Several Indian techies dream of making it one of the Silicon Valley tech giants but only a few achieve this dream, and fewer still did it during a pandemic and global lockdown. Himanshu Jain from Delhi overcame the obstacles of the pandemic to chase down his dream of working with Meta (formerly Facebook).
The Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, challenging countries, institutions, sectors and people in unprecedented ways. Amid this global upheaval, stories of resilience and ingenuity emerged. One such inspiring narrative is that of Jain whose hard work earned him an internship and later a full-time job at the tech giant.
Jain, 24, who studied engineering and aspired to intern at Meta was met with unusual circumstances like many others during the Covid-induced restrictions. But nothing could deter him from going after his dreams.
Jain, a bright young mind from Delhi, found himself caught in the midst of the pandemic while pursuing his studies in the United States.
Today, a full-time software developer at Meta, Jain leads projects focused on enhancing user data privacy and accessibility. Beyond his professional achievements, he has co-founded a startup, shares his tech experiences through writing, and contributes to high-impact open-source projects, embodying the Indian ethos of giving back to society.
Recollecting his journey, Jain said, as the world shut down, he returned to India, where he faced severe lockdown restrictions.
Balancing his coursework with the daunting task of securing internships, Himanshu Jain had to adapt to the 12-hour time difference between India and the US. “My days started in the evening and extended into the early hours of the morning to align with US time zones,” he recalled.
This grueling schedule involved late-night classes, virtual career fairs, and early morning interviews. At the peak of the pandemic, he secured an internship with Meta. International travel restrictions and stringent health protocols made booking an emergency flight to the US a near-impossible task.
“Securing a flight was a monumental challenge, with constant cancellations and evolving health guidelines,” said Jain.
However, he managed to book a last-minute flight, arriving in the US just in time to start his internship — that required navigating multiple layovers and extensive health checks.
The virtual internship at Meta was no less challenging. Working in isolation, Himanshu Jain had to quickly adapt to a new environment while fulfilling his professional responsibilities.
“I worked hard and that dedication culminated in the successful deployment of an end-to-end machine learning algorithm for Facebook, earning me a full-time offer from the tech giant… These experiences strengthened my resolve and demonstrated my commitment to professional growth,” he added.
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