Deepanshu Udhwani : An Innovative Engineer & Mentor Driving Impact
Deepanshu Udhwani
Founder
In this interview, Deepanshu shares valuable insights into his professional journey. Let’s read on.
Could you share your professional journey, high- lighting key milestones, challenges you faced, and the factors that contributed to your success?
My professional journey began with an internship at Alibaba Cloud, which I secured during my fourth year of my college. It was a remote internship, and I was drawn to it because I was studying B.Tech at the time and pursuing an MBA in Information Systems and Marketing. The exposure to cloud technologies during this internship was invaluable. This happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, so I was actively seeking oppo-rtunities both through my college and off-campus. Fortunately, I landed the internship and worked there for about three to four months before transitioning to my first on-site job at MakeMyTrip. Over this period I realized the importance of mentorship.
At MakeMyTrip, I kept reflecting on how to simplify the education system and introduce mentorship for people who, like me, needed guidance but didn't know how to find it. Eventually, I connected with my cofounder Aryan on LinkedIn. We both shared an interest in creating coding videos and began brainstorming ideas. This led to the creation of '30 Days Coding,' a structured, affordable learning platform aimed at making mentorship accessible to everyone.
We started small, with just a single WhatsApp group, sharing the link through
Instagram and other social media platforms. We wrote a brief paragraph inviting anyone in need of mentorship or feeling confused about their career to join. The response was overwhelming, and soon we scaled up by launching a website and mobile app.
Our user base quickly grew, and we received great feedback. Despite not doing much marketing, thanks to our tech backgrounds, we managed to attract a lot of attention. Regular communication with my cofounder, despite time zone differences, helped us scale up our operations. The key take away I'd share is to be open to cold emailing and networking, which helped us connect with valuable contacts, including each other. We’ve now built our own platform from scratch and currently serve nearly 100,000 students, with daily active users steadily increasing.
How would you describe your time at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Techno-logy University?
My time at Thapar University was pivotal for my growth. In my first year, I joined a few societies, and later, I got involved with the Student Alumni Interaction Cell. My involvement with this club allowed me to interact with alumni regularly, which was a great learning experience. Every month or two, we organized events, reaching out to alumni and learning from their experiences. Thapar University has a rich alumni network, and the exposure I gained by engaging with them was invaluable.
One of the biggest lessons I learned at Thapar is the value of finding the right group of people and teamwork. Whether you're forming your own group or fitting into an existing one, surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who align with your career or personal growth goals is crucial.
Could you share how you foster a culture of innovation within your team at '30 Days Coding?
My approach to fostering innovation is a bit unconventional. While many believe in mastering one particular skill, I think as a leader, you need to have a broad understanding of various areas. You don’t have to be an expert in everything, but you should at least have a working knowledge of different aspects of your project. This helps set clear
Our user base quickly grew, and we received great feedback. Despite not doing much marketing, thanks to our tech backgrounds, we managed to attract a lot of attention. Regular communication with my cofounder, despite time zone differences, helped us scale up our operations. The key take away I'd share is to be open to cold emailing and networking, which helped us connect with valuable contacts, including each other. We’ve now built our own platform from scratch and currently serve nearly 100,000 students, with daily active users steadily increasing.
Embrace failure like it's your secret weapon. Build a team so good, they make you look like the rookie. In this game, surrounding yourself with greatness isn't an option-it's the only way to win
How would you describe your time at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Techno-logy University?
My time at Thapar University was pivotal for my growth. In my first year, I joined a few societies, and later, I got involved with the Student Alumni Interaction Cell. My involvement with this club allowed me to interact with alumni regularly, which was a great learning experience. Every month or two, we organized events, reaching out to alumni and learning from their experiences. Thapar University has a rich alumni network, and the exposure I gained by engaging with them was invaluable.
One of the biggest lessons I learned at Thapar is the value of finding the right group of people and teamwork. Whether you're forming your own group or fitting into an existing one, surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who align with your career or personal growth goals is crucial.
Could you share how you foster a culture of innovation within your team at '30 Days Coding?
My approach to fostering innovation is a bit unconventional. While many believe in mastering one particular skill, I think as a leader, you need to have a broad understanding of various areas. You don’t have to be an expert in everything, but you should at least have a working knowledge of different aspects of your project. This helps set clear
expectations for your team, and more importantly, it allows you to lead by example.
I believe in adapting to my team's preferences and making changes to accommodate their working styles. After all, the team is the backbone of the product, and their comfort and efficiency matter.
Another important factor is trust. If you’ve taken the time to hire the right people, you should give them the freedom to manage their tasks independently. Micromanaging doesn’t foster innovation. Instead, I focus on open discussions and regularly seek input from my team, particularly when developing projects. While not everyone needs to be involved in every decision, incorporating feedback from key members can significantly improve the project.
What is your future road-map?
We've successfully tested our products here in India, and now we're planning to expand our testing globally. Recently, we've been forming partnerships with various organizations. The model we developed and tested here initially showed slow growth but then scaled exponentially. With this in mind, we're focusing on collaborating with influencers and putting more effort into educating people about the importance of mentorship. It's not about promoting my mentorship or someone else’s specifically, but rather emphasizing to students and aspiring entrepreneurs that having a mentor someone older in either age or experience is crucial. Learn from their experience, as it can be incredibly valuable.
For my personal roadmap, both my parents have been my mentors. My father's guidance, despite being from a different field, has been invaluable and my mother's wisdom and support have been equally crucial in shaping my journey. Finding mentors who can guide you and provide wisdom is essential to paving the way for success, both personally and professionally.
Deepanshu Udhwani, Foun- der, 30day scoding
Deepanshu is a visionary tech entrepreneur and educator passionate about solving complex problems and nurturing future tech talent. As the founder and CEO of 30 dayscoding, he's revolutionizing coding education and mentorship. With experience at MakeMyTrip and Alibaba Cloud, Deepanshu brings a unique blend of corporate insight and startup innovation to his leadership. He excels in developing scalable educational platforms, fostering open-source communities, and creating comprehensive curricula that bridge the gap between industry needs and traditional education.
I believe in adapting to my team's preferences and making changes to accommodate their working styles. After all, the team is the backbone of the product, and their comfort and efficiency matter.
Another important factor is trust. If you’ve taken the time to hire the right people, you should give them the freedom to manage their tasks independently. Micromanaging doesn’t foster innovation. Instead, I focus on open discussions and regularly seek input from my team, particularly when developing projects. While not everyone needs to be involved in every decision, incorporating feedback from key members can significantly improve the project.
What is your future road-map?
We've successfully tested our products here in India, and now we're planning to expand our testing globally. Recently, we've been forming partnerships with various organizations. The model we developed and tested here initially showed slow growth but then scaled exponentially. With this in mind, we're focusing on collaborating with influencers and putting more effort into educating people about the importance of mentorship. It's not about promoting my mentorship or someone else’s specifically, but rather emphasizing to students and aspiring entrepreneurs that having a mentor someone older in either age or experience is crucial. Learn from their experience, as it can be incredibly valuable.
For my personal roadmap, both my parents have been my mentors. My father's guidance, despite being from a different field, has been invaluable and my mother's wisdom and support have been equally crucial in shaping my journey. Finding mentors who can guide you and provide wisdom is essential to paving the way for success, both personally and professionally.
Deepanshu Udhwani, Foun- der, 30day scoding
Deepanshu is a visionary tech entrepreneur and educator passionate about solving complex problems and nurturing future tech talent. As the founder and CEO of 30 dayscoding, he's revolutionizing coding education and mentorship. With experience at MakeMyTrip and Alibaba Cloud, Deepanshu brings a unique blend of corporate insight and startup innovation to his leadership. He excels in developing scalable educational platforms, fostering open-source communities, and creating comprehensive curricula that bridge the gap between industry needs and traditional education.