How A Metallurgist ended up in Software Development ??

In 2017, a group of Cummins College students approached me. They were gearing up for the very first Smart India Hackathon and wanted me to mentor their team.

During our chat, I casually mentioned that I had zero formal education in programming and that my degree was in Metallurgy.

I still remember their expressions. 🙂

For context:

I graduated in Metallurgy from COEP and completed my post‑graduation in Materials Science from IIT Powai. I don’t hold a single certificate in computer science. Naturally, people often ask—then how did you end up in software?

The story goes back to 1984.

I was in 8th standard. My friend Sandeep Shiyekar’s father, a professor at Walchand College in Sangli, had access to a newly arrived computer (most likely a BBC Micro). He invited a few of us to see it and offered to teach programming if we were interested.

None of us had a computer at home, so we learned BASIC on a blackboard every Sunday.

Yes—actual programming, written in chalk.

During the school vacation, I visited my cousin Shirish Ranade. He had a Commodore 64 and a Casio PB‑100. That was it—I was hooked. With no YouTube or internet, I learned purely from books and manuals. Read. Experiment. Repeat.

Shirish gave me the PB‑100, and for the next few years I kept pushing its limits. It had just 1 KB of memory, so every program had to fit inside that tiny space. That constraint taught me more about logic and efficiency than any course ever could.

Engineering years: the real acceleration

In my first year of engineering, . I discovered Turbo C and the book “Spirit of C”. I didn’t have a computer, so I wrote programs in a notebook and exchanged ideas with my friend Jayant Walvekar through handwritten letters. Occasionally I went to Shirish's place in Thane and tried out my ideas on his IBM PCs

By second year, thanks to my friend Janmejay Nemade, I got permission to use the computers in the Metallurgy department. By then, programming felt natural. I even completed my BE project in Turbo C—building an “optimum mix” solver for cast‑iron furnace materials to minimize cost. This was 5000 line Turbo C program. Probably a record in COEP at that time.

Published on linkedin on 7th April 2026 

Elevating DevOps: A Journey from novice to Master craftsman

 In the dynamic world of DevOps, the gap between theory and practice can sometimes seem as vast as space itself. Reflecting on my journey through countless interviews with DevOps engineers, a pattern emerges: a disconnect between claimed experience and practical knowledge. It's a concerning trend that sees the essence of DevOps, a craft of precision and innovation, being diluted by superficial engagement.

Rewind to the days before DevOps became the industry buzzword. I was at the helm of creating a comprehensive DevOps platform for Geometric Ltd., integrating both commercial and open-source tools. This experience was more than just 'clicking buttons'; it was about architecting a seamless workflow that propelled projects forward.

For those aspiring to master DevOps, here's a distilled essence of my experience:

1. Begin with the roots. Watch John Allspaw and Paul Hammond's seminal presentation at the Velocity 2009 conference. Let it be your DevOps genesis, and absorb its insights multiple times.
2. Dive deep into Version Control Systems (VCS). Whether it's Git, Mercurial, or Subversion, understanding the intricacies of VCS is non-negotiable. They are the backbone of any robust DevOps strategy.
3. Ensure everything is traceable. From source code to CI/CD configurations, every element should be version-controlled, allowing you to pinpoint changes with precision.
4. Immerse yourself in the wisdom of pioneers. My recommended reads include 'Release It' by Michael Nygard, 'The Phoenix Project' by Gene Kim, and 'Accelerate' by Gene Kim and Jez Humble.
5. Learn from the best. Study the engineering blogs of tech giants like Netflix, Google, and Facebook, Uber to stay abreast of cutting-edge practices.

DevOps is not just a role; it's a mindset of continuous improvement and relentless pursuit of excellence. Let's commit to upholding the true spirit of DevOps and nurturing the next generation of software craftsmen. 

Posted on LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7215942686271238144-7XjI