A passionate program manager, Vaishali Sharma has been working with the Piramal Foundation to successfully implement the Swajal Scheme and provide on-the-ground community mobilisation support for the Central Government's Jal Shakti Abhiyan. Her journey has been a roller coaster, with her success attributed to her elder brother and her belief in the importance of teamwork, discipline, and collaboration.

Vaishali Sharma is the program manager of the Piramal Foundation in Jaipur. She leads a domain-based project and works closely with the national government's Jal Jeevan Shakti Mission.

Sharma says she has always desired to work for the development of society. After completing her twelfth grade, she attended Lady Shri Ram College for Women in Delhi to pursue a bachelor's degree in literary studies. She claims that her college experience helped her develop leadership abilities. During her undergraduate years, she oversaw several programs and initiatives, as well as served as the NCC's general secretary and cultural secretary. All of this combined gave her a view of society and shaped her personality.

Vaishali Sharma also received a Gandhi fellowship during her undergraduate years, which allowed her to lead a project aimed at empowering women, which was the most significant breakthrough in her life to date. She joined the Piramal Foundation to learn about the fundamental needs of the Indian people and began working for them.

Sharma describes how she worked directly with communities and led several behavioural change programs, using behavioural science principles to develop novel interventions that help people realise the need for safe water.

Speaking about her achievements, Vaishali Sharma says that she was the top student at Delhi University. She recalls the "golden moment" of her education, when she had the opportunity to meet Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, ex-cabinet minister, after receiving three college awards. The first of these prizes was the Leadership Excellence Award; the second was Academic Excellence; and the third was for outstanding contribution to the college.

Vaishali Sharma describes her two-year experience with Piramal, where her talent was recognized by her seniors, leading to her assignment to the Jal Jeevan Mission, a statewide initiative. She states that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on August 15, 2019, his goal to provide tap water connections to all rural homes by 2024. To support this, she developed strategies to foster community ownership and engagement.

Recalling her childhood, she says that it was similar to a roller coaster in certain aspects. She recalls being diagnosed with tuberculosis in the eleventh grade, which caught her off guard. She was ill and didn't have time to study for her tests. Inspired by her eldest brother and a Bhagavad Gita sloka that says the mind is both your greatest friend and adversary, she began exploring its teachings and how to harness its power. This had a profound influence on her. She then prepared with a calm mind and, astonishingly, scored 92% on her exams. It gave her confidence to do anything in her life.

When asked which is more important: education or experience, Vaishali Sharma responds that combining the two improves life. She argues that, while school provides a solid base, you should always search for opportunities to learn from those around you. Our surroundings provide various possibilities for learning; it is up to us to make use of them. She feels that teamwork, discipline, and cooperation are essential skills for professionals.

Sharma considers her elder brother to be her role model. She believes her brother has always pushed her to succeed in life. Her successful entrepreneurial sibling has taught her a lot. Her brother's inspiration and saying that always resonates with her is, "If you want to meet the creator, you have to be the creator," which implies you must make your own life.

Her success mantra is "Keep going, no matter what happens" and she advises others to do the same.

On behalf of the Primal Foundation, she recommends that in the water sector, all that is required is knowledge to connect with people. This charity provides a fellowship system called the Gandhi Fellowship, which young people can join for two years. It helps individuals enhance their risk-taking capabilities, teamwork skills, leadership, and critical thinking abilities while also providing them with a chance or platform to share their experiences. Anyone with a graduating degree is eligible to apply for the fellowship program.

Vaishali Sharma defines leadership as the process of thinking like a leader and becoming one. She developed leadership skills through her school, college, and fellowship experiences.

If given the chance to travel back in time, Sharma would return to her college days to reassure her younger self that she is on the right path, should stay focused, and will succeed.

She describes her COVID pandemic experience as sad yet inspiring, as it promoted proper hygiene and pushed people out of their comfort zones. Before COVID, many did not appreciate the mental health benefits of spending time with family, but the pandemic highlighted this and strengthened family bonds. Companies supporting remote work also helped families stay together. She believes digital technology has become more widely adopted in both education and corporate settings.