Why Community Building is the Key to Personal Growth | Manas Chopra | TEDxNIIT University

Key Concepts:

• Resilience: Overcoming challenges and setbacks through perseverance.
• Community Building: Creating and nurturing a network of individuals with shared interests.
• Self-Study: Independent learning and preparation.
• Hurdles: Obstacles and difficulties encountered during growth.
• Networking: Building connections and relationships with professionals.
• Hackathons: Events where individuals collaborate to develop projects within a limited time frame.
• Quality over Quantity: Prioritizing meaningful engagement over sheer numbers.
• Intution: Relying on inner feelings and instincts.
• No Effort is Wasted: Recognizing the value of past experiences and efforts.

1. Early Life and Education:

• Manas Chopra, a RE (Reliability Engineer), started his community in his first year of college.
• He studied in a local school in Ghaziabad and aimed to study in Delhi for better exposure.
• He studied hard for his 10th exams and moved to Delhi for 11th and 12th grade.
• His initial focus shifted to sports, but COVID-19 disrupted those plans.
• He then focused on JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) preparation for college admission.

2. JEE Preparation and College Admission:

• Due to financial constraints, Manas preferred self-study for JEE.
• He joined a library (a study space, not a book lending library) and studied for two years.
• He relied on mock tests from Allen, PW (Physics Wallah), and Unacademy.
• In his first attempt, he scored around 93 percentile, which wasn't enough for top colleges like DTU (Delhi Technological University) or NSUT (Netaji Subhas University of Technology).
• He cleared JEE Advanced and secured an 18,000 rank, insufficient for top IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology).
• He joined MSIT (Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology), a private college affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, with a CSE (Computer Science and Engineering) branch.

3. College Life and Community Building:

• He felt inferior because his batchmates claimed to have prepared less than him.
• He realized that being in the right place doesn't always mean it's the right time.
• He started his own community with friends (including Arnav) to create a society.
• They used WhatsApp and Discord to connect with people.
• The community grew to over 70,000 students and professionals.
• They conducted events in collaboration with MasterCard, AI Garage, Microsoft, and various colleges for hiring and internship purposes.

4. Challenges in Establishing the Community:

• The college initially hesitated to approve the society due to the presence of existing tech clubs.
• He persevered, driven by the effort he had invested in JEE preparation.
• The community prioritized quality over quantity.
• They focused on serving a smaller group of participants effectively.

5. Hackathons and Skill Development:

• Hackathons are 24-36 hour events where participants build projects and pitch them to judges.
• Winning hackathons can lead to funding, prizes, and recognition.
• Hackathons help develop business plan, marketing, and sales skills.
• Manas participated in and won many hackathons, leading to collaborations with companies and organizations.

6. Overcoming Obstacles and Setbacks:

• He emphasizes that no effort is wasted and encourages patience.
• He faced hurdles from jealous individuals and competing communities.
• He highlights the importance of listening to one's heart and intuition.
• An event at the Microsoft office was canceled one day before due to a complaint from a rival community.
• He leveraged his network to find a new venue and successfully conduct the event.

7. The Importance of Perseverance:

• He reiterates that giving up is not an option.
• Past efforts play a crucial role in future endeavors.
• During job interviews for AI engineering roles, his community involvement was a major talking point.
• Interviewers were more interested in his community management skills than his technical skills.
• Community involvement helps develop management, client handling, and problem-solving skills.

8. Community Impact and Growth:

• He observed that some of his batchmates who initially felt superior remained stagnant.
• He emphasizes the importance of continuous evolution and growth.
• His community has 17 members from various academic backgrounds.
• Community growth requires collaboration with different communities and organizations.
• The focus should always be on the students.

9. Notable Quotes:

• "Being in the right place doesn't always mean it's the right time."
• "No effort is wasted. Be patient. What you deserve will come."
• "You just have to sometimes listen [to] your heart. What your heart says, that is very important."
• "Giving up is not an option."

10. Synthesis/Conclusion:

Manas Chopra's journey highlights the importance of resilience, community building, and continuous learning. He faced numerous challenges, from academic setbacks to community-related obstacles, but he persevered by leveraging his network, trusting his intuition, and maintaining a focus on quality over quantity. His experience demonstrates that seemingly unrelated efforts, such as JEE preparation, can contribute to future success in unexpected ways. The community he built not only provided a platform for learning and collaboration but also became a valuable asset in his career, showcasing his leadership and problem-solving abilities. The key takeaway is that perseverance, networking, and a commitment to serving others are essential for achieving long-term success.