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Shashank Kumar: The Tech Pioneer Behind India's Razorpay Revolution

In the bustling year of 2013, India found itself at a crossroads in digital payments. Small businesses desperately sought a homegrown solution while the US-based PayPal grappled with regulatory issues. Little did the world know that the winds of change were about to sweep through the Indian fintech landscape, all thanks to the visionary duo of Shashank Kumar and Harshil Mathur.

Shashank Kumar, the unassuming yet brilliant co-founder and CTO of Razorpay, stood at the epicentre of this revolution. Born and raised in the historic city of Patna, his journey from an introverted math enthusiast to a tech maverick would inspire generations to come.

Shashank's story began in an ordinary household, where his father served as a branch manager at the State Bank of India, and his mother was a homemaker. But what set him apart was the unwavering support of his parents, who encouraged him to chase his dreams with steadfast determination. Shashank was free to pursue anything that ignited his passion.

As a young boy, he displayed a prodigious talent for mathematics, often completing a year's coursework in months. When he wasn't conquering the world of numbers, he indulged in the favourite pastime of '90s kids: computer gaming. Little did he know that this seemingly innocent hobby would be the gateway to his future. His fascination with the inner workings of games led him to tinker with programming languages. At the tender age of 12, he began crafting BASIC programs and even developed a few games, a harbinger of things to come.

Shashank's true infatuation with coding emerged during his formative years in school. In classes 11 and 12, he delved into JavaScript and single-handedly crafted an HTML calculator using his newfound knowledge. This self-propelled journey into the intricate world of coding laid the foundation for the tech maestro he would become.

With a passion for programming firmly ignited, Shashank enrolled in the hallowed halls of IIT-Roorkee in 2008, where he embarked on a course in computer science engineering. In his first year, he broadened his skill set, mastering tools such as Photoshop and graphic design and contributing to the campus magazine. As he delved deeper into web development, he designed a few basic websites, showcasing his versatility.

Yet, Shashank's epiphany came in his second year when he realized that the prevailing culture at IIT-Roorkee was more about producing graduates who would join elite tech firms. Dissatisfied with the lack of focus on real-world technical skills, Shashank and a few seniors decided to change the narrative. In his third year, they founded SDSLabs, a technology community to impart practical knowledge to fellow students. Shashank was more than merely conversant with programming basics; he had now mastered them.

SDSLabs proved to be a breeding ground for innovation. Here, Shashank crossed paths with Harshil Mathur, Razorpay's future CEO. The team at SDSLabs undertook ambitious projects, including software applications for the campus intranet and automated software downloads. One of their most notable achievements was the aggregation of JEE results from all over India, presenting them on a single webpage for easy access—an initiative that continues to serve students today.

Shashank's ambition didn't stop there; he even ventured into building a social network for the IIT-Roorkee campus. Unfortunately, this project got scrapped. SDSLabs' remarkable progress secured $50,000 in funding from the campus to acquire essential hardware and tools. Shashank devoted significant time to this thriving community, providing lectures on C, C++, PHP, JavaScript, and more.

The legacy of SDSLabs endures, grooming countless developers at IIT-Roorkee, providing hands-on exposure, and serving as a beacon for students looking to evolve into top-tier developers. Shashank's journey from a math-loving introvert in Patna to the tech genius at the helm of Razorpay is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the transformative impact of nurturing technology communities. Today, Razorpay stands as a testament to the determination of its founders, blazing a trail in India's digital payments landscape and rewriting the story of fintech success.