Interview with Devesh Jain
Written on July 18th, 2020 by {"login"=>"jcbitshyd", "email"=>"journal@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in", "display_name"=>"Journal Club, BPHC", "first_name"=>"", "last_name"=>""}How did you collaborate with Jio Glass team and how was your experience?
I was always fascinated by this technology and was very much interested in optics. I always wanted to do this at some point of time in my life. Humanity has seen this upward shift from ENIAC to IPhone. It did feel like there was something natural and seamless about this rapid progression of technology and its interaction with the real world. However, I never expected that I would be a part of something that is going viral and trending on social media. I am happy because I chose what I wanted to do.
You were an intern at Tesseract prior to working for the firm. How did you manage doing off-campus thesis (MIT media lab) and grabbing an internship afterward?
I was not looking for any research opportunity personally. The LV Prasad Eye Institute had a connection with MIT and I got this offer when I was working with the institute. I was already at the end of my fourth year where people generally choose a PS and I had to choose between going over the summer or the whole semester. Eventually, I applied to Tesseract and they had a screening process of interning the student before promoting them as an employee. So after a few months’ internship, I finally managed to secure a position in the firm. During that time the company was still playing around the periphery of mixed reality but with the experience that I gained at the Media Lab, I made sure that I delve.
Back during your college years, you were the secretary of the Dramatics Club, part of the Dance Club along with other departments (CEL and Placement Unit). Was it hard to manage your academics?
I always found comfort in a place that excited me. Anything that interested me didn’t seem like work so I was never really exhausted. The academic part of college is chill in my opinion. My CG in first semester was higher than my second semester because we have Pearl in our Second semester. I remember when I had to keep dodging between Dance Club and Dramatics Club rehearsals. My days during the Pearl is something I will always cherish.
Being a student from Pheonix, the number of job opportunities for a 8 pointer should have been huge. Why did you prefer a thesis despite the huge advantage your branch gave you?
I did not really consider the value of taking or not taking a thesis against the other internship opportunities I had. It essentially just boils down to what you want to do and what interests you at that point of time. I was more towards experiments and research, hence I opted for a thesis. I have seen many people struggling to grab a good package. But that is a very feeble goal to chase. It is more important for you to figure out where you feel good and natural. Once you start doing it, money and fame is something that might or might not follow but you wouldn’t care about it. That thesis for me was something I was immensely interested in. I also rejected a summer paid internship because I found the thesis at MIT worthy.
Given the fact that Tesseract was paying you the least of all the other options you had, what do you think is the best career decision you have ever made?
I would say two. One is of course choosing to go to MIT Media Lab. The second is joining Tesseract. To be honest, I was very confident when I came back to India with the MIT brand on my CV. But I was not getting placed for almost a month and it was very devastating. At the end of the third month I had five offers in my mind. Joining Tesseract at that point made the least sense. It was neither going to pay much nor did it have any legacy. But it interested me more and is my second best career decision now.
What is that one line definition of success you have been believing and would like to share with your juniors ?
Working hard is very important.Those four years you have in your college is the sole turning point of your life and I mean it. Make sure you give your hundred percent in all that you do there. You should not come out with a regret of not being able to do something you really wanted to. Be it any club, or your passion, your academics or you fell in love, those four years of your life will always be something to reminisce.