Hello from Manya 👋

Hello Amigos!

I am Manya Kalra, an explorer, eager to reflect on nearly anything, keen to learn and apply, striving for a peaceful life. I would say my story is a mix of ups and downs, but a lot of learning all the way. I started as any other engineering student, had a short but fun lived on-campus college life. Two years into the course, I realised I needed to undertake internships to strengthen my skills. I have always wanted to work in an ed-tech company. 

In mid-December, I came across this opportunity at Avanti Fellows, read about the great purpose it serves, and couldn't wait to be a part of this team and contribute. So I applied, was called in for an interview, and now I'm here, working with an incredible bunch of people.

It's been about a month, and I'm already loving the work I'm doing. The best aspect is that the Plio team has taken extra effort to assist us fellows understand things like what is the noble cause that Plio is seeking to address, and how we want to approach those challenges and plan to solve them. From the brainstorming deep-dives to the lively Friday gatherings, from not knowing anything about pull requests to getting my pull requests merged, it has been fun. Although one month is still a short time, there are a few lessons I learnt during this time. Among these are not being afraid to seek mentor guidance and not being hesitant to delve in and explore new topics. This is the moment when one can figure out skills and shortcomings and become more interested in the work. So, we should stay curious and prepare for the unexpected.

The fact that there is no hierarchy is something I particularly like about the team. We fellows are given plenty of opportunities to practice and improve our talents. Mentors are incredible people who have made our fellowship fascinating. The idea that our efforts are making a difference in the lives of thousands of deserving kids fills us with joy and motivates us to do more. I am currently working on a key feature for the Plio that will be valuable to many students.

I feel like I'm progressing with this team. It's only one-sixth of the way through, but I feel like I've already learnt a lot. I consider myself fortunate to be a part of this organization, that too at such an early stage in my career. I know for a fact that this journey is going to be a great learning experience for me and I am all for it. Looking forward to contributing more and more and growing with this team.