Grit for the Manchester of the East
Ahmedabad opened India’s first textile mill in 1861 and is home to Adani, Zydus, Torrent and Nirma. Paris brings The Grit Code to its business community.
Mills, pharma and the world’s biggest stadium
India’s first textile mill opened here in 1861, earning Ahmedabad the name Manchester of the East. It remains a major denim supplier.
The Adani Group, Zydus, Torrent and Nirma all have their headquarters in Ahmedabad, spanning energy, ports, pharma and consumer goods.
The old walled city became India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City in July 2017, and the Narendra Modi Stadium, with 132,000 seats, is the largest stadium in the world.
Who Paris speaks to in Ahmedabad
Energy and infrastructure groups
Keynotes on long projects and setbacks.
Pharma and life sciences
Persistence for research and quality teams.
Mills and apparel
Talks for operations and sales leaders.
Second and third generation leaders
Sessions on resilience and change.
Rooms and stages
Ahmedabad’s big summits often run at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, while company meetings use the hotels along the Sarkhej–Gandhinagar Highway and the city campuses.
- Narendra Modi Stadium – 132,000 seats at Motera, the largest stadium in the world
- Mahatma Mandir – the convention centre in neighbouring Gandhinagar, host of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summits
- Gujarat University – founded in 1949, with campus halls for academic events
Pick the format
Most Ahmedabad organisers book the 45–60 minute Grit Code keynote. Teams that want depth add a Grit Deconstruction workshop of 90 minutes to half a day, remote audiences get a 30–45 minute virtual version, and Paris can also host and moderate full-day events. Compare formats →
Endurance you can measure
A marathon on every continent
7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, from Antarctica to Miami via Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid and Fortaleza.
4,800 km of open ocean
The 2023 Pacific row, which raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Paris ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in under six days. Read how that became The Grit Code, or see the Mumbai page. The Grit Code keynote · Keynote speaker Mumbai · 39 days at sea: the Pacific row film
On stage or on screen
Available for in-person events in Ahmedabad, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book speakers about three months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
Paris presents in English, which is widely used in Indian business. Organisers can add Gujarati or Hindi interpretation if the audience would benefit.
See also keynote speaker in India, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Ahmedabad’s economy and who the talk is for
Ahmedabad has a population of about 7,645,000 (2016 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Companies headquartered in Ahmedabad include Zydus Cadila (pharmaceutical industry) and Torrent Pharmaceuticals (pharmaceutical industry).
Manufacturing and engineering (Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharmaceuticals). Manufacturing and engineering audiences value process. The Grit Code breaks grit into habits that can be practised on a production line or a project site, using the discipline of a 4,800 km ocean row as the example.
Students, graduates and faculty
Ahmedabad’s universities, including International Institute of Hotel Management, make it a strong market for student, graduate and alumni events. Paris speaks to young audiences about effort, setbacks and choosing hard goals, and to faculty about building resilient teams.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
How a Grit Code session works
- Each booking begins with a call about the audience and what success looks like after the event.
- The talk turns the 7-marathon challenge and the Pacific row into habits teams can use on Monday morning.
- A virtual version of 30–45 minutes is available for distributed teams.
The content is shaped around Ahmedabad organisations and their goals, so the room hears examples that match its own challenges. Paris presents as an adventurer and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, not as a theorist.
Where the talk fits in Ahmedabad
Organisers in Ahmedabad usually book Paris for one of these occasions:
- Annual company conferences and town halls.
- Change and transformation programmes, including AI adoption.
- Safety, wellbeing and performance days for operations teams.
- Charity dinners and community events, which Paris knows well as an ambassador for Gulf for Good.
Credentials at a glance
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Ahmedabad?
Yes. He is available for Ahmedabad conferences, offsites and leadership events, on site or online.
Can Paris speak at a Vibrant Gujarat or Gandhinagar summit?
Yes. He gives keynotes and can host or moderate sessions at large summits.
Does Paris work with family businesses?
Yes. He tailors the talk for leaders handing over or growing a family firm.
Which Ahmedabad industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Ahmedabad it suits manufacturing and engineering audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in Ahmedabad?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as International Institute of Hotel Management, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Ahmedabad?
Yes. The Grit Deconstruction workshop runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the keynote’s ideas into team habits and actions.
Can the keynote be delivered online for teams in Ahmedabad?
Yes. A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences, delivered in your local time zone.
Who has Paris spoken for?
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
Planning an event in Ahmedabad?
Tell us about the room and the date. You can also book a call.