Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayank Jain.
Hi Mayank, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey began in a small town of Bhilai, located at the central part of India. In 1992, I was in high school studying science and maths in a Hindi-medium school. Hindi shaped how I learned, thought, and expressed myself, and it gave me confidence early in life.
The challenges began when English became the primary language of education in high school and college. While I understood the subjects well, expressing myself fluently in English took extra effort, and I often felt I was not reaching my full potential. After college, that struggle carried into the professional world. I completed my Mechanical engineering in 1998. Post engineering, I did not have a stable job for couple years, and I faced both financial pressure and self-doubt.
That phase forced deep introspection. I realized that focusing on limitations—whether language or circumstances—was holding me back. I made a conscious decision to become more resilient, prioritize continuous learning, and develop a growth mindset rather than be discouraged by setbacks.
Over time, that shift transformed my path. I built a long-term career in the IT profession, where I have now worked for over 25 years, and also developed a small real estate portfolio of rental properties. In 2018, I founded HindiUSA in St. Louis, a nonprofit Hindi language school that began in a single library room and has since grown into the largest volunteer-run, nonprofit Hindi language school in the Midwest. In 2021, I completed my MBA from UMSL. I leveraged my management skills not only at professional job but to strengthen our HindiUSA community as well expanded my real estate rental portfolio.
Our work has been recognized through features in local U.S. media as well as Indian newspapers, spoke in several Hindi related events organized by Consulate General of India, Indian consulate in Chicago. I received the Best School Coordinator Award from HindiUSA New Jersey in 2023, the Hindi Lover Award from the Hindi Club of Illinois in 2023, and the Exceptional Neighbour Award from St. Louis City SC and Enterprise, where I was also interviewed during an international soccer match in 2024. In 2025, our efforts were honored with two international awards from the World Hindi Organization (Vishv Hindi Parishad).
My journey has not been smooth, but resilience, hard work, and a growth mindset have allowed me to create opportunities for hundreds of students and volunteers—and to contribute meaningfully to the community we live in.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Language was the earliest challenge in my journey, especially transitioning from a Hindi-medium education to English-dominated academic and professional environments. At times, I felt underestimated and held myself back.
Later, the challenges became more operational while building HindiUSA. Although we had curriculum, we had no experience running a school from scratch. There was no board of directors, no formal mentors, and no established framework to guide us. Everything—from scheduling and classroom management to volunteer coordination and parent communication—was learned by doing.
Running the school entirely through volunteers while balancing full-time work and family responsibilities required constant adaptability. Yet those same challenges forced us to become resilient, resourceful, and collaborative.
Looking back, the absence of a roadmap became a strength. With a growth mindset and perseverance, those challenges turned into opportunities—helping create a sustainable community-driven institution that now serves hundreds of students, volunteers, and families.
We’ve been impressed with HindiUSA Saint Louis , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Professionally, I have spent over 26 years in the IT field, beginning in IT consulting and later transitioning into industry roles. My experience spans healthcare, wealth management, and banking. Today, my work focuses on cloud migration initiatives and IT infrastructure operations. Alongside this, I have built a small real estate portfolio of rental properties.
However, the work I am most known for—and most proud of—is founding HindiUSA in St. Louis. What began in 2018 as a simple effort to help my own child stay connected to the Hindi language has grown into the largest volunteer-run, nonprofit Hindi language school in the Midwest.
At HindiUSA, I serve as a hands-on founder, managing day-to-day school operations, marketing, community relations, and event support.We conduct about 90 minutes long, 34 weekly classes in an academic year. We teach Hindi language and Indian culture to kids aged 5 to 16 year old divided among 9 academic levels based on age and hindi language proficiency.
I step in as a substitute teacher when our volunteer teachers need a break. None of this would be possible without my wife, Dr. Anshu Jain, and the support of more than 35 dedicated volunteer teachers who power the school every week. We conduct 3 annual large scale events including Diwali / Navaratri Dance event in Oct, Hindi poetry competition in Jan and then an annual cultural group dance event in April. Apart from this we also run annual food donation drive and multiple class level events and an annual volunteer teachers appreciations event.
What sets this work apart is that it was built as a community first, not an institution. Parents became teachers, students became volunteers, and children who once learned in our classrooms now return to teach the next generation.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I grew up in Bhilai, a small industrial town in India known for country’s largest steel plants, where I was surrounded by people from many cultures and regions. My father ran a small clothing business, my mother was a homemaker, and as the youngest of four brothers, I learned independence early on. As a child, I was relatively introverted and more observant than outspoken. I later earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from a reputed national institution, studying alongside students from more than 25 states across India. I moved to the United States in 2005 and have called St. Louis home since settling here in 2008.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HindiUSA.Org/STL
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hindiusa_saint_louis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14bq9H619Do/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayankjain111
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@hindiusastl?feature=shared
- Other: https://youtu.be/OSul6i1NPpE?si=4ESsTOBC-X5EDph1
