I am Nishtha Popat, from Malkapur, Maharashtra, and this is my story.
As a Gujarati born and raised in Maharashtra, I knew I had to work hard to fit in from the very beginning. The idea of making space for myself was not new, so when the surrounding community did not feel like a place of my own, I started looking for ways to create one, with academics leading the way.
As a kid, engineering looked like a domain of the yesteryears, but that changed as I grew older. In 10th grade, my interest in robotics led me to take a beginner's course in AI. My resolve to pursue engineering became even stronger when I faced resistance from my extended family. Especially when I was met with remarks like, "You can't really do it," that is when I knew I had to do it.
Soon after enrolling in B.Tech in Electronics & Telecommunications at K. J. Somaiya Institute of Technology, I found the opportunity to pursue an honours specialization in cyber security. This piqued my interest, as it was something I had been drawn to since my early student years. Then came the opportunity to join Cyber Vaahini through the college's placement cell. It offered a specialized course in cyber security, and I felt this would be my chance to join the field as it would enrich my academic learning.
In addition, the decision to join the program was complemented by the fact that the placement opportunities I received did not offer me cyber security as a domain, so this only strengthened my resolve to get started in the field.
When the learning journey with Cyber Vaahini began, I realized how right was that decision. Those four months not only enriched my learning but also gave me the confidence to ask the right questions and take the lead.
As a result, my communication skills improved phenomenally, as the course made interactions an integral part of learning, encouraging me to communicate at every step. This helped clear my concepts and made me confident enough to return to my alma mater as a trainer for a guest session, after being placed at Philanthrosoft as a Product Operations Analyst.
I am grateful to the entire team at Employment Express, the Data Security Council of India, and the Kyndryl Foundation for providing me with a platform and helping me realize that if you work towards what is right for you, the doors will eventually lead you to the right place.
