My Story
It humbles me to reflect upon my journey from being born in a rural village in India to helping humanity advance on the kardashev scale in Silcon Valley in California.
Since my early days, poverty had been one of the motivating factors for achievement. My parents persevered along with me with the hope that over the course of my life, I would develop the capability to bring home better circumstances. It was with their blessing and hard work that I was able to qualify for one of the most competitive entrance examinations in the world and become the first in my family to go to college, where I gained access to the Internet for the first time in 2016. I still remember overhearing heartbreaking conversations between my parents discussing how to manage finances along with my education. Fortunately, my undergraduate years at IIT Kharagpur introduced me to scholars from diverse backgrounds who helped me gain a multitude of necessary skills that, among other things, made managing finances possible. This interaction cultivated in me a deep sense of understanding for all sorts of people around me and apprised me of the boundless possibilities of a STEM career.
I wanted to pursue my Master's education immediately after my senior year, however, at the time, I didn't have any financial resources to even apply for a university in the US. Fortunately, I landed on the opportunity to work in the automobile industry for a couple years. Even after receiving my admission letter to UT Austin, I almost canceled my plans to pursue higher education because I thought my savings would be better used to support my family. However, my parents were very supportive of my career goals and so, I landed in Austin, with almost all of my $25k savings, as a proud first-generation Longhorn. I loved my time there and after graduating, got the opportunity to work in the semiconductor industry.
As a first-generation student in the STEM field, I have witnessed compromise in every aspect of life from an early age. I had to break the language and socioeconomic barrier while also being academically competent to contribute to the rich field of STEM. I bring to the table experiences about how communities in my social position are inherently pessimistic about life and why they can still have a bright future. As a country that preaches the value of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - the world is one family, India is a living embodiment of unity in diversity. I believe we can take the first step in supporting this globally diverse family with economic equity.
Over the years, the strength of empathy has helped me form groups and associations amongst my peers where we learn and collaborate productively and positively together. I believe I did not come this far to only come this far. I know how challenging it is for a first-generation student to explore a STEM career without foundational guidance, being in the lower strata of the socioeconomic pyramid. I aspire to use my experiences to lead and support bright underprivileged students from these communities to navigate the complex field of STEM. In particular, women in rural communities in India have so much potential to create, transform, and innovate but lack the guidance to do so. I aspire to create a streamlined path for them to go from local to global.
In the long run, I envision a greener tomorrow with an equitable society where boundaries cease to exist and we evolve as one organism.