Hello Readers! I’m Vishal Bokhare, a B.Tech student from the Metallurgical and MaterialsEngineering department at IIT Roorkee, and I’ve just wrapped up my third year. This summer of 2025 has been incredibly exciting as I’ve landed an SDE (Software Development Engineer) internship at Flipkart! This wasn’t an on-campus opportunity for me, but an off-campus win after a season filled with applications and perseverance.

The Genesis of a Coder: Discovering My Passion

My coding journey truly began after my second year. Like many, my initial years at IIT Roorkee were about exploration. I dabbled in various domains – robotics, web development, AI/ML, and more. It was during this exploration that I found myself increasingly drawn to AI/ML and Competitive Programming.

In my first year, joining the Models and Robotics Section (MaRS) gave me a fantastic platform to practice my interests and explore diverse technical fields. By my second year, I was deeply invested in AI/ML. I started working on projects in the domain, surrounded myself with like-minded friends in MaRS, and even participated in competitions. These experiences, including an internship under professors from the ECE and Architecture departments at IIT Roorkee, broadened my understanding of new tech stacks and significantly boosted my coding skills. My friends and I were constantly pushing each other to excel, recognizing that skills truly matter.

The Grueling Grind: Summer Prep & Internship Season

The summer break after my second year marked a pivotal moment. This was when the serious preparation for the upcoming third-year internship season began. I dedicated myself to Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) and competitive coding questions. Simultaneously, I madesure to revise the AI/ML concepts that truly captivated me. The unwavering support and guidance from my friends, who helped me navigate the best learning paths and resources, were invaluable during this period.

Then came the internship season. I started appearing for company tests, even though some topics felt uncovered. The preparation was continuous; it was a race against time, hoping to eventually find that one company where everything would click. The journey was a rollercoaster of emotions – from the demotivation of seeing limited SDE roles for non-circuital branches to sharing in the joy of friends getting selected and learning from their experiences. It was tough, but hope and the constant support from my friends and family kept me going.

Flipkart GRID: A Glimmer of Hope

Amidst the company tests and ongoing learning, there was another significant development: the Flipkart Grid competition. I led a team with my friends, and we successfully cleared the initial levels, making it all the way to the national finals! This achievement, even as the on-campus internship season drew to a close with no offers for me, was a huge confidence booster. By the time the on-campus opportunities had largely dried up, Flipkart considered me for their off-campus recruitment process. This involved an Online Assessment (OA) round followed by two SDE interview rounds. I put my best foot forward, successfully navigated these rounds, and was ultimately waitlisted for the role. That period was a mix of happiness for making it so far and anxiety about the final outcome.

The Call That Changed Everything

Just a few days later, while I was at Rajiv Canteen with my friend, I received the call from Flipkart HR. My status had been changed to “selected” for the internship! The rush of happiness I felt at that moment is truly indescribable. I immediately shared the news with my parents, who were equally overjoyed.

A huge thanks to everyone who supported me throughout this journey – my friends, family, andmentors. Their belief in me made all the difference.

Life at Flipkart: The Journey Continues

Currently, I’m working from the Flipkart office in Bengaluru, part of the Pricing and Promotions team. It’s an incredible experience to be interning at such a dynamic company, and I’m thoroughly enjoying every moment of it.