Shirly Thomas Bajaj

Director Snow Leopard Adventures

“Empowering has taken on a whole new meaning during the pandemic. Asking colleagues to upskill themselves while they had some off time (online courses etc) through the pandemic helped them feel like they had a sense of purpose.”

A keen adventure sports enthusiast herself, Shirly Thomas Bajaj is part of the Snow Leopard Adventures’ think-tank and heads the administration, booking, and office operations in Delhi. A former journalist with the Times of India, she has handled the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of

Tourism beats and wrote several articles concerning the policies of both ministries.

Shirly Thomas Bajaj has experienced adventure sports in several countries, including India, Africa, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Mauritius, Austria, Switzerland, the US, Vietnam, and Mongolia. She graduated from Miranda House, Delhi University, with a post-graduate degree in English, an MBA from Amity University, Delhi, and a Post-Graduate diploma from the Times School of Journalism.

Over the last two years, Shirly’s focus has been on engaging with team members and keeping them motivated. With the hospitality and tourism industry almost at a standstill due to COVID, morale was down and she knew it was important to stay connected with them and support them during these difficult times. Each of their team members was carrying their own burden, whether it was financial, physical, or mental health issues.

Motivation and effective communication are the two leadership traits that resonate with Shirly the most. With empathy comes a better understanding of a person’s perspective. That’s very important for communication and problem-solving, according to Shirly.

Next Vacation: Shirly would like to travel to the US to meet her daughter, who is studying at the Wharton School of Business.