Hemant Pandey's Linkedin Analytics

Cant’ ISRO give more money to right folks? And if they cannot, why don’t they hire from non-IIT institutes? Students in IITs have lots of options and I agree money is not everything, but it is a huge factor when picking your first job

When I moved back to India, I realized I had a lot to (re)learn One evening, I walked into a nice restaurant, had a great meal, and was about to pay via UPI The server politely stopped me and said: “Sir, if you pay using Zomato, you’ll get 30% off” I was surprised I had no idea that you could pay restaurant bills via Zomato or Swiggy The bill was ₹5000 so 30% off meant ₹1500 saved That’s not a small amount He patiently helped me set it up and complete the payment I ended up tipping him ₹500 He was genuinely shocked I was just happy to share part of the savings Sometimes the best tech support is your restaurant server And the most rewarding part of the evening isn’t the discount, but the human kindness behind it

If one thing we can change in schools, it should be this - Students asking questions should be recognized over students giving answers We are moving to a world where information is readily available. Everyone can give the right answers. But, the quality of answer you get will depend on how well you ask the question This makes the skill of having a clear and structued thought process and asking the right questions ever more important This will take your forward in life exponentially Thoughts ? #education

India recently became the 4th largest economy in the world Yes, many people pointed out that we still have low per capita income, poverty, and other challenges They’re not wrong but this is still a big milestone Think of a student from a small village. They studied in a government school, didn’t have many resources, and faced a lot of struggles. But they worked hard and got into IIT Now, some people say: • They still don’t speak good English • They haven’t topped any exams yet • They don’t have as much exposure as others All of that might be true But getting into IIT is still a huge achievement. It shows their potential, effort, and the start of something big Just like that India reaching the 4th spot doesn’t mean all problems are solved But it proves that we’re moving in the right direction It’s a sign of growth, strength, and what’s possible in the future Let’s not ignore the flaws but let’s also not forget to celebrate how far we’ve come Img Src : Mint

Growing up in India, we were taught one thing again and again 👉 Keep hustling. Don’t stop. Be the topper. Be the best Taking a break? People think you’ve lost it Saying “no”? You’re seen as lazy or unambitious Overworking? That’s celebrated like a badge of honour But here’s the truth: 🧠 This mindset made sense in a different world where survival, scarcity, and competition were everything Today, we live in a world where - clarity > chaos - rest > burnout - deep work > busy work We don’t need to hustle 24x7 to succeed We need to learn how to think clearly, focus deeply, and build sustainably Let’s stop glorifying burnout Let’s start normalising rest and smarter work.

50 years ago, most Indian women didn’t work outside the home That’s one big reason why India’s per capita income stayed so low for so long Back then, only around 10% of urban women had jobs. Half our population wasn’t part of the workforce But things are finally changing More Women = More Growth Today, more Indian women are working in tech, startups, teaching, gig work, factories, and offices. And as more women join the workforce, India’s income per person is rising faster than ever See these data points: • In the last 5 years, India’s per capita income went up by 45% (₹1.26L → ₹1.84L) • That’s faster than the US, UK, and many developed countries • Just 1 in 4 women in India work today but imagine if that becomes 1 in 2 (like US and China) • If more women work, India could add $700 billion to its economy by 2030 If we keep going like this for the next 50 years • With better education • More support for working women • Equal opportunities in jobs and startups India can become the top economy in the world The truth is India won’t grow fast enough unless women grow with it Let’s give them the freedom, support, and chances they need

Crying is the only constant 🧐 #softwareengineering

I still feel that to be a rocktsr software engineer in future Learning to use AI >>> Learning AI You don’ need to know the core internals of RAG, LLMs, How Tokenizer works etc etc If you have a basic knowledge of how things work on high level but know what tool to use when, you’ll be unstoppable The focus should always be on solving problems and getting things done Am I wrong?

2010- 2015 was probably the best time to get into tech - Booming Opportunities Startups were flourishing, and big tech was expanding rapidly. It was easier to land a job, even with average skills - Simpler Interviews Interview processes were less cutthroat. Many companies prioritized skills over Leetcode - Fewer Layoffs Layoffs were rare. Once you got a job, you had stability and time to grow - Rapid Career Growth The industry was growing so fast that employees could switch roles or companies for significant pay bumps - Less Competition The tech talent pool was smaller, and fewer people pursued software engineering, making the job market less saturated If you are immigrant in US, Green card was also much faster Today, the industry has matured Layoffs are common, interviews are harder, the competition is fierce and stress is increasing What do you think?

I always wanted to do MBA after college I thought MBA was the only way to “make it” after college. I had zero interest in coding Group projects? I did the presentatiom Hackathons? I avoided them I was that guy But deep down, I always wanted to study abroad to explore something new (middle class dream in 2014) MBA felt out of reach financially (almost 2x cost of MS) MS in Computer Science? It was not cheaper but more realistic (lesser loan and pressure) So I took the leap I applied for MS not because I loved tech but because it was the practical option And that decision changed everything Slowly, I started enjoying the process - Building things - Solving real-world problems - Watching how code scales to millions of users That thrill of building got addictive Today, I’m a software engineer Tech isn’t just a career anymore, it’s something I genuinely love Funny how life works Sometimes when you connect the dots, the backup plan turns into your best decision ever

Things you should never take permission for 1. Improving codebase 2. Writing tests 3. Conveying your thoughts in a meeting 4. Automating repetitive tasks 5. Improving documentation 6. Proactively mentoring or helping a colleague 7. Cleaning up technical debt 8. Experimenting with new tools or technologies for personal growth Be proactive, Move Fast It is almost always better to start and apologize later rather than being blocked and waiting for approvals

I was stressed and running behind on a deadline The feature was more complex than I thought Other teams were delayed And I had clearly underestimated the work There were just 3 weeks left, and I knew I wouldn’t finish in time I felt anxious - What if I let my team down? - Will this affect my performance? - Should I work all night to catch up? I finally spoke to my manager, expecting him to be upset But instead, he said something that completely changed how I looked at deadlines: - Most deadlines are man-made. And if there’s a good reason, they can always be moved That gave me so much relief He reminded me that it’s more important to ship the right thing than to rush and ship something broken I took a deep breath and replanned my work. I asked for help where needed and communicated clearly And guess what? - We still shipped on time. Not because I overworked But because I stopped panicking and focused on what actually mattered Since then, I’ve always remembered one thing: - Deadlines are important but they’re not everything Good work and clear communication matter more Fail fast and escalate early if things don’t work

When I graduated from college, I had a very specific dream • Grab a coffee • Wear a long coat • Walk through NYC to my Wall Street office That image was carved into my mind, thanks to American movies and sitcoms I chased it, like many of us do But life had other plans I didn’t end up on Wall Street Instead, I found myself wearing shorts, walking into an office in Silicon Valley and absolutely loved it And honestly? That detour turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened But no matter how well I fit in, how great the work was, or how comfortable life became I always felt more alive in India Life here is chaotic It’s unpredictable It tests you But somehow, that chaos makes it more fun and makes you feel grounded So I packed my bags and moved back It’s been 7 months now and not a single day of regret Sometimes, the life you think you want is just a stepping stone toward the life that truly fulfills you

Why do most folks who teach Leetcode never themselves makes a job switch? I really appreciate the value they bring to table abd help students But if you know the DSA hack, what is stopping you to move to another high paying role? If you are still stuck in your same job for last 5-6 years, how can people trust that you’ll crack the DSA interview yourself Have you notices this pattern too?

Software engineers aren’t special We’re just in a good cycle Saw this post by Sridhar Vembu (Zoho CEO), and it is a reality check Tech salaries are high right now But that’s not a guarantee for life It’s just how the market is today With AI tools and LLMs, companies can do more with fewer engineers. That means fewer jobs and more pressure to stay relevant We can’t just rely on knowing one language or framework Here’s what I’m focusing on: ✅ Impacting business revenue and not just coding ✅ Exploring side income streams ✅ Staying proactive and curious The only way to surviveis - Keep learning Because in tech, things change fast As Sridhar said This is to remind ourselves that we can be "disrupted" - and the more we assume we won't be, the more likely we will be

My mom told me that my cousin became a VP I called him to congratulate Then, he told me he became a VP at Goldman Sachs So I congratulated him again, but with less excitement #ifkyk

Quickest way to be financial independent in India - Come to US for Master's or via internal transfer - Spend 5-8 years in US - Move back to India This really gives you an edge. You can save the amount which you will probably save by working in India for 20 years. There is always some uncertainity being an immigrant in US but it is a high risk high reward game. In my experience, it is still 100x easier than being a successful entrepreneur which is another way to get financial independent early.

Sometimes it takes 18 years, even for a GOAT player to get what they truly want Just look at Virat Kohli One of the greatest to ever play the game But even he had to wait 18 long years to win an IPL trophy for RCB That’s the lesson for all of us You can be the GOAT You can be talented You can be consistent You can give it everything you’ve got But sometimes… life just makes you wait Put in the work. Stay patient. Keep showing up Your time will come Today, all of India is smiling And somewhere, an 18-year dream finally came true for everyone PS : This was the best time to be in Bengaluru

Layoffs in past have proved that An average engineer in a high priority team is more valuable than a top engineer in a low priority team. Most of the layoffs are not relevant to performance but have a direct correlation with the projects team is working on. It is equally important to pick the right team along with the company You can never be 100% sure on what team is layoff proof but a good angle to explore #softwareengineering #layoffs #programming

The CEOs of Google and Microsoft are not Indian Yes, they were born in India But: – They gave up their Indian citizenship – They don’t pay taxes in India – The success of their companies doesn’t directly move the Indian economy forward Yet, we constantly celebrate their rise as Indian success stories But is it, really? Maybe it’s time we shift the spotlight To the founders, engineers, creators, and operators who are building from India and for India We don’t lack talent for sure Let’s start celebrating success that builds India, not just those who once came from it Thoughts ?