Shloka Mehta on motherhood, ambition, and building meaningful change

Shloka Mehta’s journey into philanthropy and social impact was never a coincidence; it was an inevitability. “To be honest, I always saw myself in this space,” she reflects. Armed with an academic foundation in anthropology at Princeton and law at LSE, she gravitated toward education and social equity from the very beginning. When she moved back to Mumbai in 2014, she immersed herself in this work almost instinctively. As a guest on The Masoom Minawala Show alongside Maniti Shah, her ConnectFor co-founder, Shloka opened up about the complex balance between work and motherhood being rewarding, leaving a legacy behind and more.

Philanthrophy and growing ambition

Her early years in philanthropy were shaped by her role as a donor and grant maker for the Rosy Blue Foundation. Yet, Shloka felt an inherent frustration. “There were so many incredible nonprofits, but with CSR, you’re always constrained by how much you can give. It bothered me that we couldn’t do more,” she says. That realisation planted the seed for ConnectFor, a platform designed to create wider and deeper engagement with the social sector. Together with a lifelong friend who sought more meaning beyond a traditional corporate career, they built something new with a blank whiteboard and a shared vision.

Ambition and beyond

For Shloka, ambition is not just about reaching milestones; it is about creating something from scratch and watching it grow. “Building something from scratch excites me—I like being involved in every step of the process,” she says, recalling the early days of drafting volunteer forms and designing the simplest processes. Over the years, ConnectFor has evolved into a platform that reflects every thought, effort, and belief she and her co-founder poured into it. For Shloka, ambition extends beyond personal fulfillment. It carries a deeply generational responsibility. Motherhood, she explains, has given her work an added layer of purpose. “Being involved in something like ConnectFor is a way for me to leave behind almost a legacy for my children. It’s not about pushing them into the social sector but showing them that if you feel strongly about something, you can create opportunities around it,” she says.

Motherhood and the modern women's choices

The balance between work and motherhood is complex but rewarding. She emphasises that seeing parents share responsibilities helps children understand that everyone has a role to play—at home, at work, and in society. “You need to be aware of the world around you and think about what you can contribute. All careers are valid; it’s okay to aim for a corporate job, it’s okay to want to build something slowly. What matters is creating something of value,” she says. Shloka believes the evolving narrative around women in the workforce, especially in smaller towns, is powerful. Vocational training and community-driven initiatives are enabling women to return to meaningful work even after motherhood, and technology has eased safety and accessibility concerns.

Ultimately, she believes women deserve the space to choose; whether it’s motherhood, career, or both. “No one should be shamed for focusing on being a mom. It’s one of the most meaningful jobs in the world. But with the right support; childcare, community networks, flexibility; mothers can pursue their ambitions too.”

Shloka Mehta’s story is one of intention and quiet resilience; not as a race to the top, but as a journey of building something lasting, purposeful, and deeply human.