Nikhath Firdose: The Innovative and Women Empowering Ed-Tech Leader

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Maya Angelou, the late prolific poet, once stated, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women,” and it has been proven throughout history. Queens and war heroines like Joan of Arc and Rani Laxmibai have been a shining example of powerful women leading countries and kingdoms to victory, and artists and entertainers like Frida Kahlo, Oprah Winfrey, and Lauryn Hill have taken over the world with their art. Even the world of business has witnessed several notable women CEOs such as Susan Wojcicki, Jaya Verma Sinha, and Lisa Su.

Nikhath Firdose is one such shining beacon of light in today’s society, as her ed-tech company UPLY mostly hires potential female employees, helping them escape their harsh poverty and repair their broken homes. Born in Uttar Pradesh and brought up in Bangalore to a typical Muslim family, Nikhath initially resided in her grandparents’ house unlike her five siblings, where she was pampered and adored. She shifted back to her parents’ house after completing her matriculation examinations, in which she secured a distinction and she also scored excellent marks during her 11^th and 12^th standard days.

Marriage was the next step Nikhath and her family took, as she got married to a loving and supportive husband who manages everything well as a bag manufacturer. While the idea of teaching was far-fetched for Nikhath initially as she would be helping her husband with the business regularly, it would all change one day when she decided to pursue a career in teaching. She chose the school in which her siblings were studying and directly visited the principal for a job inquiry. When the principal asked for her resume, Nikhath became clueless, as she wasn’t aware about the idea of a resume.

The principal chuckled and suggested that Nikhath visit a cybercafé to get her resume prepared on a paper sheet. Nikhath got it done and submitted it along with presenting a demo of her teaching skills. Nine days later, a call from the same school informed her of her selection and congratulated her, and she began her teaching career there in 2015. For the next two to three years, she improved her teaching skills, upgraded her knowledge, and delivered excellent results to much joy from the school and its management.

Nikhath had to then leave her job as she was conceived with a   child and gave birth to her daughter in 2018. However, the joyous occasion was cut short, as the baby was placed in ICU for 40-50 days for health issues. Although the treatment worked successfully, the next few months would be a roller-coaster of emotions running among the family members, especially Nikhath. COVID-19 happened, and soon the whole world was confined to their houses during the pandemic. Work-from-home (WFH) options soon began to rise, and Nikhath saw a WFH Job Opening ad for online teaching and decided to apply for it.

Nikhath got selected for her job and began to pursue it with diligence and hard work while being given only two hours per day to conduct the classes. She also pursued her further education online and graduated with a diploma and master’s degree. Her employees, meanwhile, were very impressed with her teaching abilities and within two weeks, offered her a full-time role which she rejected as it felt too soon for her. However, after a month of working and adjusting, she accepted the full-time position, and within a few months, she graduated to a managerial position.

Nikhath’s interest in the ed-tech industry only elevated as each day passed by, and soon she began to research every aspect of the ed-tech industry, which gave her an immense boost in experience for over a year. With enough experience and skills, Nikhath established UPLY, an ed-tech company to empower women by providing them with opportunities and training to secure a better future.

Since its inception, UPLY has successfully trained over 5000 ladies, and over 10, 000 students have learned and improved their English thanks to the efficiency and consistency of Nikhath Firdose and her team especially Marketing head Ms. Javeriya, her unwavering dedication, innovative strategies, and remarkable achievements have catapulted the company to new heights. Nikhath Firdose is currently making Montessori education feasible and accessible to the general public in both rural and urban areas with the statement ‘Simplified Learning, Powerful Future’. He and her team are curating more skills development and vocational courses to ensure more people are prepared. She has also enabled UPLY to provide franchisees with the necessary facilities for those people aspiring to better the lives of others around them.

Nikhath Firdose credits her family, especially her loving husband, for always supporting her even during their darkest hours. She states that being a housewife is no less than regularly working a 9-5 job, and those housewives can also conquer the world if they desire to.  We at Icons of Indian Business wish her and her family the best in their future endeavors and hope they always attain success.

Connect with Nikhath Firdose : +91 98457 99809