Got Invited for Keynote Address at Christ University

Last week, something truly special happened.

I got invited by Christ University, Bangalore, to deliver a keynote about my journey with Fueler, the mental models that shaped me, and the hard lessons I wish someone had told me when I was in college.

For someone who grew up in Agartala and is now building Fueler out of Bangalore, this felt like a dream come true.

I never imagined I’d be standing in front of hundreds of bright young students at such a prestigious college, sharing my story and learnings.

What I Spoke About

I kept my session simple — I shared two things that shaped my journey:

1️⃣ Life Before Fueler: The Mental Models That Changed Everything

Before Fueler was an idea, I was just another curious student trying to figure out what to do with my life. Back then, three mental models shaped how I thought about my work and life:

→ Work Really Hard

There’s no shortcut. Talent helps, but outworking everyone else changes the game. I learned this by doing spending countless hours reading, shipping ideas, and doing things others wouldn’t.

→ Proven Paths

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. Find people who’ve done what you want to do. Study them. Reverse engineer their paths.

→ Extraordinary Careers

Ordinary habits won’t get you an extraordinary life. If you want different results, you have to live differently take more risks, put yourself out there, build things people can see.

2️⃣ 3 Frameworks You Need for Startups (and Life)

I also shared three truths that I believe every student, creator, or founder needs to know when building anything meaningful:

✅ Insight — See what others can’t. Spot gaps, pain points, hidden opportunities.

✅ Courage — The best ideas often look risky in the beginning. Be ready to take bets when everyone else plays safe.

✅ Perseverance — Most people quit too soon. The biggest edge you can build is staying in the game longer than others.

My One Big Advice to Students

If I had to give just one piece of advice, it would be this:

Get real-world experience as early as possible.

Don’t wait to finish college to start your career. Intern with companies. Do freelance gigs. Work with startups. Build your proof of work.

Your skills mean nothing if you can’t show them.

Experience + Proof of Work = Career Leverage.

 I encouraged the students to start working with companies while they are still in college:

• Do internships.
• Work with startups.
• Help projects ship.
• Build your experience.

Experience is everything when it comes to your career and life.

College is not just about getting a degree; it’s about preparing yourself for the world by getting your hands dirty, learning how to solve problems, and building proof of your skills.

The Best Part?

After my session, a student came up to me and said:

"I never thought about my career this way. I’m going to start working on my proof of work now."

That alone made it all worth it.

Bringing It Back to Fueler

At Fueler, we’ve been building around Proof of Work for 4 years now. We help skilled people present their work properly, so companies don’t miss out on them and they don’t miss out on opportunities.

If you’re a student or young professional reading this, here’s your sign:

👉 Start showcasing your work.

👉 Get your hands dirty.

👉 Don’t wait for permission.

Your proof of work is your best resume.

Big thank you to Christ University for having me, I can’t wait to go back again and keep sharing what I’ve learned.

What is Fueler Portfolio?

Fueler is a career portfolio platform that helps companies find the best talents for their organization based on their proof of work.

You can create your portfolio on Fueler, thousands of freelancers around the world use Fueler to create their professional-looking portfolios and become financially independent. Discover inspiration for your portfolio

Sign up for free on Fueler or get in touch to learn more.