Standing on the gray gate of the lower basement of San Francisco Marriott, I gazed at the large, loud hallway scattered with hundreds of people as their murmuring voices echoed inside my head. Looking at these many people sent chills down my spine. Will any of them even like what we’d made? I reassured myself with the fact that I shared a little hobby with all these people. I spotted six display boards around the hall, sprinted up to...

Taking a metro and walking for 15 minutes through narrow zigzag alleys got me to my destination - a small rural school in South Delhi. The classrooms weren’t like regular ones. Students from different grades assembled in groups of five or six on floor mats and greeted me with a vibrant “Good Morning Sir!” when I first stepped into the room. I started working with Pratham, India’s largest NGO, in November ’14 after I wanted to use my programming skills...

I was inducted into the Exun Clan, the school’s computer club, in freshman year of high school. “We, Not I.” This three syllable phrase, which seemed humorous to me at that time, was the motto of the club. It was absurd that a computer club would have such a slogan; it was not even a little bit related to technology! I dismissed it with only a fleeting thought. Little did I know that this same three syllable phrase would...

It was a warm summer day - the perfect time to go roller skating in the community ring, but no one was interested in the weather. Instead, the family huddled around Grandma who lay on the ground, unable to move. She breathed with short, harsh sounding gasps while her face pinched as she lay on her back. Unshed tears clenched to her eyes as she struggled to speak and all that came out of her mouth were unclear words. We...

Standing on the gray gate of the lower basement of San Francisco Marriott, I gazed at the large, loud hallway scattered with hundreds of people as their murmuring voices echoed inside my head. Looking at these many people sent chills down my spine. Will any of them even like what we’d made? I reassured myself with the fact that I shared a little hobby with these people. I spotted six display boards, sprinted up to each of them and...

Dear Roomie, Together, we’re going to discover how to savor life. I’m called Manav (meaning “Human” in my mother tongue — Hindi). And just like humans, I too love sharing. Books, food, happiness, Spotify subscriptions, we can share just about anything. Oh, even HERSHEY’S! I don’t mind sleeping with the lights on, so you can stay up late if you're a night owl like me. At 2 AM, you'll either find me studying, stroking my chin over a...

Favorite Book—The Alchemist. I like the idea of going on a path to self-discovery and following my dreams. I also enjoy reading biographies like One Click and Just for Fun. For movies, I simply love the Pirates of the Caribbean series. There’s nothing like traveling the world in total freedom. InShorts. A news app that delivers short and crisp news within 60 words. The Verge. To stay updated on latest technology news. Lifehacker. Handy tips and tricks (life hacks)...