This is the next segment of our blog series highlighting Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors who achieved the Gold milestone, the highest level attainable, and have recently graduated from university. Each blog in the series features a different student and highlights their accomplishments, their experience with the Student Ambassador community, and what they’re up to now.
Today we meet Bhavesh Suneja who is from India and recently graduated from DIT University, Dehradun with a Bachelors of Technology (B.Tech) in computer science engineering.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
When you joined the Student Ambassador community in 2020, did you have specific goals you wanted to reach, such as a particular skill or quality?
I had no goals in mind. In fact, the only reason I joined this program was that it was a Microsoft program, and I had to be a part of it. I heard about the program in high school and promised myself that someday I would be a part of it, so naturally being selected was a big moment for me. I still remember the moment I received the selection e-mail and the joy I felt--it was exactly at 12:06 AM on the 6th of January.
The idea of community was alien to me before joining, and truth be told, I never saw myself as someone who would join a community, but joining the Student Ambassador program helped me realize the spirit of a community and how being in one stimulates growth.
What were the accomplishments that you’re the proudest of and why?
Being a Student Ambassador and becoming a Gold ambassador are two great achievements for me [Editor’s note: the Gold level can only be attained via nomination by the program’s Community Program Managers or by other Golds]. But beyond those, it has to be a project I worked on with some of the amazing folks from the community: Devansu, Namrata, and Kenneth, as part of the Student Ambassadors community’s Social Impact League project [Editor’s note: Leagues are groups within the Student Ambassador community dedicated to socially significant issues and technologies]. Yaksha is a green tech project made with the aim of early forest fire detection, mitigation, and deforestation detection using the power of AI and IoT. Yakshas are nature spirits and protectors of the forests, so we named our project the same without a second thought. I am grateful that I got to work with some awesome folks under the guidance of amazing Microsoft Cloud Advocates, but the project still needs to be worked on. We plan to turn it into a social venture. For more info, one can visit Yaksha’s GitHub repo.
Another accomplishment that holds the same spot in my heart and mind is when I got to speak at Microsoft Reactor in April 2022. My session was on Serverless Computing and was a part of the Microsoft Student Developer Day program, a monthly program that gives student developers a platform to share their learnings.
What are you doing now that you’ve graduated?
I am taking a break and exploring things. I say “things” because I am not sure what--it could be places, people, some subject, wherever life takes me. I might pursue a masters degree in the future, but right now, I am going to work on a startup idea I have had for some time and see how things pan out.
Bhavesh at a startup exhibit representing his startup.
If you could redo your time as a Student Ambassador, is there anything you would have done differently?
I tried to do everything I could do in the short timespan I was in this program, but there are some things I wish I could have done differently. It would have been great had I been able to host an event regarding IoT. I tried on various occasions to organize something, but each time due to some reason or the other, things didn’t work out.
If you were to describe the community to a student who is interested in joining, what would you say about it to convince him or her to join?
This community holds the potential to change your life. It is a prestigious program with ample opportunities for everyone. There is something new each day, thanks to the amazing Community Program Managers who actively keep updating the program.
Opportunities + Community + Perks = A sweet deal!
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors?
My advice would be to go and interact with more people in the community. Try to learn something every day. Microsoft learning paths are a thorough source for knowledge. Be consistent. You will have new opportunities every day through this program--try to grab as many as you can!
What is your motto in life, your guiding principle?
I believe in making mistakes. My math teacher used to say, “Galti karoge, tabhi seekhoge.” You’ll learn only when you make mistakes.
What is one random fact about you that few people are aware of?
I love winters and hiking. It’s the best combination ever. And then having tea and breakfast after the hike.
Good luck to you in all your endeavors, Bhavesh!
Readers, you can find Bhavesh on GitHub, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.