Pupils and their Paths: Hemanth Sai Gundu

Reaching the penultimate article (I know, it’s a little sad🥲 — but, hey! where one chapter ends — another begins!!) in this series, I bring forth another resilient pupil’s story — Hemanth Sai who is a B.Tech student in Artificial Intelligence at Vidya Jyothi Institute of Technology in Hyderabad, who is fascinated by how the field of computer science can tackle intricate real-world problems.

He is currently a Software Development Engineer Intern at Vitwit Technologies, gaining practical skills and valuable experience in Blockchain Development. In addition to his academic and professional pursuits, he is passionate about building micro-projects and reading self-help books.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

In this interview, Hemanth discusses his experience as the Technical Lead of GDSC VJIT, attending the Smart India Hackathon, securing his SDE intern position at Vitwit, his current work at VitWit, advice for juniors interested in the field, and his plans.

Question: Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Hemanth: Greetings, my name is Hemanth Sai. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by how the field of computer science can tackle intricate real-world problems. This fascination led me to choose B.Tech in Artificial Intelligence at Vidya Jyothi Institute of Technology in Hyderabad. I am in my fourth year of B.Tech and currently working as a Software Development Engineer Intern at Vitwit Technologies, where I have been gaining valuable experience and practical skills in Blockchain Development. In addition to my academic and professional pursuits, I enjoy exploring various other interests during my free time. One of my favorite pastimes is reading self-help books, which has helped me to cultivate a growth mindset and develop valuable skills such as time management and goal-setting. I am also passionate about building micro-projects, where I can apply my creativity and technical skills to create small-scale applications.

Question: Tell us a bit about your previous work in college or professional life.

Hemanth: During my academic journey, I have had the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in two critical areas of interest: AI and Web Development. I started exploring these fields in my second year of college and have consistently built my skills and knowledge. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, I utilized my time effectively to learn and explore various technologies. I have participated in multiple coding competitions and hackathons, where I have had the opportunity to collaborate with other developers. I have also been a part of various technical clubs at our college. I was the Technical Lead for GDSC VJIT (2021–2022).

Hemanth at VitWit Office

Question: How was working in the GDSC as the technical lead? What did you learn from that?

Hemanth: Being the Technical Lead of GDSC VJIT was an invaluable experience for me. It provided me with the opportunity to learn new skills and share my knowledge with the club members.GDSC allowed me to network with other developers. Overall, my experience as the Technical Lead of GDSC has helped me develop my leadership, organizational, and communication skills. I am grateful for being part of the GDSC VJIT.

(You can find him in the GDSC tree picture in Aditya’s Interview!)

Question: What made you determine that this is your field of interest?

Hemanth: I have always been fascinated by computer science and its potential to solve complex real-world problems. As I started exploring the various fields within computer science, I became particularly interested in AI and Software Development. My passion and interest in them grew as I continued to learn and explore these fields.

Question: Tell us about your experience attending the Smart India Hackathon. (SIH 2022 Grand Finale — Software Edition)

Hemanth: Attending the Smart India Hackathon was an incredible experience for my team and me. With all the guidance from our seniors and mentors, our idea proposal got shortlisted for the final round. Finally, We got the opportunity to participate in SIH and attended the hackathon at GIET University in Odisha. The hackathon was intense and challenging. We also had the opportunity to interact with industry experts, who provided us with valuable insights.

Hemanth at SIH 2022

Question: How did you come about this opportunity at Vitwit? (the whole process)

Hemanth: I came across the SDE intern opportunity at Vitwit through my college’s placement drive. The company conducted a placement drive at our college, which consisted of multiple rounds. The first round was a coding test, which included two coding questions and a few multiple-choice questions. I cleared this round, which led to the second round, a technical interview. In this round, I answered questions about my projects, DSA, and Web Development. I also cleared this round, which led to the third round, a pen-paper-based coding test. This round consisted of around 3–5 coding questions. After clearing this round, I moved on to the next one, which was an HR interview. In this round, the interview panel consisted of the CEO, CTO, and HR Manager. They have assessed my communication and behavioral skills. After successfully clearing all four rounds of the placement drive, I got the SDE intern position at Vitwit Technologies.

Company customized notebook (ft. CEO, CTO, and Hemanth’s team)

Question: Tell us about your current work at VitWit.

Hemanth: As an SDE intern at Vitwit, I have had the opportunity to explore and learn about blockchain technology. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the brightest minds and gain hands-on experience in Blockchain Development, Go programming, and Cosmos SDK. I am excited to continue my journey at Vitwit. Overall, my current work at Vitwit has been a valuable learning experience and an opportunity to grow professionally and personally. As I look toward the next few months of my internship, I am eager to continue learning and contributing to Vitwit’s mission.

Question: What would be your advice for juniors interested in the field who want to work but need help knowing where to start?

Hemanth: Entering a new field and learning a new skill or technology can be difficult, especially if you need help figuring out where to start. One way to start is by extensively researching the field through various online developers’ communities and forums. You can even reach out to any experienced individual on LinkedIn, mention your interest in working in that field, and seek guidance from that individual. Another practical approach is to take advice from your seniors already in that field. Learning is a lifelong process, so the most important thing is learning how to learn. As individuals, we have to find the best learning process for ourselves.

Hemanth’s team at SIH

Question: What are your future plans?

Hemanth: My plans revolve around continuing to learn and master the field of software development (Blockchain Development particularly). I want to start up-to-date on the latest advancements and trends in the field of blockchain and gain valuable experience. Overall, my plans involve continued learning, growth, and contribution to the development of computer science.

Concluding Hemanth’s Interview, I’m tagging his **LinkedIn, [GitHub](https://github.com/Hemanthghs/), and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/19Hemanthsai)** here. You can connect with him there to ask any doubts personally or in the comments below (the preferred option so other viewers can also know the information)!

Until next time! Adios!!