From Dehradun to the USA, Dhairya’s journey of becoming a technogeek !

 

“I’ve been a tech-savvy since 8th standard. In the same class, I developed a website, Cinemaghar, which was a Bollywood movie review website. I was always up to such things and gradually I developed an interest in Computer Science. Electronic gadgets became my friends and I enjoyed playing with them. But being a student of middle school, I was restricted from such things and did not have access to those many resources.

 

Without a doubt, for my bachelors, I took admission in Computer Science and Engineering from Graphic Era University, Dehradun. During this time, I started a web solution provider company, Suvysoft, and also started working on freelance projects. Through my company, I’ve developed 30+ websites and 15 android apps which are live on play store. My teachers have played a major role in my life. They’ve supported me in every possible manner. They guided me in every aspect, be it curriculum, college studies, and even for my higher education.

 

It was much of a task to run a company along with my graduation. I had to manage my studies, complete the assignments, score good marks, and run a company simultaneously. The weekends were no more weekends. Every day was a workday and that too full of pressure. I had to keep an eye on everything. Management is the essence of success in any field. I’d say ‘Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear.’ In the last year, I was mainly focused on my exams and restricted myself from doing other work. But I didn’t stop giving time to my company. There is an old proverb- ‘Slow and steady wins the race’ but it doesn’t fit anymore. It should be changed to ‘Fast and consistent wins the race!’

 

In the final year of my graduation, I decided to pursue MS from the USA. For taking admission in a good college, I started my preparations from the final year itself. I don’t know about other countries, but for the USA, you need to clear the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) and TOEFL. For Canada, you’re required to clear the IELTS exam. My major mantra was to learn 50 new words every day from Magoosh’s application. For TOEFL and IELTS, you need to have a command on your language which includes speaking, listening, and writing. The preparation material is easily available on the internet. After a year of hard work and determination, I got admission calls from 5 universities of the USA, 2 from Canada, and 1 from London.

 

I moved to the USA in August 2019. I joined the University of Missouri Kansas City for Masters in Computer Science (Data Science). The education system in the US is different from that in India. Education in the US is more effective as they mainly focus on practical knowledge and experiences. My lifestyle has drastically changed after moving to the US. Indians are very foody, but here, you’ve to cook and serve on your own. Life is not easy here, but if you want something desperately, then you should work hard and find ways to tackle any problem that comes your way.

 

In the second semester of MS, I got an on-campus job as a Graduate Research Assistant. In summer 2020, I got three intern offers. Currently, I am working as a Research Assistant in the National Science Foundation (NSF). It is a US government research foundation. Also, I’m working as a Web Developer Intern at Foxx Equipment Company in Kansas City. In July 2020, I got an offer from Google as a Teaching Assistant for CSSI Google Course. I am looking forward to working as a data scientist. After my masters, I want to work with top tech companies as a Data Scientist. My future goal is to establish my own company in the United States of America.

 

I feel so privileged that I’m here, taking a step towards my dream every day. I interact with new people, share my experiences and ideas. It is such an amazing feeling.

 

To the people who’re reading this, I just want you guys to never stop dreaming. Don’t give up on yourself. Dream big. Set your aim. Set a vision. Execute your plan. And hey, welcome to your destination!”