In this piece, You will read about Mrs. India USA 2022, Shalini Madan Sharad. She has been featured on Times Square Billboard as a profile personality. You will learn more about such a brilliant woman, whose education and work are multi-dimensional. In this interview-based article, she shared her life journey with the audience. She’s a healthcare corporate leader, start-up incubator, economics graduate, motivational speaker, fitness coach, and now Mrs. India USA 2022. Her philosophy is that “education feeds the mind, exercise nourishes the body, and spirituality feeds the soul.” She realized that there is never a good time to live one’s passion and dreams in her life journey. She has broken one glass ceiling after the other and believes that “You Can If You Think You Can.“
It may be helpful for readers who want to learn more about diversity in education, personality, achievement, and the healthcare field.
“I had this dream back in 1996 that one day I would be on the stage representing my country India and portray the Indian culture. Winning the crown in an international pageant with 48 delegates representing various countries is a DREAM COME TRUE. Winning this crown has given me more confidence to continue focusing on further passions and dreams, that are unfulfilled and not seeking validation.”
- She wants to use the crown responsibly and give back to the world- She believes that she can inspire others through her journey – Confidence, empowerment to live each dream of yours and believe in yourself. New Jersey-based Shalini believes that hard work & determination can lead to endless possibilities. This quote sums up her life journey: “If opportunity doesn’t knock on your door-Build one.”
- Shalini Madan Sharad is the winner of the prestigious title, Mrs. India USA 2022 with Virgelia Productions Inc., and this event has been hosted by the Virgelia Productions Inc. (an international pageant) for the last 33 years. Virgelia Productions Inc. organized the coronation at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, California, USA, on November 20, 2021.
I want to use the
Crown
responsibly
Women often look for validation, and we know that we do have those moments when we wore invisible crowns and fought against odds to pull life to get on track. Even though we have the strength to handle problems with a smile, we seek validation from the external environment. Winning this crown has given me more confidence to continue focusing on further unfulfilled passions and dreams and not seeking validation.”
– Shalini Madan Sharad
Shalini Madan S. is the first woman in her family who pursued advanced education and a professional career. Against an expectation of doing an education to get her a job to earn a living, she followed a path that would allow her to make a more significant impact. She pursued a way that took her out of the norm and moved her to companies that allowed her to innovate and establish businesses that could significantly contribute to people’s lives. She ended up owning intellectual property in the healthcare industry around patient engagement.
She studied Economics at Delhi University, a Postgraduate in International Business from Amity & executive program in US Health Reform from the Harvard School of Public Health. Coming from a humble background, she built a fast-track professional career across a variety of challenging roles and global locations. Healthcare became her chosen sector where she has led several start-up ideas and grown them into thriving businesses.
“I have had three corporate roles where I built a business from scratch.“
I was the first to start the business unit in all these roles, which meant I would focus on innovation and future-looking trends. There are no written benchmarks that can be followed, and neither do they have many supporters.
Often we are asked questions about how innovation can fail, or we are misunderstood for being ambitious. It takes that “go-getter” attitude and “discipline for passion” to convert a ZERO into a high-potential business.
We have to go after building opportunities, creating a base, and think BIG. No one ever became successful overnight…It takes many failures that I would better call “steps to success” to reach heights. Let us not limit ourselves from thinking differently. The young entrepreneurs are THE FUTURE trendsetters and should go after their vision without limiting beliefs. Doors will be built and opened on the way.“
Being an Indian woman from a middle-class family, she had to fight against several odds to pursue her journey.
She represents the first woman living her family’s dream to be an economist, corporate leader, public speaker, fitness coach, super mom & globetrotter. Since childhood, she has been a motivational speaker, serving a spiritual mission with an aim of humanity, oneness, and peace, not pieces. She contributes to community selfless service and is now teaching kids about Godfidence & the values to be better humans.
She firmly believes that education feeds your mind, exercise nourishes your body and spirituality feed your soul.
In the journey of life, she realized there is never a good time to live one’s passion and dreams. She has broken one glass ceiling after the other and believes that “you can if you think you can.”
The world has moved on from just being a fashion model to promoting more and more women as “role models.” So let’s go for each unfulfilled vision and dream…success will follow.
-Shalini M.S.
Below you will find a few important conversations.
Q1. Mrs. India USA 2022 is the prestigious title you won. The readers would like to know what feelings the title evokes for you & what wearing a crown means to you.
Ans- Mrs. India USA 2022 is the prestigious title I won. I am sharing my feelings with Global readers. It is a remarkable achievement in my life because I have spent two decades in a corporate career and did not carry much experience in the pageant/fashion world. I had this dream back in 1996 that one day I would be on the stage representing my country “India” and portray the Indian culture. Winning the crown in an international pageant with 48 delegates representing various countries is a DREAM COME TRUE. I believe that the dreams that we work for do come true if they are backed by hard work.
I was given many reasons by the external environment that could have pulled me back- is it a mid-life crisis? Why are you taking time out of your family life? Women often look for validation, and we know that we do have those moments when we wore invisible crowns and fought against odds to pull life to get on track. Even though we have the strength to handle problems with a smile, we seek validation from the external environment. Winning this crown has given me more confidence to continue focusing on further unfulfilled passions and dreams and not seeking validation.
Q2. Our curiosity is piqued by the diversity in your education fields. How would you describe these differences?
Ans- I studied economics and then international business. However, when I started applying it to the Life Science industry, where I began my career in my initial years, it kept taking shape to become “health economics.” I do not have academics in the healthcare industry but what is essential is the application of economics and international business to the healthcare industry. I have intellectual property on the innovation I did in the “Patient Engagement & Digital Health” that contributes to improved quality of life of patients and better health economics in different countries.
Q3. In Mar 2022, you were featured on a Times Square billboard in New York City. Did you enjoy that experience? What message would you like to convey to Indian women about higher education & building a separate identity?
Ans- I was featured on a Times Square billboard in NYC as I was featured as a ‘Role Model” who could bring many unique aspects of my personality together. I think Indian women or women in general, are multitaskers and possess a strength of mind that can beat many odds. If we do not restrict ourselves from stepping out of our comfort zone and going after our dreams, even if they are in varied spaces and we are the first in the family to pursue them- we will be seen as role models. Women are already role models depicting the multiple roles they play. The world has moved on from just being a fashion model to promoting more and more women as “role models.” So let’s go for each unfulfilled vision and dream…success will follow.
Q4. Your leadership skills have helped grow several start-up businesses in the healthcare sector. What are the trends you are seeing in this sector?
Ans- It’s the world of digitization of healthcare within and across countries. Payers, Pharma, and providers are coming together to provide a digital solution to the more informed patient than ever. There are many niche companies providing solutions to the healthcare ecosystem. The pandemic has accelerated digitization plans that any nation or company had. This means more and more need for open innovation across new technologies, healthcare infrastructures, and data systems. To allow a seamless patient experience, these technologies will need to walk and talk to each other and help enable an ecosystem approach.
Q5. We’re interested in learning more about the challenges of digitalization in healthcare, particularly in low-income countries.
Ans- Low-income countries have different levels of internet penetration and mobile usage. Digital programs will have to be designed and customized depending on whether the patient population is in a rural or urban area, if they are savvy with technology or if they are comfortable with human intervention. The main point here is to reach each patient with the right channels to provide healthcare access and post-treatment support.
Q 6. Your faith in spirituality is strong. How do you think spirituality separates India from other countries? Are you of the opinion that Indian spirituality is a power?
Ans- Firstly, spirituality itself means recognition of the fact that we are all human beings going through spiritual experiences. I do not think there is any difference in spirituality, country, or religion. It just means that we understand that there is one higher source of truth- we can give it any name- God, the universe, faith, angels, higher power, or more. We are souls who have been sent on planet earth to live our spiritual experiences and journey. When we recognize the reason for why we are here and what learnings each experience gives us, we understand how we are a part of the one higher source, independent of caste, country, and culture.
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