Life in an IIT | A Jharkhand village boy who overcame illness, broke barriers, and discovered new horizons at IIT Bombay

For schooling, I moved to Bokaro. My father, a Bank of India clerk who later became an officer, worked tirelessly to support our family, while my mother, a homemaker, was the pillar of our strength. Despite financial hardships, my parents ensured we had the best education possible. I owe everything to their sacrifices.

Despite these challenges, I remained passionate about science. A senior resident at NIMHANS, Bangalore, suggested I take the MSc-PhD route to research psychiatric illnesses rather than pursuing MBBS. Following his advice, I enrolled at Christ Bangalore but had to drop out due to my health. I later moved to Delhi and completed my BSc in Life Sciences at Ramjas College, University of Delhi, from 2016 to 2019. I also studied Psychology as an audit course, determined to understand the intersection between biology and the human mind.

With a CGPA of 9.076, I was among the top scorers in my batch. Seeking research opportunities, I reached out to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) professors, who advised me to pursue a Masters before heading abroad. Determined to make this happen, I joined Career Endeavor coaching in my final year and secured an AIR 12 in IIT-JAM BT. I received offers from IISc’s Integrated PhD programme and IIT Bombay’s MSc in Biotechnology. I also cleared the Joint Graduate Entrance Examination for Biology and Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (JGEEBILS) and was interviewed at DBS, Mumbai. In the end, I chose IIT Bombay.

Joining IIT Bombay in 2019 was a turning point in my life. I worked on glioblastoma, a stage-four brain cancer, using patient samples from Tata Memorial Hospital.

The exposure to cutting-edge research was incredible, but I also noticed a significant gap — biologists struggled with coding, and engineers lacked an understanding of biology. This realisation drove me to learn data science and machine learning. My time at IIT Bombay was more than just academics; I became an Institute Internship Coordinator (2020-21) and a PhD Placement Representative (2021). I also volunteered with National Service Scheme (NSS), teaching underprivileged students.

Despite being part of the Covid-19 batch, my IIT Bombay experience was rich. I explored everything — from table tennis and lawn tennis to a one-day swimming class and dancing in the convocation hall. The mess food became my first love, and walking around the lush green campus was my favorite pastime. The professors at IITB transformed me. I vividly remember Professor Bhaumik reassuring me, “You are our student. Once you are at IITB, you are our responsibility. If you don’t understand, ask 100 times; we are here to help.” Those words gave me the confidence to push forward.

Graduating in 2022 with a CPI of 8.98, I pursued a fully funded Master’s at Washington State University in the US, working on EEG signal processing while teaching Physics. However, my health struggles resurfaced, and I had to take medical leave, eventually returning to India. Determined to bridge biology with AI, I enrolled in Scaler’s Data Science & Machine Learning program. This structured guidance helped me gain the programming skills I needed to complement my expertise in neuroscience and bioinformatics.

In 2024, I began working on AI in healthcare at IIT Delhi, focusing on machine learning applications in genomics and medical diagnostics. This February, I transitioned from academia to industry, securing a role as a Bioinformatics Scientist-II at Elucidata, a US-based startup working on AI-driven precision medicine and drug discovery. Here, I collaborate with engineers and ML research scientists, leveraging my knowledge of mass spectrometry-based omics and data science to revolutionize drug discovery.

Looking ahead, I aspire to pursue a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and healthcare.

My personal journey with psychiatric illness has made me deeply aware of the challenges in handling and interpreting medical data. Biology generates massive datasets, yet researchers often lack computational skills, while engineers struggle with biological nuances. This disconnect slows progress in genomics, precision medicine, and translational psychiatry. My goal is to bridge this gap and contribute to AI-driven advancements in healthcare.

Through it all, IIT Bombay remains a defining chapter in my life. It shaped my perspective, refined my scientific aptitude, and gave me lifelong memories. I miss its green campus, the competitive yet enriching environment, and the unwavering support of my professors. IITB taught me that life is much more than academics — it is about resilience, exploration, and the constant pursuit of knowledge.