Uday

My journey began in Danthupalli, a small village nestled in the western part of the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh. Growing up in this humble setting, I completed my primary education from 1st to 5th grade at a state government school right beside my home. The foundation of learning was laid in my mother tongue, Telugu, which remained my medium of instruction through my formative years.

At the age of 11, I walked 3 kilometers daily to attend ZPH School, Aravalli, where I continued my education from 6th to 10th grade. It was here that my academic excellence first shone through—I topped my school and earned an attractive scholarship. This achievement opened my eyes to the transformative power of scholarships and the opportunities they create for underprivileged students like myself.

With guidance from my tuition teacher and the support of a state government scholarship, I took a leap of faith and enrolled in a Diploma in Electronics and Communication Engineering at Smt. B. Seetha Polytechnic, 25 kilometers from home. This marked a pivotal transition—my first experience studying entirely in English. Here, I immersed myself in mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering drawing, and both theoretical and practical aspects of electronics and communication, discovering my true passion for technology.

Eager to gain industry experience, I joined Medha Servo Drives Pvt Ltd in Hyderabad under the mentorship of Kusuma Garimella. This was my first venture beyond my district and state—a significant step that broadened my horizons. During my time there, I encountered an inspiring colleague who had completed his M.Tech at IISc and joined as an R&D engineer. His journey ignited my dream of pursuing higher studies at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science.

Determined to achieve this goal, I appeared for APECET in 2017, but financial constraints prevented me from pursuing my studies immediately. I continued working for another year, carefully saving money while keeping my academic aspirations alive. In 2018, I successfully cleared APECET again and enrolled at SRKR Engineering College, Bhimavaram—coincidentally, the same town where I had completed my diploma.

My B.Tech journey was supported by the Andhra Pradesh government's fee reimbursement scheme during my third year, which significantly eased my financial burden. Additionally, I received a ₹60,000 scholarship from the North South Foundation, a private organization supporting deserving students. When COVID-19 struck during my final year, I remembered my IISc dream and dedicated myself to GATE preparation, studying 14 hours daily with NPTEL lectures, mock tests, and rigorous problem-solving.

My perseverance paid off when I secured admission to the M.Tech Quantum Technology program at IISc Bangalore. The culture, exposure, and intellectual environment at IISc opened up an entirely new world for me. It expanded my career goals, broadened my ambitions, and connected me with brilliant, like-minded individuals who continue to inspire me. Today, as an Engineer in the Engineering Development Group at MathWorks, I work on cutting-edge quantum computing packages and advanced model-based engineering solutions, contributing to technologies that shape the future.