Vanita Shastri is the Executive Director of TiE-Boston, the second largest chapter of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) that ‘Fosters Entrepreneurship’ globally through mentoring, networking and education. In 2013 she was awarded the “Executive Director of the Year” Award by TiE-Global in 2013. This award recognizes Executive Directors who show the most initiative and who exemplify what it means to be a leader within TiE’s organization. 

Vanita has a Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University and has taught business and entrepreneurship at Boston area colleges including BU’s School of Management.  She has also been a policy consultant at Harvard University, where she wrote a number of policy papers, including one on the “Software Policy of India” for the Government of India. Vanita has worked for Redwood Investment Systems, Inc. in Boston where she led the effort to set up their wholly owned subsidiary in India and directed their global operations.

Vanita has founded two non-profit organizations, including the Meru Education Foundation and the Habitat Learning Center in Delhi, India. She is a trained Indian classical dancer and an active member of civic organizations in the Boston area.

I have known Vanita for many years so it was interesting when she shared many new facets of herself in this interview.

As the Executive Director of TiE Boston, I am responsible for the overall operations of TiE-Boston: membership activities, managing all major events including the annual flagship conference, TiECON East, the Special Interest Groups organized by industry vertical, bringing in partners and developing educational initiatives and content for all TiE-Boston programs. I have worked on building and strengthening entrepreneurial relationships within TiE and expanding alliance partnerships with other entrepreneurial groups in Greater Boston. 

I have taken a lead role in heading major initiatives of TiE-Global and managing TiE Chapter Collaborations. My work has resulted in TiE-Boston emerging as a major player in the entrepreneurial eco-system in the region. This is reflected in the consistent awards TiE-Boston has received each year including the highest TiE Global award for a Chapter, "Consistently Performing At the Highest Level" and the "Award For Implementation Of An Innovative Program." 

As part of my work at TiE-Boston, I co-edited a book that describes the global social entrepreneurial work of TiE charter members called, “Social Responsibility and Environmental Sustainability in Business: How Organizations Handle Profits and Social Duties,” in 2010. 

Early on, I had nurtured three aspects of life with great interest: education, performing arts, and family. At each stage in my life I adapted accordingly. When my children were in lower grades, I taught part time in a University, subsequently worked at a global company, and then ran a non-profit on arts education and now this full time role at TiE-Boston. Teaching and mentoring have been constant themes, with a parallel track in the performing arts as a classical dancer, in theatre, and as an interpreter of aesthetic theories to a wide range of audiences.

I was brought up in an egalitarian and democratic home environment. We are three sisters and we were treated equally on par with our brother by my parents. We were encouraged to ask questions and debate over dinner, which had a lasting impact on my approach to life. My mother always instilled in us the value that ‘we could do anything’, which has given me the inner strength to persevere and not give up easily. 

Establish your core principles and priorities in life and then allow it all to unfold. There are decision points all along the way, and the principles become your guide in preventing you from making unnecessary compromises.

In my current position as Executive Director of TiE Boston I feel my work is of immense value in regenerating the engine of entrepreneurship and growth. It is immensely satisfying to know that my contribution is enabling several entrepreneurs start their ventures, build their companies, adding jobs to the economy and fundamentally contributing to the society. 

I enjoy working on the programs of TiE-Boston especially helping to foster new and aspiring entrepreneurs. When I see the results of my inputs and work in how entrepreneurs are able generate disruptive innovations and thus create immense value for industry and in turn for society it is very satisfying. This is inspirational for me and keeps me going. I am sure these will create a lasting impact.  

I have been instrumental in launching several new Programs at TiE-Boston, the TiE Enter, TiE Challenge, TiE Angels, TiE café and re-branding the TiE Institute workshops for entrepreneurs as the TiE LaunchPad workshops which are immensely successful. 

While the children were growing, they were the priority - I did want to pick them up from school and take them to their afternoon activities or bring them home. I have navigated my career in a manner to fit these different aspects into a wholesome experience. 

Early on, we spent a lot of time thinking about parenting especially as we were raising children here, in the US. We wanted them to be healthy, holistic human beings and joyfully exposed to our Indian heritage. We knew early on that getting absorbed into the American melting pot is trivial; we have deep love for Indian culture and the arts, so with our children, we kept a joyful engagement with India. Our children were born at home; I tried to raise both our daughter and son as equals, we took them always to a homeopath, tried to use home remedies if they were sick, ate vegetarian food that were cooked at home, always spoke to them in Hindi, and introduced them to a wide range of Indian arts, besides sports and other activities.  

I think, often times parents give in too fast; it is important to know your roots to raise children creatively. Young Indian parents need to have the confidence that they come from a great culture, and that it will eventually be the only link to their descendants way out in future. I think as adults this is the best gift we have, i.e., the ability to raise children into this world as we choose. It’s a hard job but a very satisfying and rewarding one as well. As in dance, a parent is like the teacher or a potter (kumhar) who holds the mud pot from the inside but keeps patting it hard from the outside. 

I have founded two non-profit organizations, including the Meru Education Foundation, in USA and the Habitat Learning Center in New Delhi, India. 

The mission of Meru Education Foundation is to bring unique learning programs on arts, history, language and culture of India to audiences in North America. As part of my work with Meru, I have created curriculum and lesson plans on India for all (K-12) grades for the school systems. 

I have written a book called, The Salem India Story, Maritime Trade between Salem MA and India (1788-1845) which documents the early trade between India and the United States. This book is part of one of the curriculum kits developed by me for teaching students about India and her contributions.   

I also founded the Habitat Learning Center in New Delhi, India that provides computer literacy to disadvantaged youth in 2001-02. It continues to provide training in digital learning for the underprivileged children in partnership with NGO’s in Delhi. 

I am a past President of Indian American Forum for Political education (IAFPE) and actively built the programs of the group in my role. I contributed to the community at a time when members of the Indian American population faced hate crimes and when the 911 incident had just taken place. 

I have partnered with Harvard University Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the Peabody-Essex Museum and have worked with other cultural organizations, such as Chinmaya Mission, Learnquest Academy of Music, and Samskrita-Bharati as a volunteer. I have also helped, nurtured and guided several art groups in Boston area, including mentoring other dancers, musicians and cultural groups to develop their respective programs and organizations.  

I am a trained Indian classical dancer, in the Odissi style, under the guidance of Madhavi Mudgal and legendary Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra. Dance has been a passion; I enjoy reading, researching and giving presentations on Classical Indian Dance and Indian Aesthetics. In addition, I participate in theatrical productions as an actress. I have been teaching Hindi to small children and enjoy that a great deal.

As part of Meru’s work, we are hosting a dance recital this Saturday, Sep 14th by Madhavi Mudgal, my guru, at the National Heritage Museum, in Lexington (33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA). Please find the event details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/409507229170054/

Influences

As a student of Politics I was very impressed by Gandhi and admire his qualities. I have learnt innumerable lessons from my teachers especially Gurus of dance, like Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra. The lessons he imparted in just his being have stayed with me in my life.  At TiE, I have seen very serious entrepreneurs up close who have made big impact through transformative ideas, and have learnt a lot from them.  

My husband, Shekhar has always encouraged me and supported me in whatever I have done. We are friends and partners at many levels, in the arts, in educational and intellectual pursuits – he is the first sounding board for me and a very careful listener. 

  

He is an entrepreneur, poet, and a performing artist. I get to hear early versions of his compositions straight out of his iPad. However direct my feedback, he takes it in stride as valuable input for refinement. He knows how crucial I am in his numerous endeavors.  

What was your happiest moment in life? 

Giving birth to my children at home in my own bedroom with great ease and joy.

Everyone has these moments in life and over time we all develop our own way of coping. For me my spiritual practices have been at the core of dealing with difficult situations. But most of all what I have heard from the masters has helped: “You have not created the world, you don’t have control over everything, so not to worry, there is a reason for this and it too shall pass.” 

I practice yoga and Pranayama, wish I could do it more. But I do try to keep practicing and learning these routines for good health.   

Just keep it simple, be beautiful from the inside out.

Two books that I liked and enjoyed were Charlie Chaplin’s autobiography and “The Autobiography of a Yogi.”

I like old Hindi film songs, my favorite would be songs from the film Mamta. 

I enjoy cooking, and like to try out new recipes, in both South Indian and North Indian styles. Married to someone from the South, I have learnt the cuisine from Karnataka and am happy that my iddlis come out as soft or softer than the experts from the region. My husband, Shekhar and I like to cook with new grains and spices so we experiment a lot with quinoa, tofu or vegan options for our palate. Our interest is to make healthy Indian food that is good for the body and the mind. I take pride in my Thanksgiving table offering where we have a vegan /vegetarian holiday menu that celebrates the harvest and offers enough protein for the vegetarians without the turkey.  

I am a good mimic and can mimic anyone I meet. Often my family has to remind me not to continue to speak like someone whom I had just met. 

Today, women are entering every field and I am very proud of that. I have always mentored other women and shared my experiences and stories with them. I think women are carriers of culture in a very unique way. While we are modern and professional I think it’s equally important to keep the culture and be comfortable in our roots.