“My interest in farming was created because of my father,” Aryan Bhatia, Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Recipient

Bachelor of Engineering Honours student, Aryan Bhatia’s big idea is to develop an application so as to link farmers with storage facilities to reduce the wastage of crops in India. “I think my interest in farming was created because of my father as he has been a “hobby farmer” since I was around 10 years old. He owns a fair bit of land in the outskirts of the city (Delhi) where we live, which we visit once a week. Hence, I have been observing the agricultural sector from a very young age,” Delhi born Aryan informed in an interview with Indus Age.

“As I grew, I got really interested in programming. Today, I am literally in love with it. My frequent visits to the farm have made me realize how inefficient the current system is and hence I wish to improve it by doing something I love,” the Sydney Scholars India Scholarship recipient added.

The talented scholar also spoke about the challenges to bring his idea into fruition, the Indo-Aussie academic difference, his advice to juniors and much more. Read on:

Interviewed By Nidhi Kumari

Congratulations on receiving, the Sydney Scholars India Scholarship, you have made the Indo-Aussie community proud. Tell us what your first reaction was when you were informed about this feat?

I was just sitting on my bed with my sister, watching TV when I saw a notification on my phone, and it was a mail from The University of Sydney. I started saying my prayers as I was opening the mail and when I finally did, my mind was completely blown. I shouted, “I got 100% scholarship, I am going to USYD” and then my sister started screaming and hitting me out of excitement. My parents were not at home, so I called them, and they were just silent for 30 seconds after which my father said, “This is THE BEST thing that could have happened, I am extremely proud.”

Aryan, talking about your idea, you want ‘to create an application so as to link farmers with storage facilities to help reduce the wastage of crops in India’. This is a brilliant idea and needed attention for a very long time now.  Tell us how you were inclined towards this particular issue and also how do you intend to bring this idea into fruition?

I think my interest in farming was created because of my father as he has been a “hobby farmer” since I was around 10 years old. He owns a fair bit of land in the outskirts of the city where we live, which we visit once a week. Hence, I have been observing the agricultural sector from a very young age.

As I grew, I got really interested in programming. Today, I am literally in love with it. My frequent visits to the farm have made me realize how inefficient the current system is and hence I wish to improve it by doing something I love.

I think this idea can be brought into fruition once I have acquired the knowledge and experience required to implement it on a large scale. After doing my bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from the University of Sydney, I plan to work and study further to gain experience of working on giant projects. During this time, I also plan to visit India frequently to gather information to build further upon what I have already planned.

Reaching out to the farmers needing storage facility in a country with more than 1.2 billion population, is a challenge. What are the other challenges that you think you need to overcome before making this big idea a reality?

I think one of the biggest problems would be the fact that most farmers in India are illiterate and hence not very well versed with technology. The challenge would be to make an app that even an illiterate farmer can use and understand.

How is your work in this area progressing and what time frame have you set for this project to complete and reach out to the target (farmers)?

Currently I would say that my project is at a stage where I am acquiring knowledge and information. I plan to start working on it after my degree. I will start the implementation only after working as an engineer for a while.

Having studied both in India and Australia, what do you think the two countries can learn from each other on the academic front?

I believe that in Australia, there is a lot of focus on aspects besides academics such as clubs, societies etc. which help in the overall development of a student rather than just increasing academic knowledge. Besides this, here I am receiving an International Education where I am meeting students from all over the world which is introducing me to new ideas, cultures and ways of thinking which would not have happened if I studied in college in India.

However, the focus on academics is also an advantage for the Indian Education system. It is a very difficult curriculum and gives a student very in-depth knowledge of each and every aspect of the subject he or she is studying.

Living in a place away from home comes with its own crests and troughs, in fact, life is all about it. What do you think and what is your mantra for keeping calm, irrespective of the situation?

I just try to manage my time well because I have realized that I only get stressed if I am not on top of my work. I have all my assignment due dates, homework, class schedules etc. written down on my whiteboard in my room which help me keep track of my work on a weekly basis. I also try and take regular breaks during study sessions and even otherwise. I keep 1 day every week to go out with my friends and explore Sydney (as it is so beautiful and there is so much to do!). I also keep talking to my family back home either by video calling them once in a while or by sending them updates on what’s happening in my life (and they do the same) so that I do not feel that I am very far away from them.

Who do you take inspiration from?

I get inspired by my parents. They both were born in lower middle-class families and grew up on limited resources. However, what they have achieved today is truly impeccable and they have provided me with facilities and comforts that they never got. I consider myself fortunate and I hope I can use my talents and opportunities to bring a change.

What is it that you like to do when you are not studying or working?

I like to hang out with my friends. We play video games or simply go to beach and have fun.

Is there anything that you miss back home?

I definitely miss my family once in a while but something that I miss on a daily basis is the FOOD back home.

Tell us about your other future plans.

I plan to study further (do a master’s degree however this could change) and get into fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics etc. I also plan to get some work experience before I start working on my “big idea”.

Your advice to your juniors:

(Note: This entire paragraph might sound very cliché, but this is my “mantra”.)

Keep calm and just work hard. I think most of the time we fail simply because we are too afraid to start, or we just think that we have SO MUCH to do that the work would never end. Just divide your work into smaller parts and focus JUST on the job at hand. Sometimes you might feel disheartened because of a low score or a poor performance but consider it as a part of the journey. I used to be really stressed about my future during my high school years, but I always tried to distract myself by doing my work. In the end everything turns out fine and your hard work pays off, so chill.