whoami?
It is 2025 already, and I know that I am a little too late to the party. But I do not care since I want to do it for myself and this blog is never meant to be found!
Hi, I am Anchit, I am 24 and I am almost a data scientist. This is the first time in years that I am writing something for myself!
Even though I have spent the better part of my previous 5 years reading and learning about AI & Data Science concepts, I am not even close to becoming an expert. Hence the name, Almost a Data Scientist.
But, recently, when my AI team (I lead AI at Joget) was recognised globally by reputed analysts, I finally gathered the courage and motivation to write.
I have always wanted to write. In fact, I loved to write. And no, I am not talking about the typical "completing homework" kind of writing. In fact, I have always been famous in my school for never maintaining a complete notebook.
Back when I was in 8th grade, I started writing a novel story... which eventually remained incomplete after even my closest friends made fun of it. And I don't blame them; when I read it now, it was embarrasing!
It was a story about a middle-class boy with big dreams but zero inclination towards his studies (me) and an out-of-the-norm genius brother (my real brother). It was about the challenges he used to face and how everyone compared him to his brother.
I am not too sure about other countries, but in India, everyone acts like you will have no success without being a genius. Since I am a people-pleaser, I think that they are not wrong again, since the competition is so high!
Fortunately, my parents, however, never pressured me into getting good marks or studying for extended hours like other parents. They, in fact, never compared me with anyone; not even my brother. My getting passing marks in all subjects was celebrated equally and alongside my brother being the school topper.
I always had an easy-flowing life, all thanks to the sacrifices made by my parents. Which made me super lazy, and I feel it is a common trait in kids of all middle-class families—we have no urge to grow! We grow up comfortably enough to lack urgency, but not privileged enough to have safety nets.
In India, there’s a saying:
“Humesha middle class log hi piste hain.”
“It’s always the middle class who suffer.”
The poor get subsidies. The rich get networks. And the middle class? We get lectures on "log kya kahenge" (what will people say) and learn to adjust to everything.
Governments always either do for the poor or for the rich, and no, I am not saying that this is bad. All I am saying is that they should start thinking about middle-class families also.
Well, enough rant about the atrocities on middle-class families and back to the reason we are here. XD
So, like everyone else, I was a very mediocre student who ended up at a private engineering university. Which I feel has become like a general trend in India. Almost every family has a kid who is studying engineering.
First two semesters were quite usual where I bunked classes, had fun, but did not study. I've always had this superpower of studying 1 day before the exam and still being able to score good. 7–7.5 CGPA is considered decent, so yeah—life was good.
My father knew a lot of top-shot businessmen and women due to the nature of his job, so naturally I always wanted to be successful, but I never worked towards it. Which I realised at the beginning of my third semester when my professor asserted that I wouldn't be able to do any good in my life.
That is when it clicked.
I ended up publishing two research papers in globally reputed journals—IEEE and JOP—and also filed a patent! I wouldn't call my papers decent, but coming from a person like me who knew nothing about research was a huge stride for me.
Yes, I started to work hard, but I was not on the right track! And let me elaborate, please. I was studying hard, scoring good (above 90%), but I was not learning any money-making skill. Which was not important to me, of course, and also should not be important to any kid because childhood comes only once. I only realised it when I had a huge accident on my way to the university and I saw the hospital bills.
I spent the entire following month researching about the jobs and finding out what interests me the maximum. And I had all the time in the world because I was bedridden due to shattered bones.
Finally, at the end of my bed rest when I could use my limbs again like a normal person, I joined Sabudh, an internship recommended to me by my father, which trained some of the brightest minds in Punjab in the field of Data Science—that too, free of cost!
I gave my heart to it and tried to learn as much as I could. Finally, I received a placement offer from their sister business entity, Tatras Data. I was full of energy and only in my second year.
I worked so hard to manage my university and job together that I ended up becoming the university topper and the youngest team leader in the same month, together, in one go! I spent another 3 years working day and night, gaining exposure to as many projects as my brain could absorb, working 18 hours a day and at one point of time on 6 projects in one go. XD
My company never forced me to, in fact, they always scolded me to maintain a proper work-life balance. I was so young among them that all of them considered me as either their own son or their younger brother. My only motivation was my own real brother preparing for NEET examinations at the same time, and I wanted to sit by him to show my support.
Finally, after being recognised as Employee of the Month multiple times and Employee of the Financial Quarter, it was finally time to part ways. This time also to support my brother, but financially, since he cracked his NEET and joined to become an MBBS student!
I now lead AI at Joget where the only thing that changed is me getting more mature at taking decisions.
I hope this gave a nice overview of where I come from and who I am.
I am excited to see the new developments in the field of AI and more excited to learn and apply them.
Oh universe, thank you for all the good that you sent in my life and thank you for all the good that you will send my way.
I just want to be capable enough to be able to work up to everyone's expectations and be able to keep my loved ones happy.
Credit where credit is due: I like how my childhood friend, Aachman (one of the bastards who made fun of my writing) signs off his weekly newsletters. Go check out his weekly meditations he writes fantastic letters! So maybe, just maybe I will borrow his style of signing off while I discover my own.
In the meantime, I will be signing off, and I hope to become a data scientist soon!
Anchit
If this story resonated with you, share it with someone who’s also “almost” something. And if you're curious about AI, data science, or just want to chat about careers—reach out. I’d love to connect.
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