My Professional Journey

System Administrator at SVNIT, Surat (2004-2005)

My professional journey in IT began as a System Administrator at Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), Surat. In this foundational role, I was entrusted with the critical responsibility of managing core network services across six distinct departmental subnets, each comprising 40-50 PCs. This experience provided me with hands-on expertise in ensuring the seamless operation of essential infrastructure for the institute.

My primary focus was on maintaining and optimizing key services including:

• Network Information Service (NIS): I managed NIS to ensure centralized user authentication and consistent network-wide information, streamlining user access and administration across the diverse subnets.
• Network File System (NFS): I was responsible for NFS configurations, facilitating efficient and reliable file sharing services critical for departmental collaboration and data accessibility for all users.
• Domain Name System (DNS): My work on DNS ensured accurate and efficient name resolution within the institute’s network, a crucial component for smooth internal and external connectivity.

My day-to-day responsibilities involved new Linux installations, automated configuration of NIS/NFS using pre-coded shell scripts, and streamlined user management including password setups and resets, also automated via shell scripts. While external internet providers managed the primary network gateway, my role was pivotal in maintaining the stability and functionality of the internal network services, providing a robust and reliable environment for the institute’s students and faculty. This role cemented my understanding of fundamental network architecture and system administration best practices.

Early Academic & Community Contributions (2003-2004):

During my final years of college, I actively contributed to significant technical initiatives at the institute. In 2003-2004, when the institute was still known as REC-Surat before becoming SVNIT, I was instrumental in the revamp and ongoing management of the new institutional website as an extra-curricular activity. This involved hands-on development and maintenance, showcasing early web management and project coordination skills. Additionally, in 2004, I served as a Co-Coordinator for Mindbend, a prominent technical event at SVNIT. A key contribution during this period was the development of a code upload module in PHP for an online C programming examination, facilitating automated code validation. These early experiences highlighted my ability to develop critical system components, collaborate on technical initiatives, and actively participate in community events, laying a strong foundation for my professional career.

Software Engineer at Talentica Software, Pune (2006-2007)

During my tenure as a Software Engineer at Talentica Software, I gained diverse experience working on multiple client projects, primarily focusing on frontend development and crucial system migrations. This period allowed me to deepen my expertise in classic web technologies and hone my problem-solving skills in fast-paced environments.

Key Projects & Contributions:

• Talentica.com Website Re-platforming (PHP to ASP3): I single-handedly undertook the challenging conversion of the entire Talentica.com corporate website from PHP to ASP3. This initiative was likely driven by an internal strategic alignment towards ASP.NET technologies for easier maintenance and integration with their existing expertise. Leveraging my prior knowledge of ASP3 from college, I managed every aspect of this migration as a “one-man army,” from code conversion to UI recreation. This project underscored my capability to independently handle significant technical re-platforming efforts with minimal ramp-up.
• US Client Medical Product (ASP3 – Frontend Focus): As a core member of a five-person team, I contributed significantly to the frontend development of a specialized medical product for a US-based client. My role primarily involved crafting the user interface and user experience, utilizing Vanilla JavaScript for dynamic interactions and ASP3 for form handling and overall page layouts. This project provided valuable experience in building robust frontend solutions for complex, client-specific applications in a collaborative environment, particularly understanding how backend DLLs were integrated and packaged.
• Frengo (Social Media Platform – Frontend, PHP & CSS): I played a key frontend role in the development of Frengo, an innovative social media startup incubated by Talentica Software. This project, which later secured significant Series A funding from investors like Trilogy Equity Partners, Khosla Ventures, and Index Ventures (as detailed on Crunchbase), allowed me to contribute to a rapidly evolving product. My responsibilities included crafting HTML layouts, implementing interactive widgets, and applying comprehensive CSS to ensure a polished and responsive user interface across the platform. My work was crucial in bringing the visual and interactive elements of this dynamic social media platform to life.
• Hourtown (Cross-Region Timezone Bug Resolution): Early in my tenure, I was immediately tasked with diagnosing and resolving a critical cross-region timezone bug within the Hourtown application. This swift resolution, completed within a couple of days of joining, demonstrated my quick analytical skills and ability to troubleshoot complex, real-world issues impacting global user experience.

Technical Staff Member at guruji.com (later Adiquity, Acquired by Flipkart.com), Bengaluru (2007-2009)

My role as a Technical Staff Member at guruji.com, an ambitious startup funded by Sequoia Capital, offered a unique and intense experience in the Indian tech landscape. Guruji.com aimed to be the “Indian Google,” providing a localized search engine experience akin to Baidu in China. This high-growth environment required rapid problem-solving and adaptability.

While primarily focused on frontend development, my responsibilities were far from typical, bridging the gap between raw search results and user-facing presentation:

• Transforming Search Data to User Interfaces: A core aspect of my role involved working with XML data streams generated by the search engine’s backend. I was responsible for transforming this complex XML into intuitive and well-structured HTML and CSS for display, primarily leveraging XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations). This involved meticulously formatting search results, integrating various content types, and ensuring a seamless user experience.
• Web Technologies: I actively utilized a robust stack of web technologies including XSLT, HTML, PHP, CSS, and JavaScript to build and maintain the user interface components of the search engine.

Being part of a dynamic startup like guruji.com meant embracing a culture of high availability and immediate response. Like many successful startups, we operated with an “all hands on deck” mentality, where unexpected production issues could lead to 3 AM alerts, with everyone, including the founders, collaboratively working to resolve critical problems. This experience instilled in me a deep understanding of production stability, rapid debugging, and teamwork under pressure.

Although I departed before guruji.com’s eventual rebranding to Adiquity and its acquisition by Flipkart.com, my contributions to building a robust and responsive frontend for the search platform were integral to its early technical foundation and user experience, supporting its journey as a significant player in the Indian internet ecosystem.

Full Time Consultant (US/Canada) & Individual Software Freelancer (2009-Present)

For over 15 years, I have been working as a Full-Time Consultant for clients across the US and Canada, concurrently focusing on my own venture, the CB Split product. This extensive period as an independent consultant and entrepreneur has significantly broadened my expertise across various technological stacks and business challenges.

Key Consulting Areas:

As a consultant, I focus on delivering robust, scalable, and tailored software solutions. My work typically involves:

• Full-Stack Development: Building complete applications from database design to frontend implementation.
• System Optimization: Enhancing the performance and efficiency of existing software systems.
• API Development & Integration: Creating and integrating APIs for seamless communication between different platforms.
• Cloud Solutions: Leveraging cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure) for scalable and resilient deployments.
• Custom Software Development: Building bespoke applications tailored to specific business needs.
• Legacy System Modernization: Migrating and updating older systems to modern frameworks and technologies.

I thrive on long-term engagements where I can become a trusted technical partner, guiding clients through architectural decisions, development processes, and deployment strategies. My aim is always to deliver solutions that are not just functional but also maintainable, scalable, and aligned with business goals.

My Venture:

Beyond client work, I am actively involved in developing and managing my own product:

• CB Split Product: I am the lead developer and architect behind CB Split, an A/B testing software primarily focused on ClickBank split testing. This venture showcases my ability to conceptualize, build, and maintain a product from the ground up, addressing a specific market need within the affiliate marketing and e-commerce space.

Self-Taught in Artificial Intelligence & AI Tools

Driven by a passion for continuous learning and the transformative potential of emerging technologies, I have dedicated significant time to self-learning in the field of Artificial Intelligence. My journey in AI has involved hands-on exploration of machine learning algorithms, deep learning concepts, and practical application through various personal projects and experiments. This self-directed learning ensures I stay at the forefront of technological advancements and enables me to provide insightful content on AI tools and their practical applications on this blog.

You can explore some of my AI-related projects and code on my GitHub repository:

Explore My AI Projects on GitHub