BS (Data Science and Applications)
When you think of a seafarer, you picture vast oceans and endless horizons. When you think of Data Science, you picture algorithms, code, and endless rows of data. For Ujjwal Vishwanath, these two seemingly separate worlds have become chapters of a single story.
Born and raised in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago and currently residing in Kollam, Kerala, Ujjwal is both a professional seafarer and a student in the IIT Madras BS Degree in Data Science and Applications. In fact, at the time of our conversation, he was quite literally speaking to us from a ship.
Ujjwal is a part of the very first batch of the IITM BS Degree. His interest in computer science goes all the way back to his school years when he chose it as a subject. However, he eventually pursued Nautical Sciences and built a career at sea.
Yet, the spark for computer science never faded. During his undergraduate years, he took an NPTEL course on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) in Python. A decade later, while waiting for his ship assignment during the pandemic, he received an email announcing IITM’s new BS program. It felt like destiny was calling him home.
“The degree aligned with my interests perfectly,” he recalls. “It gave me a second chance to pursue what I had always wanted.” And just like that, Ujjwal found himself sailing across not only oceans but also a rigorous new academic voyage.
Life aboard a ship is demanding, but so is this degree. Balancing both requires discipline, dedication, and above all, an insatiable thirst for learning.
For Ujjwal, the IITM BS Degree has done more than sharpen his technical skills – it has reshaped his mindset. “Back in high school, I wasn’t very academically inclined,” he admits. “But this course taught me discipline, changing my perspective on what learning can mean.”
The structured design of the program, with its escalating difficulty and filtering process, keeps students on their toes, he says. According to Ujjwal, this is what makes the degree stand out – its ability to demand consistency while rewarding dedication.
Like many students, Ujjwal initially received a fee waiver in this degree program, something he remains deeply grateful for. ”The financial aid eased the burden and motivated me to stay diligent,” he says.
“It kept the zeal alive.” This support, he says, is not just financial – it is also a reminder that the institution invests in students who are willing to put in the work.
Though he is yet to make a full transition into the data science domain professionally, Ujjwal is optimistic. He hopes to gain hands-on experience through remote internships while continuing his maritime career in the short term. Managing coursework while being onboard is not easy, but he looks at it as another challenge to overcome. “One has to find time,” he says with calm determination. “But I shall strive – that is the hope.” To those walking the same path, his advice is simple yet potent: “Enjoy the process this degree has to offer. Each one of us has a latent value, and someday it will make its way out. Till then, work hard. Stay dedicated. Stay consistent.”
Ujjwal’s story is proof that in today’s day and age education is not limited by geography, profession, or even the oceans. With discipline and persistence, one can sail through uncharted waters and still find the course that feels like home.
– written by Satyaki Goswami.
