Episode 17 — Shruti
The Story of: Someone Who Could Never Sit Still.
nature-based play, childhood, entrepreneurship, and finding purpose
“I was never someone who could sit still.”
Key Moments
- ✦A new baby, a business setback, and financial pressure brought Shruti's lifelong restlessness to a sudden pause
- ✦A ball pit moment sparked an idea for helping children connect with nature
- ✦Starting with a barren patch of land and a few seeds in a Mumbai society
- ✦Rebuilding after COVID, including six months of free sessions
- ✦Tree walks, stargazing, fireflies, foraging, and the millipede moment that made it all worth it
About This Episode
Shruti had never been someone who could sit still. Then a new baby, a business that did not work out, and financial pressure brought everything to a pause. In that stillness, she noticed that many children around her were growing up indoors, without the muddy, curious outdoor childhood she remembered.
A ball pit moment led to an idea, and a barren patch of land in a Mumbai society became a starting point. Shruti shares the journey of building Green Panther, restarting after COVID, and creating ways for children to explore nature — from tree walks and stargazing to fireflies and overnight camps.
Her pearl of wisdom: work for the purpose; money is a byproduct.