Verbōsum Corpus

 Shalini Verma is an author and commentator who writes on the environment and society, drawing on her experiences of farm life. She has also written extensively on technology for nearly a decade and was previously a weekly columnist for the Khaleej Times. In her professional life, spanning more than two decades, Shalini has lived in six countries, developing a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and beliefs.

Shalini spent most of her school years at Welham Girls’ High School, a prestigious boarding school in Dehradun. She graduated with an Honours degree in English from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, and later completed a postgraduate diploma in marketing management from the Times School of Marketing.

She began her professional career in India with The Times of India. During the internet boom, she worked with companies such as Rediff.com. Later, during the mobile revolution, she joined Reliance Communications as Product Manager. She was part of the team that pioneered the mobile apps platform in India.

In 2005, Shalini moved to Malaysia, where she worked as a technology analyst for IDC Asia/Pacific, writing research reports and forecasts. The company later transferred her to Singapore. She subsequently joined Gartner, where she wrote the company’s first research report predicting the rise of AI chatbots. Shalini became a sought-after public speaker at technology events, and was frequently interviewed by Channel NewsAsia, CNBC, among others. While still working for Gartner, she joined her husband in Australia, later moving to South Africa.

In 2015, Shalini relocated to Dubai to set up the Middle East and Africa office of a Singaporean technology company. After successfully building the business, Shalini felt compelled to build something of her own. In 2017, she founded PIVOT Technologies, focused on AI and technology transformation, working with banks and government entities in the gulf region.

Around the same time, she became a prolific commentator on technology as a weekly columnist for the Khaleej Times in Dubai. She has also written for The Hindu, The Quint, and Forbes Middle East. 

Shalini’s love for adventure has taken her to many countries. In 2017, Shalini and her husband climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, an experience that inspired her novella, Pole Pole Kilimanjaro: A Little Extraordinary in an Ordinary Woman’s Life. In 2023, she undertook a solo road trip across Scotland, about which she wrote for The Hindu. On the farm, she enjoys reading, writing and oil painting on canvas. Shalini also worked to educate underprivileged children, raising funds, and building a village school with a computer lab in Bihar, India. 

In 2022, Shalini began living on a rubber estate by the Netravati River while her husband continued to work in the Gulf region. What began as alternate living evolved into a farmhouse that hosts farm stay guests. She oversaw the farmhouse construction and the estate while navigating the challenges of remote areas. Her upcoming book is inspired by true events on the estate. Today, Shalini lives a semi-retired life on the rubber estate with her husband, three dogs, and an assortment of chickens. Her son, also a writer, lives and works in the UK.