Shaheen Mistri, CEO, Teach For India, is a leader who has made change happen at a time when few people were even talking about serving society. A first-generation social worker and education reformer, she founded the Akanksha Foundation and later took her vision nationwide as the CEO of Teach For India. For decades, she’s worked relentlessly to ensure children from underserved backgrounds get access to an excellent education. Her work reflects grit, equality, compassion, and the courage to challenge the status quo and move the world collectively in that direction.
In this episode of The Happiness Hour, Ashu Khanna sits with Shaheen Mistri for a candid and powerful conversation. At just 18, Shaheen walked away from a conventional path and stepped up to uplift society. She shares what it means to work where hope can feel scarce, why building communities is at the heart of transformation, and how love continues to guide her work.
Her leadership is not about authority or power; it is rooted in love, trust, and collaboration, proving that compassion creates the most enduring change.
At an age when most worry about college or careers, Shaheen chose to dedicate herself to children in India, an act of courage that set the tone for her life’s work.
Through Akanksha and Teach For India, she has shown how schools can be the foundation of lasting change not just for individual children, but for communities and generations.
Shaheen believes that happiness comes from uplifting others rather than chasing personal goals. She finds her passion in teaching, mentoring, and building movements.
If you’ve ever questioned whether one person can truly make a difference, this episode shows that it’s possible. Shaheen’s journey is dedicated to caring deeply, and daring to do things differently. Her story is a call to teachers, leaders, and seekers of purpose to act with courage, hope, and conviction. It’s a masterclass in service, leadership, and real-world impact.
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