For many travellers, airport lounges are fleeting pit stops. But for Mahima Bhalotia, founder of The Social Paathshala, Mumbai Airport became the setting of a serendipitous encounter, one that reaffirmed her entrepreneurial journey and the values that drive it.
There, amid the familiar hum of departure boards and duty-free shops, she met Aman Gupta, Co-founder of boAt and a popular face on Shark Tank India. But this wasn’t just a celebrity sighting, it was an emotional milestone for a founder quietly shaping one of India’s most empathetic tech revolutions: teaching older adults to thrive in the digital world.
From Teaching Classrooms to Tech Classrooms
A former teacher turned tech educator, Mahima founded The Social Paathshala with a bold but heartful vision to bridge the digital divide for India’s baby boomers and beyond. Her initiative trains seniors in everyday tech use, from UPI payments and WhatsApp calls to online doctor consultations and scam awareness.
“In a world obsessed with youth, it’s easy to forget that our parents and grandparents also deserve digital dignity,” Mahima explains. “The Social Paathshala is their second innings classroom.”
A Meeting That Mattered
Mahima’s admiration for Aman Gupta wasn’t built overnight. As a regular viewer of Shark Tank India, she found herself drawn to his unique style equal parts blunt and big-hearted. Meeting him in person was a full-circle moment.
“It felt validating,” she shares. “He is exactly the same off-camera real, grounded, and genuinely interested in people’s stories.”
What Makes Aman Gupta a Mentor in Spirit
Mahima distills her admiration for Aman into three powerful reasons, all of which resonate with her mission:
1. He Keeps It REAL
“Aman doesn’t sugarcoat. And that’s what makes his feedback feel like a push, not a put-down,” says Mahima. As someone helping elders navigate the intimidating digital universe, she knows how crucial it is to combine honesty with empathy, a trait Aman consistently models.
2. He Champions RELATABILITY over Perfection
“Whether it’s his hoodies or his Hindi, Aman Gupta has made it okay to show up as you are.” This relatability is especially inspiring for entrepreneurs like Mahima who work in unconventional spaces. It reminds her that innovation doesn’t need a suit and tie just sincerity and impact.
3. He Roots for the UNDERDOG
Perhaps the most personal takeaway: Aman’s willingness to back ideas and people others overlook. “He doesn’t just invest in numbers. He bets on people,” she says. In a sector where older adults are often seen as ‘digitally redundant,’ Mahima is challenging perceptions—and seeing Aman uplift underdog stories only reinforces her resolve.
Building Tech with Heart
The Social Paathshala now operates across multiple Indian cities, offering workshops and one-on-one tech coaching for senior citizens. With rising digital adoption post-pandemic and growing interest in intergenerational learning, her work is gaining traction among civic bodies, RWAs, and even fintech companies seeking safer digital literacy practices.
What started as a solo initiative is now evolving into a community-driven movement, where seniors are no longer left behind but walk hand-in-hand into a tech-enabled world.
A Final Word from Mahima
“Meeting Aman Gupta reminded me that authenticity is power,” Mahima says. “You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room, you just have to show up, consistently and truthfully.”
In a unicorn-valuation-obsessed age, The Social Paathshala is proof that social impact startups, founded on empathy, are just as valuable. And for Mahima Bhalotia, a single meeting at an airport was all it took to be reminded of that fact.
About the Founder:
Mahima Bhalotia is the founder of The Social Paathshala, a new-age learning platform that helps India’s older generation confidently navigate the digital world. A former teacher and self-taught tech educator, she is passionate about creating a digitally inclusive India, one learner at a time.
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