College clubs, hackathons and open source projects: Hemanth’s passion for Web3 | DevStories
Meet Hemanth Krsihna, aka DarthBenro008; a final year student pursuing CSE with a specialization in IoT from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore. An Open Source Developer who loves exploring tech and creating tools that solve real-life problems. He has a few years of experience in building Android Apps, Web Backends, Infrastructure, DevOps, and working with Blockchain.
Do you think this is all? Read ahead to know more about Hemanth, his interests, his achievements, and how he works himself towards them. We hope that it inspires you to explore Web3 development as well.
Tell us more about yourself and how you began your Web3 journey.
I am an open-source developer who discovered blockchain technology through my work in distributed systems and cryptography.
I was drawn to the potential of blockchain to enable decentralized applications and organizations, and I started exploring this technology more deeply.
I found the complexity and challenges involved in developing secure and decentralized systems intriguing, and I was motivated by the opportunity to contribute to open-source blockchain projects and collaborate with other developers in the ecosystem. The potential for blockchain technology to disrupt traditional industries and enable new forms of decentralized applications and organizations continues to be a major driving force for me in this field.
I eventually took part in the Summer of Bitcoin (SoB) and Tezos Fellowship where I dived deeper into blockchain technologies and web3. I had also won global web3 hackathons such as Tezasia and Hack sorob-a-thon, which gave me a push into my web3 journey.
Any interesting college clubs that you are/were a part of?
During my college years, I was fortunate to be part of two amazing clubs — ACM-VIT and IEEE-VIT. These clubs provided me with opportunities to receive and provide mentorship across various technological fields, including blockchain, machine learning, and web development.
It allowed me to explore my interests in blockchain technology. As a member of these chapters, I had the opportunity to attend workshops and seminars on blockchain, participate in hackathons, and collaborate with like-minded individuals on various blockchain projects.
I am extremely grateful to Rishabh Keshan, Aarush Bhat, Shubham Palriwala, and Harsh Malani, who were my peers and constant sources of support and encouragement throughout my journey in these clubs.
What was your first-ever Web3 hackathon experience like?
My first-ever Web3 hackathon experience was at TezAsia, where I had an incredible time learning, exploring, and building with other developers in the ecosystem. I worked on a project for 48 hours and was able to build a functioning prototype, which ultimately won me $5000 in prize money.
During the hackathon, I encountered many challenges and setbacks, but I learned a lot from these experiences and was able to overcome them with the help of my team and mentors. I also had the opportunity to explore new Web3 tools and technologies, which helped expand my skill set and understanding of the ecosystem.
Overall, the TezAsia hackathon was a transformative experience for me, as it helped solidify my passion for Web3 development and showed me the potential of this technology to solve real-world problems and create meaningful change.
What was the project that won your team a place in the BUIDL for Web3 Hack 2022?
The project that won my team a place in the BIUDL for Web3 Hack 2022 competition was called NFTix, which is a ticketing platform that uses non-fungible tokens (NFTs) built on AssetMantle. The platform enables the easy creation of NFT tickets for events, along with a QR code scanning mechanism and a goodie collection mechanism for attendees.
Our team recognized that traditional ticketing systems have many limitations, such as the inability to prevent ticket fraud or provide a seamless check-in experience for event organizers. By leveraging NFT technology, we were able to create a platform that eliminates these limitations and offers a more secure, efficient, and customizable ticketing experience for event organizers and attendees alike.
During the BIUDL for Web3 Hack 2022 competition, we faced many challenges, but we worked tirelessly to overcome them and bring our vision to life. Our efforts paid off, and we were awarded a prize of $4444 for our innovative solution. This experience taught us the power of teamwork and perseverance, and it inspired us to continue exploring the potential of Web3 technology to create positive change in the world.
Moving forward, we plan to continue developing and refining NFTix, with the goal of making it the go-to ticketing platform for events in the Web3 ecosystem.
We are excited to see how our platform can contribute to the growth and development of the Web3 community, and we are committed to making NFTix an open and accessible platform that anyone can use and benefit from.
Tell us about the projects you are looking forward to working on next.
One project that I am particularly excited about working on next is a browser-based IDE for Soroban on the Stellar network. Soroban is a smart contract language that runs on the Rust programming language, and our IDE will allow users to compile, deploy, and invoke contract functions without having to set up Rust or any other development environment. Users will be able to use our IDE directly in their browser, making it much more accessible and user-friendly.
Our goal with this project is to lower the barrier to entry for developers and enthusiasts who are interested in building on the Stellar network but may not have the technical expertise or resources to set up a complete development environment. By providing a simple, intuitive, and easy-to-use IDE, we hope to democratize access to the Stellar network and enable more developers to build innovative applications and solutions on top of it.
We are currently in the early stages of development, but we are already making great progress and have received a lot of positive feedback from the Stellar community. We are excited to continue refining and improving our IDE and to eventually launch it as an open-source project that anyone can use and contribute to.
Where are you currently working?
I currently work as an engineer at Cisco Systems, where I build distributed database systems within routers and switches. It is heavily inspired by how blockchain nodes work and shares their data. Although I work at a web2 company right now, the technology I work with heavily translates and sets the foundation of web3.
How did you balance building your Web3 knowledge and pursuing your education?
Balancing my Web3 knowledge and pursuing my formal education was a challenge, but I have always believed in the importance of time management and hard work. By leveraging online resources, such as tutorials, forums, and online courses, I was able to develop my knowledge and skills in Web3 development without compromising on my formal education. I also made it a point to attend hackathons and networking events to connect with other developers and experts in the field.
Overall, my approach to balancing my Web3 education and formal education was to prioritize my time and use it effectively. By dedicating my weekends and free time to learning and exploration, I was able to stay on top of the latest trends and developments in the Web3 ecosystem while still maintaining my academic commitments.
What is your most amazing Web3 story?
One of my most amazing Web3 stories is when I participated in an international hackathon and was able to build a decentralized application called GreenCredUs that utilized cutting-edge Web3 technology. With the help of my team, we were able to develop a functioning prototype that showcased the potential of blockchain technology to solve real-world problems and create value for users.
During the hackathon, we encountered many challenges and setbacks, but we persevered and were able to develop a product that impressed the judges and earned us a first-place prize. This experience was particularly memorable for me because it showed me the power of collaboration and the potential of Web3 technology to create a positive impact.
Following the hackathon, we continued to develop and refine our product, eventually launching it as an open-source project that gained widespread recognition and adoption within the Web3 community. This experience was a testament to the power of open-source development and the potential for Web3 technology to transform the way we interact with the world.
What are your other interests?
I strive to solve real-life problems that impact and help one in the real world. Coding is my choice of tool to solve these problems, currently sharpening and expanding my arsenal to achieve it with ease.
My other interests include playing chess, watching anime, and sleeping peacefully for 10 hours straight lol :).
What is your dream job? Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
As an aspiring Web3 entrepreneur, my dream job is to continue building innovative decentralized applications and contribute to the growth of the Web3 ecosystem. I see myself as someone who is constantly seeking out new opportunities to leverage blockchain technology and other Web3 tools to create value for users and help drive the adoption of these technologies.
In the next five years, I hope to have built successful and impactful Web3 applications that have solved real-world problems and generated significant value for users. I also aim to have established a strong network of partners and collaborators within the Web3 ecosystem, and to be contributing actively to the development of new Web3 standards and protocols.
Ultimately, my goal is to be recognized as a thought leader and expert in the technological space, and to be working on projects that have the potential to change the way people interact with technology and each other.
Hemanth’s strong technical knowledge, excellent communication skills, empathy, and strategic thinking have made him a remarkable Web3 Dev. From being a Web2 Dev to gloriously carving his path as a budding Web3 Dev — it has truly been an incredible journey.
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