Nilima Bhat

An original thinker and initiator, Nilima Bhat is an expert in leadership, organizational culture, conscious business, and self-awareness for work-life balance based on Indian wisdom and wellness traditions. She is also an advocate of gender equity and women in leadership.

Nilima worked for over 10 years for renowned brands such as ESPN STAR Sports, Philips India, and ITC-Welcomgroup in the areas of Corporate Communications and PR.

As the Founder-Director of Shakti Leadership, and an expert in leadership, gender equity, and well-being, Nilima has given workshops and training in leadership for Microsoft, Whole Foods Market, Tata, Societe Generale Bank, Vodafone, and YPO, as well as academic institutions and organizations like the Indus International School and SKS Microfinance.

She is an active supporter of the Conscious Capitalism movement and Women’s International Networking (WIN).

Nilima is a certified yoga teacher from the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre and is a teacher-practitioner of the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo. 
 
In addition, her work focuses on being a facilitator of personal transformation for individuals and organizations in their journey toward conscious growth. She studies and teaches a model of regenerative systems that impacts social relations from a wide range of topics: social enterprises, personal mastery, self-care, and self-love.

The most important aspect of her work and life is sharing how to navigate the journey toward personal mastery and selfless service since it can lead to free and fulfilled lives and environments for everyone. Her focus is on developing Body Intelligence (BQ), which is the ability to become aware of the body and how it responds to changes in order to achieve well-being, and Spiritual Intelligence (SQ), which involves more self-awareness and reflection toward a life of purpose or meaning.

With her association with Hong Kong University’s Centre for Behavioral Health, she learned, developed, and practiced an Integrative Medicine Model, Sampurnah (meaning ‘Wholeness’), to help patients heal through cancer and other lifestyle diseases.

One of her projects is the ‘Shakti Fellowship’, with the University of San Diego, WIN, and Skolkovo FLOW, with the purpose of empowering 100,000 women changemakers by 2030.

She has also initiated and co-convened the Truth & Reconciliation movement for healing collective trauma and leading harmonious interdependence at a planetary level.

She is an international keynote speaker at conferences on mindfulness, women's leadership, gender sensitization, and happiness at work, in countries like the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Croatia, Israel, Turkey, Japan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and India.

Nilima Bhat has written two books, Shakti Leadership – Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business and My Cancer Is Me – The Journey from Illness to Wholeness. They both establish an integrated approach to DEI&B (diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging), leadership, well-being, and resilience.

The book Shakti Leadership – Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business was co-written with fellow Faculty of Excellence professor from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Raj Sisodia. It explains a type of leadership that is cooperative, creative, inclusive, empathetic, and assertive, which allows people to live and lead in balance and consciousness.

At a time when the world is looking for new models, Shakti Leadership has been referenced in many multilateral organizations and audiences such as the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, UN, World Bank, and IMF.

Due to her experience, she has served on the advisory board of MixR, 20-first, and Peace Through Commerce. Shakti Leadership is also recognized as a Home For Humanity. 

She received the INDICA Cultural-Changemaker Fellowship Award for initiating the Shakti Kumbh, the world’s first Kumbh Mela for Women, showcasing ancient spiritual traditions of the Divine Feminine. 

In 2022, Nilima was conferred an Honorary PhD by Jharkhand Rai University, India, for her “iconic and outstanding contribution in the field of Women Empowerment”.  

Nilima Bhat joined Tecnológico de Monterrey as Distinguished Professor in Gender and Conscious Leadership for the Business School, EGADE Business School, and the School of Humanities and Education since September 2023.

• PG Diploma, Social Communications Media, Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai 
• BSc, Life Sciences and Biochemistry, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai

• Bhat, N., & Sisodia, R. (2016). Shakti Leadership: Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

• Bhat, V., & Bhat, N. (2013). My cancer is me: The Journey from Illness to Wholeness. Hay House Publishing.

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