Call for Proposals CFP Closed

Have something to say to India's Ruby community?

Thank you to everyone who submitted. The Call for Proposals is now closed — we're reviewing every proposal and will notify all applicants within four weeks.

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Formats

Talk formats

Three formats. Pick the one that suits what you have to say.

Talk

30 min

The main format. 30 minutes to share something you've genuinely learned. A technical deep dive, an architectural decision you regret (or don't), a problem you solved in an unexpected way.

The best talks are honest. They show the rough edges as well as the polished parts.

Lightning Talk

15 min

One idea, sharp and clear. 15 minutes, no time to waste. Lightning talks are great for sharing a gem you built, a bug that surprised you, a technique that changed how you work, or a short story the community should hear.

Great format for first-time speakers.

Workshop

90 min

Participants bring laptops and leave with something working. Workshops are small-group (15–25 people), run in parallel during dedicated workshop slots, and cover practical, hands-on material.

Think: testing patterns, performance debugging, building a specific feature from scratch.

Topics

What we're looking for

These are starting points, not limits. If your talk is about something else that's important to the Ruby community, we want to hear it.

Ruby Internals Rails at Scale Open Source Testing & Quality Performance Security Community Building AI + Rails Accessibility Architecture & Design Databases & ActiveRecord Career & Growth Debugging DevOps & Deployment Frontend in Rails

Not sure if your topic fits? If your talk would make a Rubyist think differently about something they do every day, it's probably a good fit. When in doubt, submit — we'd rather read it and say no than have you wonder.

Speaker Perks

What accepted
speakers receive

We want to make it as easy as possible for the right people to speak. That means covering the basics so that neither cost nor logistics stands in the way of a great talk.

  • Travel support

    Return flights or train fares covered (within agreed limits). Arrive comfortably, knowing your trip is taken care of.

  • Hotel accommodation

    2 nights at the conference hotel (Oct 7–9), included. Focus on your talk, not logistics.

  • Conference ticket

    Full access to both days of the conference. Stay for all the talks, not just yours.

  • Explore Pune Day inclusion

    Automatically included in the Oct 11 Explore Pune Day through Maharashtra. The best part of the conference happens after the conference ends.

Writing Your Proposal

Tips for a
great proposal

We read every proposal carefully. Here's what makes some stand out from others.

01

Be specific about what you'll cover

Vague proposals are hard to evaluate. Tell us exactly what you plan to cover and what attendees will leave knowing.

02

Show your angle

Many people have built Rails apps. What makes your experience — your perspective — different? Lean into that.

03

Honest > impressive

Talks about failures, mistakes, and things that didn't work are often more useful than success stories. Don't polish away the interesting parts.

04

Tell us who the talk is for

Is this for someone writing their first Rails app, or for a senior dev who knows the framework inside out? Both are fine — we just want to know.

CFP Closed

The Call for Proposals has closed

Thank you to every speaker who submitted a proposal. We're reviewing them now and will notify every applicant within four weeks. Missed the CFP? You can still join us in Pune.

Grab your conference pass

Questions? Email us at cfp@deccanqueenonrails.com

FAQ

Common questions

Can I submit multiple proposals?
Yes. You can submit up to 3 proposals across different formats or topics. We'll review each one on its own merits. If you have more than one thing to say, don't hold back — submitting multiple proposals increases your chances and helps us build a more varied programme.
I've never spoken at a conference before. Can I apply?
Absolutely — and we actively encourage it. Some of the best talks at community conferences come from first-time speakers who have something genuine to say. If your proposal is accepted, we'll pair you with an experienced speaker mentor who'll help you prepare and feel confident on the day. The Lightning Talk format is also a great low-pressure way to start.
What if I'm based outside India?
We welcome proposals from anywhere in the world. Deccan Queen on Rails is rooted in India's Ruby community, but it's not closed to the world — some of our most anticipated speakers come from overseas. If your talk is accepted, travel support and accommodation apply regardless of where you're travelling from (within reasonable limits, which we'll discuss with you directly).
When will I hear back?
We aim to notify all submitters within 4 weeks of the CFP closing. If your proposal is shortlisted or needs clarification, we may reach out before the final decision. We give feedback to every submitter whose proposal was not selected — we think that's the respectful thing to do.
Can I propose a co-presented or panel talk?
We don't usually include panels in the programme — in our experience they tend to be less focused than single-speaker talks. However, if you want to co-present with one other person and have a strong reason for it, mention it in your proposal and we'll consider it. We'll treat it as a single submission.
Will talks be recorded?
We're planning to record all main-stage talks and make them available online after the conference. We'll ask for your explicit consent before publishing any recording. Workshops are generally not recorded to allow for a more candid, interactive environment.