From Education To Internships, How Shloka Ambani's Passion For The Social Sector Shaped Her Purpose

Shloka Ambani is the co-founder of ConnectFor, also known as the “Shaadi.com for volunteering". The online platform caters to individuals looking to volunteer for a cause they are passionate about, connecting them with NGOs that need such dedicated volunteers. Although Shloka started this organisation with co-founder, Maniti Shah, in 2015, she had always been riveted by the social sector. Recently, she revealed an early ambition that was always centred around social work. From her final year thesis in college to numerous internships, Shloka's education and career have been shaped by her drive to mobilise at the grassroots level. 

Shloka Ambani's education and its impact on her motivation for working in the social sector

Shloka Ambani pursued a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology at the Ivy League university, Princeton University. Then she completed her Master's degree in Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In The Masoon Minawala Show, Shloka talked about co-founding ConnectFor with Minati Shah and working for the social sector and promoting volunteership. The social entrepreneur revealed that she had always envisioned herself working in this space. Shloka stated that during her higher education years, she chose topics centred around the social sector for her thesis and dissertation. In the chat, Shloka discussed about her education and said:

"To be honest, I always saw myself somewhere in this space. I studied Anthropology at Princeton and then Law at LSE uh for my masters. But both at Princeton and at LSE we had to do a thesis and then a master's dissertation. Both times, I chose topics in the social sector to work on. "

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Shloka Ambani talks about her internship days and teaching at different schools 

Shloka's interest in the social sector did not end with her dissertation. Rather, it led her to internship opportunities that shaped the seed for creating a platform like ConnectFor. She revealed in the chat that she had always been passionate about education, especially the Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009. For the uninitiated, the RTE aims to provide equal and equitable education to every child in India aged between 6 and 14 years. It also mandates free and compulsory education for children and recognises it is a fundamental right. 

Shloka Ambani, after coming back to India in 2014, took on numerous and diverse internships to 'test things out'. Her passion for the education sector also materialised into teaching at schools. Shloka revealed that she first taught at a private school during the summers. The following year, she taught at a Teach For India school. TFI is a non-profit that recruits highly educated professionals to teach at low-income schools and connect with children from low-income backgrounds. Shloka stated that teaching at both these schools was a profound experience, as the stark difference between the schools in terms of opportunities really resonated with her. She said in the interview:

"When I moved back to Bombay in like 2014, I immediately started working in this space like I never did. I did a bunch of internships which are all across the board to like test things out. But I think one of the most profound things that I did was I taught in a private preschool for a summer and then I taught in a Teach for India school the next summer and then just the stark disparity in terms of opportunity like really got to me. So I was very clear very early on that I would be in this space. So yeah my ambition has always been to be here."

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More about Shloka Ambani 

Shloka Ambani (maiden name, Shloka Mehta) is the daughter of Russell Mehta and Mona Mehta. Her father is the Managing Director of Rosy Blue, which is a well-known company in the sector of diamonds, retail, real estate and more. In the same interview, Shloka mentioned that the idea for ConnectFor had germinated from her time as a donor and grant maker for the Rosy Blue Foundation, a role she still continues to enjoy. While working for the foundation, she faced the challenge of funding limitations under Corporate Social Responsibility, despite the presence of many incredible NGOs that she wanted to help. This seeded the idea for ConnectFor. 

On the personal front, Shloka tied the knot to Akash Ambani, her childhood sweetheart, in 2019. The couple are parents to two children, Prithvi and Veda. Recently, Shloka revealed that leading a life with a purpose and being involved in a project like ConnectFor is her way of leaving a legacy behind for her children. 

What are your thoughts on Shloka Ambani's education and internships that helped her shape her passion for the social sector? 

Also Read: 'Mama Has To Go To Office..' Shloka Ambani Talks About Redefining Legacy For Her Kids, Prithvi, Veda

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