Sakshi Gagwani

Sakshi's Story My coding journey started unexpectedly during my first semester at NIT Raipur. Like most Electrical Engineering students, I was focused on circuits, calculus, and physics—coding wasn't even on my radar beyond the basic C++ course we had to take. But then something shifted. In our introductory programming class, we were building simple programs, and I remember the exact moment it clicked—I wrote a small program that solved a problem, and seeing it work felt like magic. It wasn't just about memorizing formulas or following predetermined steps like in other subjects. With coding, I was creating something from scratch, and the only limit was my logic and creativity. I got curious and started exploring beyond our curriculum. I discovered web development through YouTube tutorials, and the idea that I could build actual applications that people could use fascinated me. I built my first project—a simple Tic Tac Toe game using React—and I was hooked. There's something incredibly satisfying about starting with a blank screen and ending with a functional, interactive application. What really sealed my interest was realizing the impact coding could have. Coming from a family with financial constraints, I saw coding as more than just a hobby—it was a viable career path with real opportunities. Software engineers are in demand, the field offers remote work flexibility, and most importantly, it's a skill I could learn independently without expensive equipment or labs. I also noticed how few women around me were pursuing coding seriously, especially outside of Computer Science. That made me more determined. I wanted to prove that you don't need to be in CS to become a great developer, and that women from any background can excel in tech. Now, almost a year later, I've built multiple projects—a Weather App, a Password Manager, even a Machine Learning-based Rockfall Prediction system. Each project teaches me something new and makes me more certain that software development is what I want to do long-term. What started as curiosity in a first-semester programming class has become my career goal and passion.