CEO & Founder
Saloni Rajesh Shavdia
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice Consultant
Hello there!
I am Saloni Rajesh Shavdia, the founder and CEO of NIRAJKA Consultancy Firm. NIRAJKA is something special to me because it has brought me closer to my goal, which is to help people become better and kinder to one another with a social justice lens.
The ‘NI’ in NIRAJKA stands for my late Aunt Nina Harilal Nandha, whom I lovingly call Nina Maa. She taught me to spread kindness, love, laughter, and always have homemade Kheer (rice pudding). The ‘RA’ stands for Rajesh Navinchandra Shavdia, who is my Papa/father. He has been my rock throughout my life. He once told me, “Saloni, life is all about the mind, and if you think of something, you will believe it. So, try to be positive as much as you can.” The ‘J’ is Jayalaxmi Navinchandra Shavdia, my Baa, who is my grandmother but in Gujarati, is called mother. She taught me that nothing is above prayer and taught me about Karam, Dharm, and Karma. Karam is the art of giving, Dharm is your duty and principles, and Karma is the concept that whatever you do comes back to you. Lastly, ‘KA’ is Kamini Rajesh Shavdia, my super-mum. She taught me to have a strong willpower and never to underestimate it. She once told me, “Be bold, be beautiful, and be smart in life,” and that stuck with me throughout my life. Hence, the birth of NIRAJKA.
Other than family, I had two gurus throughout my education who not only spoke to me but also to my soul. I met my first life Guru at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa, during my junior and high school years. I was going through a rough patch in my final years of high school, and that's when my guru first appeared. They say when it's time for a teacher to appear, a teacher will appear without fail. And that's exactly what happened to me. Even though my Guru did not teach me a subject in school, he did teach me the most important life lesson, which is to believe in myself and God. During my rough patch in high school, my guru went out of his way to support me. He once asked me, “Do you believe in GOD?” (I said yes), “then leave it up to him.” And I did exactly that. Miracles and the art of prayer go a long way. Despite many challenges, I completed high school and graduated with an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
My second guru was my Social Justice professor at the University of Victoria (UVic) in British Columbia (BC), Canada. He taught me to fight injustice through education. In one of his classes, he mentioned a quote by the late and honourable Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon.” With that in mind, I immersed myself in Sociology and Social Justice studies at UVic. Through meeting people and volunteering at various school clubs, I had the opportunity to speak at the ‘Black Lives Matter Rally’ in Victoria in front of thousands of people at Centennial Square in Victoria, BC, Canada, on June 8th, 2020. I remember being nervous before speaking, and my guru came up to me and told me, “It’s better to say something than not say anything at all and speak from your heart”. And I did just that. I made a small impact in a sea of voices. At the same time, I used to co-facilitate with my guru on Anti-Racism workshops for UVic staff, faculty, students, and the Victoria community. Though his guidance I then became the first student at UVic to facilitate the Anti-Racism workshops individually.
Due to all my life lessons and teachings, I am at a point where I can now call myself a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Social Justice consultant. NIRAJKA Consultancy came to be due to my ongoing passion to be a better individual and contribute to a better society today. My passion for Social Justice and DEI began at a young age when I told myself that I want to change the world in some way one day. Hence, today, NIRAJKA stands as a consultancy that aims to do good for the people, by the people, and with the people. Hence, the several workshops NIRAJKA has to offer, which correlate with the consultancy mission of changing people's perspectives on others and spreading kindness.