Your Teacher

Hi, I'm Chandrika. I've been exactly where you are.

A JLPT-2 certified Japanese teacher, a mom of two wonderfully chaotic boys, owner of one very opinionated cat, and someone who spent 13+ years living and working in Japan. Let me tell you why I started Nihongo India.

Chandrika Padmanabhan

Japanese Language Teacher ยท Bengaluru

JLPT Level 2 Certified 13+ Years in Japan EY Product Manager Marugoto Methodology Mom of 2 + 1 Cat
My Story

From curious student to (slightly obsessed) teacher

I didn't start learning Japanese from a classroom. I learned it by living in Japan from 1995 to 2008, working as a freelance translator, navigating real life in a real Japanese city, and figuring out what actually helps an Indian brain absorb a completely new language system.

After coming back to India, I worked as a Business Analyst and Japanese language expert at Tech Mahindra, then as a Product Owner at EY, where I led projects with Japanese insurance and finance clients, acted as interpreter, and delivered corporate Japanese language training. I've been the bridge between India and Japan in boardrooms, on calls, and in classrooms for over 20 years.

As a mom who knows what it means to squeeze learning into a genuinely packed schedule (two kids, one cat, one demanding career), I built Nihongo India around what I wish I'd had: practical Japanese, taught with patience, in small groups where you actually get to speak.

I teach two Japan Foundation programmes: Irodori, designed specifically for people living or working in Japan, and Marugoto, a richer curriculum that weaves language and Japanese culture together. Both put communication first and grammar second. You'll be having real conversations long before you've mastered every rule. That's by design, and it works.

Credentials

What I bring to every class

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JLPT Level 2 Certified

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test at Level 2 (N2), the second-highest certification available. Not just a teacher, a proven expert.

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13+ Years Living in Japan

Freelance translation, Tokyo 1995 to 2008. Real Japanese, real culture, not just textbook knowledge.

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Japanese Corporate Experience

Led projects for Japanese insurance and finance institutions at EY and Tech Mahindra. Knows business Japanese inside out.

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Irodori and Marugoto Certified

Both Japan Foundation programmes. Irodori for life in Japan, Marugoto for all-round language and culture.

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Taught by a mom, for real people

Patient, structured, flexible. Designed for busy adults who have lives outside of Japanese class.

My Approach

What makes my classes different

I've thought a lot about what actually helps adults learn a new language. Here's what 20 years of teaching and translating taught me.

Speak from Day One

You'll be forming sentences in your very first class. Not perfect ones, but real ones. Confidence comes from doing, not studying.

Small Batches Only

I cap classes at 6 to 8 students. It means real feedback, real practice time, and a teacher who knows your name and your pace.

India-Friendly Explanations

Japanese grammar is actually closer to how we structure sentences in many Indian languages. I use that. Things click much faster.

Practical Over Perfect

You don't need perfect Japanese to be useful. I'll teach you what you'll actually use: at the supermarket, at work, on the phone.

Flexible and Human

Life happens. I'm a mom of two boys with a cat who regularly disrupts my Google Meet sessions. Classes are twice a week on Google Meet, 2 hours each, maximum 8 students, and fully recorded so you never miss a thing.

Rooted in Real Experience

I'm not just certified, I lived it. 13 years in Japan. Corporate roles. Translation work. Both Irodori and Marugoto are Japan Foundation programmes grounded in decades of research.

Let's learn something beautiful together

Come say ใ“ใ‚“ใซใกใฏ. That's "hello," and it's all you need to get started.