Where did you grow up, and where are you based now?

I grew up in Patiala, Punjab, where I spent my formative years through 12th grade. Currently, I'm based in Bangalore, living in a PG but planning to shift to a flat soon. This move to Bangalore has been part of my professional journey in the tech industry.

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What's your educational background, and what were your previous work experiences before joining Prodigal?

I completed my Dual Degree in Computer Science from IIT Delhi (2015-2020). My career journey has been quite diverse. I started at Trexquant Investment, where I spent about a year and a half as an Alpha Researcher. Then, I ventured into the startup world, co-founding Habeato with my seniors for about a year. After that, I joined Qure.ai, a healthtech startup based in Bangalore, as a Software Development Engineer for another year. My entrepreneurial spirit led me to co-found another startup, BioChest, with my juniors, which I worked on for about a year before joining Prodigal.

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What attracted you to join Prodigal, and how has your role evolved since you started?

Prodigal caught my attention primarily because of the impressive background of the co-founders – IIT Bombay graduates who had been through Y Combinator and secured good funding. This aligned well with my experience in startups and my aspirations for innovation. I joined as a Product Engineer, and since then, I've been working on building a product from scratch (ProAgent), which is exactly the kind of challenge and opportunity I was looking for when I joined.

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Can you share a significant project or achievement you're proud of during your time here?

One project I'm particularly proud of is building a demo-able version of Voicebot. We showcased this to various customers, which resulted in several build-partners signing up. It's been rewarding to see a project I worked on directly contributing to the company's growth and client relationships.

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What are your favorite hobbies or activities outside of work?

Outside of work, I'm a big anime enthusiast. I really enjoy watching various anime series in my free time. When possible, I also love to go swimming. It's a great way to stay active and clear my mind.

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Do you have any personal projects or passions you're currently pursuing?

Currently, I don't have any specific personal projects, but I'm hoping to take up cooking in the near future. It's something I've been interested in exploring as a new skill and hobby.

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Which of Prodigal's values resonates with you the most, and why?

Two of Prodigal's values really stand out to me. First, "Radical Candor" resonates strongly because I've always noticed that we grow at the speed at which our colleagues are growing, and we achieve more together. Open, honest communication is key to this collective growth. Second, "Curious Optimism" is crucial in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape. With the current pace of innovation, especially in AI, it's necessary to always think of new possibilities. It's often not a question of if something can be done, but how to approach it.

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Is there an interesting fact about yourself that your colleagues might not know?

Here's something my colleagues might find interesting – I'm quite passionate about traveling and making fun trips. It's a side of me that doesn't often come up in our day-to-day work interactions, but it's a big part of how I like to spend my free time and explore new experiences.

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