April 20, 2021 Harshit On Growing And Nurturing The Community – The Topcoder Nation Show #3

“When I joined Topcoder I thought it was about competition, but I realized that this is community, this is not competition, it’s growing together.”

hmehta on approaching a competitive community

This gentleman inhales and exhales community, it’s his oxygen and fuels his passion for the paramount work he does in Topcoder. His name is Harshit Mehta [hmehta]; super smart, joyful, and committed to helping the members of the community.

Harshit shares the nitty-gritty of his fascinating journey, starting as a SRM competitor to becoming a full-time employee as a Developer Relations and Program Manager. You’ll be amazed to find out about his hobbies, his tips for beginners, travels, favorite events, and how to approach a competitive community. Enjoy.

TAKEAWAYS

These lessons, tips and advice captured my attention, they may also help you:

• He joined in 2014 as a competitor, a few years later applied for a job and became a Developer Evangelist.
• Harshit wanted to work with Topcoder so badly that he didn’t pay attention to the role he was applying for. It took him by surprise and he adapted, just to be in the environment he felt an intense passion about.
• The community makes his work easier by sharing work, ideas, and execution of programs with the collaboration of passionate members.
• He holds TCO16 in high regard. It was the first time he could travel to the US and meet the Topcoder crew and members.
• He unveils the details of The Butter Chicken Squad origin story.
• He did theater for six years.

Topcoder Nation Show #3 is up on Youtube. See timecaps below for a summary.

TIMECAPS: GATES TO WISDOM

• Work as a developer relations and programs manager: 02:20 – 05:00
• His journey from SRM competitor to becoming a development evangelist: 05:43 – 09:00
• Taking an unknown role to be part of the team: 09:36 – 10:20
• What Topcoder has that makes him feel passion: 10:40 – 12:40
• Growing a community within a competitive environment: 13:30 – 20:17
• On favorite Topcoder events and travels: 22:26 – 23:45
• His retirement: 46:33 – 47:28

AMA 

We held an AMA (ask me anything) with Harshit. Curious community members asked him questions for him to ponder on. Watch the video from 24:30 – 55:50 to check out the replies to questions such as:

• What is the best data science project you have worked on?
• What advice do you have for a developer to improve in order to start winning prizes and be selected for private tasks?
• If you were to move to a country outside Asia, where would you go?
• From all the TCOs you attended, what is your favourite memory?
• How did the butter chicken squad begin? Who are the co-founders?
• When did the first butter chicken meal at the restaurant take place and who are the members that joined?
• You’re an incredible orator! When did you start this journey? Any tips for the members to be good at speaking on stage?
• Did you watch Scam 1992? For some reason Harshad Mehta keeps coming in my mind while seeing your name
• How do you manage your work as an evangelist at Topcoder?

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Peace out.

TOPCODER NATION

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