I am chasing my dreams

Mamidi Sai Akash, at 17, makes his home city, Vijayawada, and his parents proud. Akash, son of Superwhizz Chartered Accountants Academy Chairman, M Gupta, is a miracle boy with a lot of achievements to his credit. He has come out with flying colors in the ACT (American College Test) and SAT by securing a ‘perfect score.’

The par excellence in academics apart, Akash started a software company called ‘Awesome Computech’ at the age of 13 and also, launched an online blood bank service. A Wikipedia Page is also found in his name, as a mark of his achievements. In a tete-a-tete with Mounika Gali, he unfolds his success story.

Here are the excerpts:

What is your academic background?
My passion lies in mathematics. So, I took up MPC (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) stream at plus two. I did my class IX and X in a school, which laid strong foundation in math and science, by means of IIT orientation.

When and why did you decide to pursue your undergraduate education from a reputed US University?
I decided to go abroad to pursue my bachelors’ degree when I was in class X itself. Getting into Stanford University has always been my dream. Besides, I also wanted to get an international exposure, which is why I decided to study in the USA.

Getting a perfect score on both ACT and SAT is considered to be among highest accolades a high school student can attain. How did you manage to do that?
I scored 36 points out of 36 points in ACT. I gave SAT subject tests for math and physics and I scored 800 out of 800 in both. I prepared for a year for the tests and I used to study every day without fail. I was very systematic with studies all through the year. I did not take coaching for these exams. I prepared on my own. I am glad my efforts finally paid off.

How many colleges did you apply to? How many Ivy League universities offered you admission?
I applied to 16 universities, in total, and all of them offered me admission. Out of which, five were Ivy League universities namely- Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth -and I got a seat in all of them.

Looks like you are spoilt for choices! So, which university did you finalise? Which stream will you planning to opt?
I decided to go to Stanford University to pursue my undergrad in Computer Science. Stanford is very reputed for Computer Science.

Stanford is indeed quite prestigious all over the world. What does it take to get into Stanford?
Universities like Stanford look for students with a holistic approach towards life. Getting a full score on the tests itself May not be enough to get admission. I gave equal importance to extra-curricular activities, along with academics.

What are the extra-curricular activities that you took to, which helped you stand out from the other applicants?
I am the CEO of a software company called Awesome Computech. I founded the company when I was in 8th standard, at the age of 13. I have around 30 employees, who work under me now. Our company mainly provides assistance in web designing. I also started a non-profit online blood bank service, called ‘Mother Blood Bank’, when I was 15. 1.75 lakh members have enrolled themselves as blood donors on the site.

It is quite difficult to get a seat in Ivy League universities. Did you have to compromise on small things like watching a movie once in a while?
No. I did not compromise on having fun once in a while. I used to give myself incentives during the course of preparation. For example, I used to set a target for myself, say to finish a chapter on thermodynamics. Once it’s done, I used to go for a movie or some other fun activity.

What is your success secret? What is your source of motivation?
I set a goal for myself to get a seat in Stanford University somehow. That goal kept giving me energy to work hard with perseverance. Also, I come from a family that values education the most. As both my parents are well-educated, they instilled in me a love for learning right from childhood. This orientation helped me in identifying my passion for sciences.

The general perception is that it is impossible for an ordinary student to make it to universities like Stanford. What’s your take on it?
I think even an ordinary student can make it to ace colleges with conscious efforts and persistent hard work. The key to success lies in one’s dedication. If you live and die for a dream that you want to materialize into reality, success will come your way.

What do you aspire to do in future, after finishing your undergraduate studies?
I want to explore avenues that would make our lives much easier, with the help of technology. After my studies, I would like to come back to India and establish a software firm here.