Three Lives in One: A Survivor’s Tale - From Armed Robbery and a Plane Crash to a Kidnapping
Dr Kaushik Sridhar is not a motivational speaker - he’s a pragmatic realist. With a life spanning Nigeria, the United States, Australia, and conflict zones in the Middle East, Kaushik weaves a deeply personal and powerful story of survival, career pivots, and the mindset needed to thrive in chaos.
Event Program Outline:
7:00 pm - 7:15 pm: Opening
Waiting for attendees to arrive (15 minutes). There can be some light banter /casual talk between speaker, organiser and audience during this time.
7:15 pm - 8:00 pm: Intro and Main Talk
The host, Boon Liang, will introduce the company and the speaker (15 minutes). The speaker, Dr Kaushik, will proceed to talk about his survival experiences (30 minutes).
8:00 pm - 8:20 pm: Interview by Host
The host (Boon Liang) will ask the speaker (Dr Kaushik) several questions about his experiences, what he learnt, and what advice he wants to give the audience (20 minutes).
8:20 pm - 8:50 pm: Q & A (Audience)
8:50 pm - 9:00 pm: Book Sales & Closing Remarks
Venue:
YMCA of Singapore
1 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238824
Level 4, Function Room III
Directions:
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut. Take Exit A.
Synopsis:
The main talk will cover 3 key survival moments, set in the broader context of Kaushik’s unique life journey, built around his mantra: “Follow your dot.”
1. Early life in Nigeria and surviving multiple armed robberies as a child
2. Plane crash over the Gulf of Mexico en route to the US as a 12-year-old
3. Life-shaping resilience and career turning points—bullying, burnout, reinvention
4. Final story: Being kidnapped and held hostage in Lebanon
This is not just a story of what happened, but what it meant-how perspective, fear, humour, and clarity helped Kaushik navigate moments when many might fall apart.
Key Themes:
– What does it mean to follow your ‘dot’?
– How do we build calm in chaos?
– Why failure and fear are necessary
– How to make sense of trauma and turn it into a toolkit for growth
Audience Takeaways:
– A unique, global perspective on surviving—and thriving—in uncertain times
– Powerful stories of courage, serendipity, and mindset
– A practical, hopeful framework for navigating personal and professional disruption
Speaker Bio:
Dr Kaushik is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Oxford, University of Melbourne, RMIT University, Australian Institute of Business and Kaplan Business School where he delivers courses on Leadership, Governance and ESG for their MBA programs. He is also a former ATP Tour professional tennis player, and founder of a consultancy firm, Orka Advisory, which focuses on sustainability projects. He has delivered 2 TED talks and worked in senior sustainability roles at Evolution Mining, Regis Healthcare, KPMG, EY and Unisys, where he has built and led multi-million-dollar and award-winning sustainability programs & strategies. Kaushik is also a strategic advisor, mentor and coach for various tech and startup companies around the world.