

Founder & CEO
Origin
Virtual PreSkool is a (happy) by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2019 was a record year for my startup, ShaadiShop – the largest marketplace for Indian wedding venues in the USA, Canada, and the UK.
2020 was on track to be another stellar year, until everything changed. I have a glass-half- full/life-is-short personality, so I decided to look at the situation as an opportunity to try something new.
Designed for children whose 1st language is English. I chose virtual Hindi classes because there’s a need amongst the diaspora for classes that are fun, focused on conversational Hindi and relatable for children who are growing up with English as their first-language.
Fun! I think learning Hindi should be fun! With everything that’s happened in the world recently, I designed Virtual PreSkool classes to be cheerful, encouraging, and all about positive reinforcement.
Hindi Plus More. My courses are designed to incorporate general skills practice as well – presenting in class, creativity, reading comprehension, drawing insight, making observations, and more.
Practical + Useful. And I teach interesting and useful stuff while building our Hindi skills. For example when we learn Hindi colors vocabulary, your child will learn how rainbows are formed too. We’ll go to a restaurant to learn dining vocabulary and how to politely ask for things in Hindi. And when we learn about the ocean, they’ll take a journey to the Great Barrier Reef.
Small Groups = Personalized Attention. All of my classes are small groups so that I can give each student personalized attention and real time feedback.
My goal is to teach your child to understand and speak Hindi as well as inspire interest in the culture.
About Me
I grew up in and currently reside in beautiful Orange County, California. I learned Hindi organically – at home, where my parents spoke it regularly. But unlike most kids, I responded in Hindi as well. And I had a standing ‘date night’ with my mom = parantha + a Bollywood movie. I’d often stop the movie and ask about words and cultural references that I didn’t understand. And I got better and better.
I’m also an avid dancer and choreographer, having studied bharatanatyam and ballet; as well as a Bollywood and bhangra choreographer. I’m a big Madhuri Dixit fan. I mention it because my Bollywood choreography style aligns with many of her movies where the lyrics lead the movements. You can only do that if you understand the lyrics – which has been another area where I consistently honed my Hindi skills.
Before starting Virtual PreSkool, I owned a direct marketing agency in Orange County and after that, founded ShaadiShop, which is still open, despite the pandemic. Behind the scenes, I’ve been expanding the website and getting it ready for when COVID-19 is a memory.
When I have time, I enjoy writing articles for my travel blog, and sharing my experiences with solo backpacking and travel, as well as my more recent travels around the world with my husband.
Thank you for your interest in Virtual PreSkool! I look forward to seeing you in class!
“My son has learned so much in a short time. He’s teaching us words we don’t know!”
Monica