From KWoC To GCI

I’ve been active in OpenSource programming since December 2017, and it’s been a great journey altogether; meeting dedicated developers, forming communities, and helping students to get into the field through organising and mentoring various events.

I’m dedicating this article to summarising the journey and giving a glimpse of what all I’ve been involved with, and in what order. The inspiration for the article is the fact that I’ve become a GCI mentor in the organisation I did my Google Summer of Code with.

I began all the way back in December 2017 with Kharagpur Winter of Code organized by Kharagpur Open Source Society. It was my first experience with open source software development, and I became fond of the idea of the same. With OpenSource it is not always only about free as in cost, but most of the times, it is also in terms of thought process and creativity.

free as in free to think, build, distribute and destroy

Immediately after KWoC, I embarked on the voyage to get selected for Google Summer of Code 2018; a feat I considered impossible in the beginning but as time passed by I realized it is not as hard as is tout by many. I started looking for organisation to work for during January, and was well settled into CCExtractor by the end of February. I also begin guiding new students on how to contribute to the organisation, and was eventually selected for GSoC under the organisation.

During the GSoC period, I applied for mentoring in GirlScript Summer of Code 2018 and was selected for the same. It was my first experience helping students directly as responsibility and I tried to do my best. My efforts were recognized and I was one of the top 10 mentors at the end of the event based on organizers and students’ feedback.

Soon enough, I got the opportunity to help CCExtractor in Google CodeIn 2018, and I was again given the responsibility of being a mentor. GCI is one of a kind experience because the level of reach it has, and the vast number of students participating in it, makes it highly tensed as well as exciting. The best part about GCI is that there is always opportunity to bond with some students and then see them excel (the feeling of being “the guru”).

I feel immense happiness in being an integral part of the organisation I worked for during GSoC and it’s one of the abstract perks of it. Currently, I’m involved with GirlScript Summer of Code 2019 as a web developer in the organising team and GCI mentor for CCExtractor.

The best thing open source gives you are people… communities to live, blend and thrive!