"Table Tennis and the Brain: How Sport Can Rewire Recovery"

Tanvi & Aarav Desai | TEDxMilton Keynes Youth

August 12, 2025. Milton Keynes, London, UK

"Rallying Hope: How Table Tennis is Rewiring Lives"

Tanvi & Aarav Desai | TEDxWoodcreek HS

September 11, 2025. Roseville, CA, USA

"Table Tennis and the Brain: How Sport Can Rewire Recovery"

In this dynamic and inspiring talk, 14-year-old Tanvi Desai and her 11-year-old brother, Aarav, share a powerful and deeply personal story. As founders of "Table Tennis for Life," these two national-level players have used their sport to create a youth-led initiative that supports neuro-rehabilitation. Blending scientific insights with heartfelt empathy, they demonstrate how the unique demands of table tennis can help rewire the brain and create a joyful path to recovery for those with conditions like Parkinson's and other cognitive challenges. This is a talk that proves how passion, science, and the simplest of games can become a powerful force for healing and inclusion. Tanvi (14) and Aarav (12) Desai are award-winning Table Tennis champions and co-founders of Table Tennis for Life, a youth-led initiative that uses sport to support neuro-rehabilitation. Together, they’ve helped over 500 individuals including people with Parkinson’s, autism, and cognitive challenges through free weekly sessions and outreach programs.

Tanvi, a rising 9th grader, blends her love for science and empathy with high-level sport to inspire healing through movement. Aarav, a rising 6th grader and Youth Contender World Champion, brings joy and connection through coaching. Both have represented the U.S. National Team and are on a mission to prove that sport can be a powerful path to inclusion and recovery at any age. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

August 12, 2025. Milton Keynes, London, UK

Tanvi & Aarav Desai | TEDxMilton Keynes Youth

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