January 1, 2026
For Nishtha, communication has never been just about language. It has always been about dignity.
A Cambridge-certified EFL trainer, a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and a Level 2–certified practitioner in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the CPCAB (UK), Nishtha brings together linguistic expertise, developmental coaching, and psychological insight in a way few educators do. With over 15 years of experience across cultures, she has coached professionals from Hong Kong, Greece, Turkey, the UK, and beyond. She has seen a recurring pattern that troubles her deeply: brilliant minds sidelined, not because of lack of ability, but because of lack of confidence in English.
Her journey to Xcelevate began shortly after she moved back to India from London. Her husband, who works in the international development sector, met Umang and learned about Xcelevate’s mission. Instantly, he knew it aligned with Nishtha’s values and work. When she visited the Chennai Gurukul and interacted with the apprentices, the impact was immediate and profound. What she saw wasn’t a lack of talent but a surplus of untapped potential.
What draws Nishtha to learners from underprivileged backgrounds is not charity. It is justice.
She understands non-native speakers intimately and rejects the idea that “polished English” is the gateway to success. In her classroom, she dismantles language shame. She teaches her learners that perfect English is not the goal, effective communication is. Her focus is deliberate and empowering and focuses on expressing thought clearly and with confidence.
At Xcelevate, Nishtha sees learners on the cusp of a generational shift. Young people who have been told, subtly and repeatedly, that they don’t quite belong in corporate spaces. Many of the barriers they face are external. Many are internal. Her work lives at that intersection.
The moment she knows her work is making a difference is unmistakable: when learners stop apologizing for their accent, their background, their pauses and start speaking with ownership. When they stop seeing their inabilities and weaknesses but instead begin to see inner strength that they can work on to become capable professionals.
She recalls a moment from her time teaching in London that reaffirmed her purpose. A senior global professional from Israel came to her paralyzed by his language barrier. Despite his stature, he felt isolated, hesitant to speak, disconnected socially and professionally. Nishtha helped him shift his focus from sounding native to being understood. When the psychological breakthrough came, he realized clarity and confidence mattered more than perfection. And that is when he started to open up, initiate conversations, and reclaim his presence. For Nishtha, moments like these define her calling.
Helping learners find their voice, she says, is an act of restoring dignity. Across countries, classes, and contexts, the fear of being unheard is universal. When that fear dissolves, growth follows.
As she completes her first cohort with Xcelevate, Nishtha carries a quiet fulfillment. She hopes her learners won’t just find jobs but build careers. She wants them to step into leadership, and become the kind of professionals they once believed they were only meant to follow.
Because when language shame disappears, possibility begins.
At Xcelevate, we don’t give handouts; we build long-term, life-changing careers. Through community partnerships, bootcamps, and a powerful underprivilege assessment model, we uplift India's most overlooked youth into high-potential professionals.
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