BS (Data Science and Applications)
Bright minds don’t dim – they adapt, persevere, and shine through.
In 2014, a young man from Ahmedabad began his journey at IIT Delhi, ready to pursue a B.Tech in Textile Technology. He had arrived at this destination through years of hard work, discipline, and nurtured dreams, earning his place in one of the country’s most prestigious institutions. He was prepared to build a successful future. However, as life often reminds us, even the best-laid plans can take unexpected turns. A spinal hemangioma forced him to halt his studies and begin a six-year journey of treatment, recovery, and reflection.
Fast forward to 2021, Shubham Gattani was still on his path to healing, but his thirst for learning hadn’t faded. He applied for online tutoring roles, acing the interviews. However, he consistently fell short due to one missing checkbox: an undergraduate degree.
Determined to overcome this hurdle, he began searching for online bachelor’s programs. His brother then introduced him to the IIT Madras BS Degree in Data Science and Applications. “It was a no-brainer,” Shubham recalls. “A degree from IITM, in a high-demand tech field, with the flexibility I needed – it checked all the boxes.”
He easily passed the Qualifier exam. Four years later, with a CGPA of 9.8, Shubham is now working at IITM, building web applications. “I’m applying the exact skills I learned in my degree projects to my current job,” he says. “That shows how good the course is.”
Though mobility constraints limit him to a wheelchair, Shubham didn’t let that stop him from experiencing the best of the IITM community. At Paradox ’25, he rolled through the lush Chennai campus on his own, refusing assistance simply to soak in the greenery and freedom. “I have to thank the BS team,” he says. “They left no stone unturned to ensure my experience was smooth.”
Pursuing this as a standalone degree, he remained focused on academics. Yet, Shubham never underestimated the value of friendships. “I used to think online friendships were superficial,” he laughs. “But the people I’ve met through this degree are my strongest circle now.” He credits his academic success not just to his own efforts, but to the professors, TAs, and peers who became his village.
“I am especially grateful to Bharathi Ma’am, Andrew Sir, and JK Sir. Their mentorship changed my life.” All this peer support and faculty guidance played a significant role in helping him secure a six-month internship at the “Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre” at IITM.
For Shubham, this degree is special in every way. He believes the practical experience it offers is better than what he would get in traditional programs. Courses like MLF, MLT, and MAD 1 and 2 are not taught separately. Instead, they are connected so that students get both a deep understanding of concepts and hands-on practice.
He says the MLP project was his first time using Kaggle, where he learned to build models from scratch, not just use them. This helped him understand the real-world logic behind AI. The MAD 1 and 2 projects also felt like real web development jobs.
Another key aspect? The recorded lectures – “You can pause, rewind, replay, take notes, and understand every line of the lecture at your own pace,” he says. He diligently made notes using the transcripts, which helped him crack those tricky “between-the-lines” questions.
He also emphasized that he still revisits the recorded sessions whenever he gets stuck, calling them the “hearts of their respective courses.”
Shubham also enjoyed NPTEL courses like “Data Mining” and “Consumer Psychology,” which helped him learn new things and easily transfer credits to his BS degree.
Looking ahead, Shubham’s main focus is his health, as he knows he needs to be healthy to chase his dreams. After that, he plans to review everything he has learned before starting his career as a Data Scientist or an AI Engineer. A master’s degree is also in his future plans.
When asked for a final message to his peers and future students, the bright young man said with confidence: “Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Reach out to others. Build projects. Do coding assignments even if you don’t know everything. That’s how you become a problem-solver – and that’s what this world needs.”
In a world that often overlooks quiet determination, Shubham Gattani pushed ahead. He moved through his challenges – including doubt, difficulty, and complex data – not just the physical spaces. His story proves that with a strong purpose, your willpower has no limits.
– Written by Satyaki Goswami
