerative, community-centered tourism models.
Drawing from his experiences cycling across India and witnessing both inspiring and harmful tourism practices, he highlighted examples of destinations that have successfully turned the tide by enforcing regulations, raising visitor awareness, and ensuring tourism revenue benefits local communities. He aims to drive solutions that protect fragile ecosystems and uplift host communities, making travel a force for good.
Tahreem Shah –
“Designing Thrivable Urban Futures”
The second speaker, Tahreem Shah discussed how design thinking and ethical innovation can shape sustainable urban futures, with a focus on women-led ventures, inclusive business models, and technology-driven strategies that meet the evolving needs of emerging markets and the Middle Affluent Class, while driving change towards a thrivable future where communities, economies, and ecosystems prosper together.
Hafiz Khan –
“Leadership Lessons from Trees”
Following our first two compelling speakers, Hafiz Khan guided us through insights from his journey of building community-led forests in Indian cities. Drawing lessons from trees – resilience, interdependence, and growth – he outlines practical steps for creating thriving urban forests, mitigating the pressing issues of climate change and rapid urbanisation. Through this, he demonstrated how collective action can transform neglected spaces into vibrant ecosystems that benefit both people and the planet
the socio-psychological underpinnings of developmental aspirations in the Global South, and their implications for sustainable consumption, highlighting how consumption patterns can cause impacts to ecosystems and the world.
The presentation demonstrated how aspirational consumer cultures can worsen structural inequalities and environmental harms, showing how a just transition towards a thrivable future must acknowledge, rather than bypass, the aspirations that shape how individuals imagine a better life.
Moving Forward from September 2025
The September 2025 Thrivability Matters Webinar showcased insights from Prof. Jayant Mahajan, Tahreem Shah, and Hafiz Khan. If you missed the live event or the Q&A session, you can view the recordings on our YouTube channel.
If you’re interested in joining us after the September 2025 Thrivability Matters Webinar, there are plenty of ways to get involved. You can follow us on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Additionally, you could subscribe to our YouTube, listen to our podcasts, join our workshops, sign up for our newsletter, stay up to date with our articles, attend our free webinars, or even join us as a volunteer to make an even greater impact on the world.
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