Fun Facts About Our 2026 Google Summer of Code Interns

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Our official summer intern blog post is still in the works as we have just finalized our selections for Code for GoodTech and Mifos Summer of Code. So stay tuned for our formal introduction of all our interns then.

Meanwhile…we’ll tide you over with a few fun facts about our 2026 Google Summer of Code interns

We’re honored to be participating as a mentoring org for the 14th year and the 11th directly as the Mifos Initiative. Once again we had to be highly selective, selecting 13 interns from 195 applicants. 

Here’s a glimpse into their projects and some fun facts about each one!

Intern

Location

Mentor

Category

Project

Aditi Nikam

India

Platform.& Modules

Refactor Command Processing/CQRS Sub-System
Banda Nagarjuna

India

Mobile

Mifos Pay: Personal Money Management & Financial Analytics
Devansh Vashisht

India

Web

Production-Grade E2E and Unit Testing Infrastructure for Mifos X Web App
Ismael Sallami

Spain

 Tom Daly

Gazelle

Mifos-Gazelle OpenSPP Integration

Mansi Maurya

India

Juan Correa

Platform & Modules

Event-Driven Architecture to Improve Modular Design and Decrease Module Dependencies
Mohammad Gous Alam

India

T

Gazelle

Mifos Gazelle – OpenG2P Integration
Craig Rosario

India

Aru Sharma

Web

Mifos X Web App React Version 2
Giulio Rinalduzzi

Italy

D

Payment Hub EE

Update Payment Hub EE Dependencies

Ruphine Kengne

Cameroon

Security

Shubham Kumar

India

AI

AI-Powered Assistant for Mifos X WebApp Using MCP (Cloud and On-Premise LLMs)
Silky Vyas

India

AI

Mifos X Smart Contract & Loan Agreement Summarization with LLMs
Jay Soni

India

Web

Financial Analytics & Inclusive Dashboards for the Mifos Web App
Kalpesh Pawar

India

Mobile

Mifos X Open Banking App

When and why did you start coding?

Aditi Nikam:

I actually started coding in 9th grade because Computer Applications was one of my elective subjects in the ICSE board. What began as a school subject slowly turned into something I genuinely enjoyed. I liked the logical thinking involved in coding and the fact that you could build something useful just from an idea. Over time, I realized that the code I write can be applied in different areas and used by real people, which is something that still motivates me a lot.

Giulio Rinalduzzi:

I started coding seriously two years ago when I began Computer Science. I really wanted to know how everything worked. This because I almost missed a flight due to the fact that the departure boards weren’t updating their data!!! Since then I realized how much we depend on software infrastructure, and what happens when it fails, so I started this journey.

Devansh Vashisht:I started coding in my first semester of university. I began coding after watching the movie The Social Network. I was really inspired by Mark Zuckerberg, the way he built Facebook and turned it into a global sensation.

Shubham Kumar: I started coding in 10th standard as part of my school curriculum. Initially, it was just a subject I had to study, but as I spent more time practicing and understanding how code works, I gradually developed a strong interest in it.

What began as a requirement soon turned into curiosity. I enjoyed solving problems and building things through code. Over time, this interest grew into a passion, and now I actively explore and learn new technologies to improve my skills.

Silky Vyas: So honestly it started super randomly, I was just scrolling through some website one day and I got curious about how it was actually made, like what’s happening behind what I’m seeing on screen. That curiosity just pushed me to look it up and somehow I landed on Python. I started with really small things, just scripts, basic stuff, but I was hooked. Nobody told me to do it, no teacher, no parent, I was just a kid from Udaipur sitting alone and figuring things out from YouTube and documentation. And that feeling of making something work, even something tiny, was enough to keep me going. That’s basically how it started, one random question about a website and then four years just happened.

Mohammad Gaus: I got into coding through my interest in games, I wanted to understand how the things I enjoyed actually worked. Starting with a simple webpage for my gaming blog, I gradually explored programming through Java in school and projects in college.

Mansi Maurya: I started coding in high school, when Computer Science was one of my subjects. At first, it was just part of the curriculum. We wrote small Java programs, like printing star patterns, finding the Highest Common Factor, and solving basic logic problems.

But after the semester ended, I noticed something important: I did not stop coding just because the subject was over. I continued learning, experimenting, and writing small programs on my own. That is when I realised that coding was not just an academic requirement for me. I genuinely enjoyed the process of breaking down a problem, thinking logically, writing a solution, and seeing it work.

From there, my interest kept growing. The more I coded, the more confident and curious I became. I started seeing programming as a way to build real things and solve problems. That is why I decided to pursue a career in technology, and since then, I have continued to build my skills and work toward becoming a stronger developer.

Ismael Sallini: Ever since I was a child, I have loved math, finance, and learning in general, and I wanted to deeply immerse myself in this complex world. I was fascinated by the possibilities of programming because I realized that technology is the most powerful tool we have to revolutionize finance, for example, by building autonomous intelligent agents. This passion led me to pursue a double degree in Computer Science and Business Administration. I am highly ambitious in this field and plan to continue expanding my knowledge in math and physics as much as I can, with the long-term goal of starting my own company. I truly love coding; I feel completely in my element and get an immense sense of satisfaction when my code compiles successfully and solves a problem. The tech landscape is vast, I appreciate every aspect of it, and my ultimate goal is to contribute my part to its ongoing advancement.

Kalpesh Pawar: I started coding in 11th grade at school, where it was offered as a subject as an alternative to the Hindi language subject. I had always loved computers, so the choice was obvious. I knew I wanted to become a computer engineer in the future.

Craig Rosario: I started coding in my first year of engineering out of curiosity, but it quickly became something I enjoyed because of how fast you can turn ideas into real, working products.

Jay Soni: I started coding in my first year of engineering out of curiosity about how apps and websites actually work behind the scenes. What began as exploration quickly turned into passion as I started building projects and contributing to open source. I enjoy solving real-world problems using technology and continuously improving my skills through hands-on experience.

Ruphine Kenge: I started coding in 2016 during my undergraduate studies as a Computer Engineering student. That is when I first began learning programming fundamentals, building small projects, and developing a strong interest in software development and problem-solving.

Nagarjuna Banda: I started coding in 2023 out of pure curiosity about how apps and systems actually work behind the scenes. That curiosity quickly turned into a strong interest, especially in mobile development, and since then I’ve been consistently learning and building projects.

Of all the projects, you could have applied to for Google Summer of Code, why Mifos?

Silky Vyas:

So Mifos is actually where I got my first real taste of how open source works at a production level, like how actual industry codebases are structured, how PRs are reviewed, how you coordinate with other contributors, how things are planned and tracked on JIRA. Before this I had done projects on my own but that’s completely different, here you’re working on something real that actual institutions depend on. And the community made that transition so smooth mentors were always there to guide, never made me feel lost. So when GSoC came around it was never really a question of why Mifos, this is where I learned what real collaborative development actually feels like, it made sense to go deeper here.

Devansh Vashisht: I chose Mifos because I am passionate about the intersection of high-stakes protocol engineering and financial inclusion. Having worked on Bitcoin transaction protocols and fuzzing LND implementations, I’ve developed a ‘zero-failure’ mindset where code reliability is paramount.

Shubham Kumar: I first discovered Mifos through LinkedIn. After that, I explored more about Mifos Initiative and the work it is doing.

What really stood out to me was that Mifos is not just about coding. It focuses on creating real-world impact by building solutions that improve financial access for people. That made me realize that coding can be more meaningful when it helps solve real-life problems.

Another important reason was the strong and supportive community at Mifos. I believe being part of such a community will help me learn new skills, grow as a developer, and gain valuable experience through collaboration.

All these reasons together made me choose Mifos for my internship.

Mohammad Gaus: Initially, I explored several open-source communities, but what stood out about the Mifos Initiative was how supportive and welcoming the community was. The mentors and contributors were genuinely helpful, which made it easier to get involved and start contributing. Beyond that, I strongly resonate with Mifos’ mission of enabling financial inclusion through technology, which made it a natural choice for me.

Mansi Maurya: I chose Mifos because it brings together two things I am genuinely interested in: technology and finance, but in a way that creates real impact.

I worked as a software developer at Standard Chartered, and that experience gave me a closer look at how financial systems work and how important good technology is in this space. It also made me more interested in fintech, especially the kind of technology that can make financial services more accessible and useful for people.

When I came across Mifos, its mission really connected with me. Mifos is not just building another financial product; it is building open-source technology that supports financial inclusion. I was inspired by the idea that software can help microfinance institutions and other organisations serve people who may not have easy access to formal financial services.

What stood out to me most was the purpose behind the work. The combination of open-source development, a strong community, and a mission to help underserved communities made Mifos feel different from other projects. It felt like a place where I could grow as a developer while also contributing to something meaningful.

That is why I chose Mifos for this internship. It matches my background in software development and finance, but more importantly, it matches the kind of work I want to be part of: building technology that is useful and accessible”

Ismael Sallini:

Honestly, I chose Mifos because it has one of the best environments when it comes to the community and the mentors. They are incredibly supportive and always ready to help whenever you need it. Also, I feel my background is a perfect fit for the organization, and I strongly believe I can learn a massive amount here. From talking with some of the mentors, I realized they can teach me so much more than just programming. I am excited to learn about team organization, leadership, and even gain insights that will help me manage my own company in the future.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: Because I am also passionate about finance and I recently contributed to a project of an important bank in Italy. It made me incredibly curious about how large-scale financial systems are architected.

Kalpesh Pawar: Honestly, I didn’t find Mifos, ChatGPT did. I was searching for an open source organization with Android projects, and Mifos came up in the results. I’m still thankful for that recommendation, because it ended up changing my development journey completely.

I first joined Mifos last year during GSoC as an Android developer. There weren’t many Android projects, but the real-world impact Mifos has made the choice easy. I didn’t get selected that year, but that didn’t matter. By then, I had already found something more valuable: a community, a mentor, and a place to grow.

I had been learning Android development on my own for two years before that. There were a lot of ups and downs, and what I wished for the most was someone to guide me — a mentor who could point me in the right direction. Mifos gave me exactly that. A year later, I’m choosing Mifos again, this time as an intern, because this is where I’ve grown the most as a developer and as a person.

Aditi Nikam: I chose Mifos because I was really inspired by its motto and the social impact behind the organization. The idea of using technology to improve financial inclusion and help underserved communities felt meaningful to me. I wanted to work on something where my contributions would not just stay limited to technical work but could actually make a positive difference in people’s lives.

Craig Rosario: Mifos stood out because it directly impacts financial inclusion. I liked that I’d be working on real-world systems used by institutions, while also contributing to a large open-source codebase.

Jay Soni: I chose Mifos because of its strong mission toward financial inclusion and real-world impact. The idea that technology I build can directly help underserved communities access financial services really motivated me. Along with that, the active open-source community and the opportunity to work on meaningful, scalable systems made Mifos the perfect fit for me.

Ruphine Kenge:I clearly align with Mifos’ mission of eradicating poverty by making financial services accessible to people. The opportunity to help secure these systems effectively is what motivated me to work with Mifos this summer.

Nagarjuna Banda: I chose Mifos because it’s not just about building software, but about creating real impact in financial inclusion. The idea that the work I do can help underserved communities really motivated me. Also, the focus on Kotlin Multiplatform and modern mobile development aligns perfectly with my interests.

You’ve only been a part of the community for a few weeks now but you all have made such great contributions, what’s been most rewarding for you so far?

Jay Soni:

The most rewarding part has been getting my contributions reviewed and accepted while learning from experienced mentors. The collaborative environment and constructive feedback helped me improve quickly, and it feels great to know that my work is contributing to a real product used by people.

Nagarjuna Banda:

 The most rewarding part has been contributing to a real-world project and collaborating with experienced developers. Seeing my work actually being useful and getting feedback from the community has been really motivating.

Devansh Vashisht: The most rewarding aspect has been the immediate technical validation from the community. Successfully architecting and merging the Playwright PoC was a major highlight, as it allowed me to demonstrate how a Page Object Model (POM) can solve real-world maintenance issues. Beyond the code, the mentorship has been incredible; having deep-dive technical discussions with Alberto about CI/CD pipelines and testing frameworks has made me feel like a valued part of the team. Seeing my PRs merged and knowing they are actively making the codebase more resilient for other developers is extremely fulfilling.

Shubham Kumar: The most rewarding part for me has been contributing to a real-world project and seeing my work make an impact. When I started, everything was new to me, but with the support of the Mifos Initiative community, I was able to learn quickly and improve my skills.

One of the best moments was getting my contributions reviewed and accepted. It gave me confidence and showed me how collaborative and supportive open-source can be.

I also found it very rewarding to work with such a strong community where people are always ready to help and guide. It has helped me grow not just technically, but also in how I approach problems and learning.

Overall, the experience has been very motivating and has strengthened my interest in contributing more.

Silky Vyas: Honestly the most rewarding thing has been learning how to actually contribute the right way. Like before Mifos I knew how to code but I didn’t know how to find real issues in a codebase, how to dig deep enough to understand the root cause, how to frame a solution properly, how to communicate it in a PR that reviewers can actually understand. That whole process, reading the code, identifying the problem, finding the right fix, getting it reviewed, that’s what I’ve learned here in these few weeks. And the community made that learning so smooth, whenever I was stuck or unsure about the right approach someone was always there to guide me in the right direction. That’s been the most valuable thing honestly, not just the contributions themselves but learning how real collaborative development actually works.

Mohammad Gaus: The most rewarding part for me has been the opportunity to be selected for GSoC with the Mifos Initiative, as it validates the effort I’ve put in. Along with that, I’ve really valued learning how to communicate effectively within an open-source community, asking the right questions, discussing ideas, and improving through feedback. That experience has been just as impactful as the technical learning

Mansi Maurya: Contributions are not just about writing a few lines of code, fixing an issue, or opening a pull request. What makes it special is knowing that even a small contribution can support a larger mission and help real users.

I also really appreciate the community aspect. Seeing people review, guide, discuss, and build together has been motivating for me. Every contribution feels like a small part of a much bigger effort.

So for me, the most rewarding thing has been that sense of purpose, knowing that the code I contribute is not just code, but something that can create value and improve the project.

Ismael Sallini: I really love this question. First of all, just getting a reply from a mentor is amazing because I have so much admiration for them. Beyond that, digging in to understand the codebase and realizing I can actually build real-world software outside of university is a great feeling. But without a doubt, the most rewarding part is getting a pull request merged, or even just submitting a simple one and receiving constructive feedback. I really appreciate that whole process.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: The most rewarding part is the realization that my code is actually going to be used for something real. Knowing that the work I do can eventually help underbanked communities get access to financial services gives my coding a real purpose and really motivates me.

Kalpesh Pawar: The most rewarding part has been the people. Specifically, the chance to be mentored by Rajan Maurya Sir. He genuinely loves teaching and mentoring, and I’ve been lucky enough to be one of many students who’ve had their lives shaped by him. I credit my growth of becoming a better developer and a more confident person almost entirely to his guidance.

I should also share my favorite Mifos memory: my very first standup call. I joined thinking it was a meeting for GSoC applicants. So I introduced myself with my name and then immediately launched into all the bugs I had found in the codebase. To this day, I think it’s the most embarrassing introduction I’ve ever given. Now whenever a new contributor joins and stumbles a bit during their intro, I quietly tell myself, “It still couldn’t have been worse than mine.”

A couple of days later, after I realized the standup happened daily and wasn’t tied to GSoC, I asked Rajan Sir if I could be a regular member of the mobile standup team. I went from being a solo learner trying to figure things out, to working on real projects with a real team and a real mentor.

Aditi Nikam: The most rewarding part so far has been knowing that the work I contribute can be used by people across different regions and communities. That feeling makes the effort worth it.

Craig Rosario: Seeing the React web app evolve from an initial prototype into a growing codebase with multiple contributors working on it. Being part of that early foundation and then watching others build on top of it has been really rewarding

Ruphine Kenge: I have been part of the community since 2018, when I took part in GSoC, and it always feels rewarding to see your code being merged into an application used by thousands of people around the world.

What is the one thing you’re hoping to learn or take away from your Google Summer of Code internship?

Devansh Vashisht:

I am hoping to master the art of architecting production-grade infrastructure for large-scale, multi-framework applications. While I’ve built many tools in hackathons and experimental projects, Mifos presents a unique challenge: scaling a unified testing foundation across both legacy Angular and modern React architectures. I want to walk away with the skills to not only write robust code but to build a ‘Developer Experience’ where automated testing becomes an effortless, intuitive standard for every future contributor to the project.

Shubham Kumar: One thing I’m hoping to gain from my Mifos internship is learning how to solve problems by collaborating with a strong community, thinking from different perspectives, and working selflessly for the community.

Aditi Nikam: One thing I’m really hoping to learn from this is how technology can create social impact on a larger scale. I find it inspiring that organization like Mifos are built to support financial inclusion and help communities that may not always have easy access to financial services. Being able to contribute, even in a small way, to systems that can positively affect people’s daily lives is something I’m genuinely excited about. Along with that, I also hope to improve my technical skills by learning how large real-world systems are developed and maintained in an open-source environment.

Silky Vyas: Honestly the one thing I’m really hoping to take away is how to think like a real software engineer, not just someone who can write code that works, but someone who can build something that other people can depend on, maintain, and extend. Like right now I can build things but through this internship I want to learn how to build things the right way, proper architecture decisions, how to think about edge cases before they become problems, how to write code that someone else can pick up six months later and understand completely. Mifos is a real production system that actual institutions depend on and building something inside that environment, with mentors who’ve done this for years, that’s the kind of learning you just can’t get anywhere else.

Mohammad Gaus: Confidence

Mansi Maurya: One thing I am really hoping to take away from my Mifos Internship is the experience of building software with the community and for the community. I also see this as a great opportunity to learn from experienced mentors. I want to understand how they approach problems and design solutions. By the end of the internship, I hope to become more confident in contributing to community-driven software

Ruphine Kenge:

I hope to further develop my penetration testing and security skills through the assessments I will carry out, including identifying vulnerabilities, analyzing potential attack vectors, and recommending effective remediation strategies. At the same time, I aim to share knowledge with the community and actively contribute to strengthening the overall security of Mifos’ software, ensuring it remains reliable and safe for the many people who depend on it.

Ismael Sallini: Above all, I want to improve my skills and experience what it is like to collaborate in a real-world environment alongside mentors and peers. Beyond just the software development side of things, I am really hoping to build a long-lasting relationship with the Mifos community. Everyone has been incredibly supportive and has taken such good care of me so far. My goal is to stick around and contribute however I can for a long time to come.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: It’s definitely learning how to architect and write code at an enterprise scale. At university, I’ve learned the theory, but working to Mifos is completely different. I want to walk away from this internship knowing how to write robust and scalable code that doesn’t fail the people relying on it.

Kalpesh Pawar: I’ve been an active contributor for a year and learned a lot — but most of what I’ve built hasn’t shipped to real users yet. My goal for this internship is to learn the full shipping process: taking what I build all the way from code to production, into the hands of the people who use it. I want to leave this internship as a complete Kotlin Multiplatform developer.

Craig Rosario: I’m hoping to learn more about working with a growing React codebase with multiple contributors, especially how to keep it scalable, maintainable, and easy to build on as the project evolves.

Jay Soni:I want to gain deeper experience in building scalable, production-level systems and improve my ability to write clean, maintainable code. I’m also looking forward to learning how large open-source projects are managed and how teams collaborate effectively across the globe.

Nagarjuna Banda: I want to gain deeper experience in building scalable, production-level applications, especially using Kotlin Multiplatform. Beyond technical skills, I also want to learn how to collaborate effectively in a global open-source community.

Most of us on the project have been away from college for a number of years but we all have fond memories – what’s your most memorable experience from university thus far?

Mansi Maurya:

Some of my favourite memories are the small everyday moments: rushing to class half-awake, sitting in the canteen with friends, having endless chai breaks, making last-minute project plans, and saying “we will start early this time” before again doing everything right before the deadline. Somehow, those stressful moments became the funniest stories later.

The most memorable part of my university life would definitely be the cultural and technical fests. College fests had a completely different vibe. Suddenly, the same campus that usually meant lectures, assignments, attendance, and deadlines turned into a place full of music, lights, food stalls, competitions, decorations, and people running around everywhere. It felt like the whole college had switched into celebration mode.

What made it even more special was organising and participating in those events with friends. There was always some chaos last-minute changes, someone missing from the team, posters not ready, sound system issues, running from one department to another — but somehow everything would come together in the end.

Devansh Vashisht: Most memorable memory for me is my college fest where i enjoyed a lot, dancing with my friends.

Shubham Kumar: One of my most memorable experiences so far has been getting selected for Google Summer of Code through the Mifos Initiative.

It came at a time when I was facing multiple challenges, both personally and financially, which made the journey even more difficult. Despite that, I continued learning, contributing to open source, and improving my skills step by step.

When I finally got selected after making more than 200+ contributions, it felt like a turning point in my life. It gave me confidence that consistent effort pays off and motivated me to aim higher.

This experience is very special to me because it was not just an achievement, but also a moment of growth, resilience, and self-belief.

Aditi Nikam: One of my most memorable experiences was getting the opportunity to help host the internal Smart India Hackathon at my university. From selecting judges and coordinating teams to managing the event flow for two continuous days, it was a completely different experience from just participating in competitions. Seeing students excited, stressed, learning, and finally happy to showcase what they built made the whole experience really fulfilling for me.

Also participating in hackathons always been fun and memorable especially Code for Good which ended up landing an internship followed by job opportunity at JPMorgan Chase

Silky Vyas: My most memorable experience has been being a Google Gemini Ambassador at my college. I used to organize these workshops and interactive coding sessions and what made them so fun was that we never kept it boring, we’d code with songs playing, do fun activities, make it interactive, and just create this whole vibe where people who were scared of coding actually started enjoying it. Seeing my friends and batchmates go from having no idea about AI to actually building something with Gemini in a single session, that energy was something else. It wasn’t just about teaching, it was like we were all figuring it out together and having a good time doing it. Those sessions are honestly some of my best memories from college so far.

Mohammad Gaus:

College trips, especially with friends, are some of the best times to make memories. Recently, we visited the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, it was our first college-sponsored trip (the first time the college actually spent money on us). I went along with six of my friends and three professors on a road trip in their personal cars, their playlist was goated.

Even though there were some issues with our OYO pre-booking, we still enjoyed our three-day stay. The summit itself was very interesting, and there were also some fun moments (like the Galgotia incident, ifykyk).

Overall, college memories aren’t really made in classroom, they’re made in the time you spend with your crazy friends.

Ismael Sallini: My most memorable experience so far was getting the highest grade in Data Structures under a highly respected professor. It was incredibly rewarding, especially because he later wrote me a recommendation letter to apply to CERN and other programs (link to the recommendation letter: https://ismael-sallami.github.io/htmlFiles/letters.html). I always strive to do my best academically because I believe your grades generally reflect your understanding of the subject, even though other factors can play a role. But beyond the academics, the most meaningful part of university has been the people I’ve met; from making lifelong friends to connecting with professors who support and guide me every day.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: My most memorable experience from the past couple of years wasn’t a specific exam, but the immense satisfaction of building my first project from scratch. I developed a networth tracking application with node-js with complete analytics and personal finance features. I am deeply passionate about the personal finance domain, so seeing the code I wrote actually work, process data, and provide real financial insights was a magical moment for me.

Kalpesh Pawar:Honestly, the past five years for me have been less about big “moments” and more about a slow, quiet transformation — the kind that doesn’t show up as a single memory, but as a person who looks back and realizes how far they’ve come. Two years of teaching myself Android development alone, and then finding Mifos, has been the throughline of that whole stretch.

Craig Rosario: Getting selected for Google Summer of Code for the first time. It completely changed how I looked at development, from just learning concepts to building production-level software in a global open-source community.

Jay Soni: One of my most memorable moments was a prank we pulled on a friend during exam week. We changed his laptop wallpaper to a fake “System Error: All Files Deleted” screen and hid all his desktop icons. The panic on his face for a few seconds was priceless until we told him it was a joke. It became one of those stories we still bring up every time we meet.

Ruphine Kenge: One of my most memorable experiences from university was spending long evenings with a group of friends working on a task, surrounded by snacks and laughter, and staying focused until we completed it. Those moments were not just about finishing assignments, but also about collaboration, problem-solving, and learning from each other, which made the experience both productive and genuinely enjoyable.

Nagarjuna Banda: From my university the fond memory is evening and late night walk with my friends.

Share one fun fact about yourself!

Kalpesh Pawar:

The programmer’s flu has fully caught me — I survive on coffee now. I love milk and milk products, so it’s always milk coffee with biscuits, and at this point I’ve stopped counting how much caffeine goes in.

Devansh Vashisht:I am a boxer.

Shubham Kumar: A fun fact about me is that I love riding bikes. It gives me a sense of freedom and helps me relax while exploring new places.

Silky Vyas: So one fun fact about me is that when I get obsessed with something I go completely all in, like it could be anything, a show, a song, a hobby, anything. I’ll watch the same show three times, listen to the same song on repeat for a whole week, read everything about something that caught my attention at 2am. Once something clicks for me there’s no off switch, I just have to know everything about it and do everything related to it until I’m fully satisfied.

Mohammad Gaus: I once appeared in the Indian Express newspaper.

Mansi Maurya: I pick up a new hobby almost every other weekend. One week I’m learning sketching, the next I’m trying clay modelling, and by Sunday night I’m fully convinced this is my new personality. I am really good at art and I like trying new art forms.

Giulio Rinalduzzi:

Ok, I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, especially as an Italian, but… I tried a white pizza with pineapple and Parmigiano Reggiano at a local pizzeria, and I actually really loved it.

However all my Italian friends make fun of me constantly for it. It’s gotten so bad that I even got into a hilarious argument with my ex-girlfriend over it. When I confessed that I liked it, she literally told me: ‘If you say you like pineapple pizza one more time, you are out of my house!’ ahahahaha.

Ismael Sallini: A fun fact about me is that I absolutely love making people laugh! I have a bit of a goofy side and enjoy cracking silly jokes just to lighten the mood. I always make sure my humor is good-natured and never at anyone’s expense. I just really enjoy bringing a positive, fun energy to the team.

Aditi Nikam: I’m a trained classical dancer and have been learning Kathak for several years. I’ve also completed the Madhyama Pratham examination with distinction. Dance has always been a huge part of my life and has taught me discipline, consistency, and confidence beyond academics and tech.

Craig Rosario: I bought my first laptop at 17 using money I earned from creating Gaming YouTube videos

Jay Soni: I enjoy watching and playing sports, and I’m also a big fan of movies.

Ruphine Kenge: I love making the people around me laugh so I don’t come across as too serious.

Nagarjuna Banda: I enjoy breaking down complex problems into simple solutions. sometimes I even overthink small things just to understand them deeply

Share something about your local culture that the community and other interns might like to know!

Shubham Kumar:

I come from a culture where life is shared deeply with family and friends. Every moment, from happiness to difficult times, is experienced together, which creates a strong sense of connection and support.
Festivals are especially meaningful for us. We celebrate each one like a big family, with food, traditions, and togetherness at the center. This close bonding and collective spirit are what make my culture truly special.

Devansh Vashisht: In India, we celebrate a festival called Holi, where everyone plays with colors to spread a message of unity and happiness. I would love to bring some of that festive spirit to the Mifos community as well.

Silky Vyas: I’m from Udaipur, Rajasthan, which is honestly one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see, it’s called the City of Lakes and it literally lives up to that name. The culture here is so vibrant, like we have festivals where the whole city just comes alive, the food is amazing, dal baati churma is something everyone needs to try at least once in their life. But what I love most about Rajasthan is the warmth of people here, like hospitality is genuinely in our culture, guests are treated like royalty, there’s this saying atithi devo bhava which basically means the guest is god and people here actually live by that. And Udaipur specifically has this old world charm, havelis, lake palaces, narrow streets, it’s the kind of place where history is literally everywhere around you.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: Rule number one: the water must be FULLY boiling before you even think about putting the pasta in.

Rule number two: under absolutely no circumstances should you ever break the spaghetti to make it fit in the pot!

(I’m just kidding! I’m not one of those Italians who gets angry about food. If it tastes good, I’m happy. In fact, as you saw above, I actually like pineapple pizza, which is basically the biggest crime you can commit in Italy!)

Mohammad Gaus: I grew up with Muslim cultural traditions where festivals like Eid are all about community, food, and togetherness. I also enjoy the artistic side of it—I usually do mehndi for my sister during these occasions, which makes it even more special.

Mansi Maurya: I come from Varanasi, and here culture is not something people only celebrate on special days. It is part of daily life. The day may begin with prayers, temple bells, chai at a small roadside shop, or people going to the ghats of the Ganga. Varanasi is also known for its local food and art. Things like Banarasi paan, kachori-sabzi, jalebi, lassi, Banarasi silk sarees, classical music, and folk traditions are a big part of the city’s identity. Festivals are celebrated with a lot of energy, especially Dev Deepawali, when the ghats are lit with thousands of diyas and the whole city feels united.

For me, the local culture of Varanasi is a beautiful mix of spirituality, hospitality, food, music, and community. It has taught me to stay connected to my roots while also being open to people from different places and backgrounds.

Jay Soni: 

Jay Soni: I’m from Gujarat, India, where food, festivals, and warmth are a big part of everyday life. We truly believe in Atithi Devo Bhava. (guests are like God), so hospitality is very important to us. Gujarati food is known for its unique sweet and savory flavors.Dishes like Dhokla, Thepla, and Fafda are local favorites. Our festivals like Navratri are also very special, with nine nights of Garba dance where the whole community comes together and celebrates with energy and joy.

Ismael Sallini: While my local culture has many great traditions, one specific thing I grew up deeply valuing in my environment is a strong sense of organization. I love to have my schedule meticulously planned out well in advance for any event or project. At the same time, I actually enjoy working under pressure occasionally. I find that a bit of pressure can really boost focus and make us much more efficient when it matters most.

Kalpesh Pawar: My family is from Maharashtra, but I’ve been living in Gujarat since 2010. My father is in paramilitary so we had to move a lot. I currently live in Gandhinagar — the capital of Gujarat, and in my completely unbiased opinion, the best city in the state. It’s the greenest city in Gujarat, with clean air, light traffic, and very few crowded areas, which is genuinely rare in India.

Aditi Nikam: I would have loved to talk about Indian food, but I feel that’s best experienced when someone actually visits India! For now, I’d say one beautiful part of Indian culture is its variety of dance forms. While many people globally know Bollywood dance, there are so many traditional forms like Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Lavani, and many more. What’s fascinating is that with almost every state you travel to, the language, food, clothing, and even dance styles change, making the culture incredibly diverse.

Craig Rosario: Mumbai has this constant energy you’ll find people working, building, and hustling at all hours (even at 2-3AM).

At the same time, the city is known for its street food culture, so snacks like ‘vada pav’ or ‘pav bhaji’ are almost a ritual here. It’s a mix of chaos that somehow works.

Ruphine Kenge: In my culture, women are not allowed to eat a chicken’s gizzard when there is a man in the house.

Nagarjuna Banda: I’m from Andhra Pradesh, where food is known for its bold and spicy flavors. We also have a strong culture of festivals and community gatherings, where traditions, food, and family all come together.

If you could travel to one place in the world where would it be?

Silky Vyas:

Honestly if I could travel anywhere it would be Santorini in Greece. Like I’ve seen pictures and videos and it just looks unreal, those white and blue buildings sitting right on the edge of cliffs overlooking the most gorgeous blue water you’ve ever seen, the sunsets there are apparently something else entirely. There’s something about it that just looks like it’s straight out of a movie, I would absolutely fall in love with a place that’s basically built around the sea.

Aditi Nikam: I would love to visit Japan someday. I find the combination of traditional culture and advanced technology really fascinating. From peaceful temples and historical places to modern cities like Tokyo, it seems like a country where tradition and innovation exist together beautifully.

Jay Soni: I would love to visit Switzerland for its beautiful landscapes, mountains, and peaceful environment.

Devansh Vashisht: 

Shubham Kumar: Switzerland

Mohammad Gaus: Japan

Mansi Maurya: California

Craig Rosario:

 If I could travel to one place in the world, it would be: Japan, it feels calm, and I’ve always been drawn to it’s culture (and anime)

Ismael Sallini: If I had to pick, I would definitely choose either China or the United States. They are absolute powerhouses in the tech industry right now, and I would love the opportunity to travel there and learn from their innovative environments firsthand. But in general I like to travel, so I would like to go anywhere.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: It’s difficult to choose just one! For my tech and travel side, I’d love to visit the US, especially Silicon Valley and Miami. For pure relaxation, I’d choose Brisbane, Australia, my cousin lives there and always brags about the beautiful, super chilled-out lifestyle.

But if I had to pick one ultimate destination for the future, it would be Honolulu. I’d love to see that stunning Hawaiian sea, although I must admit, being from Italy, we already have some amazing beaches at home!

Kalpesh Pawar: I can’t honestly narrow it down to one — I’m young and curious, and I want to see as many places as I can. What pulls me the most are historic sites and old cities.

Ruphine Kenge: Singapore

Nagarjuna Banda: Kedarnath

If you could have lunch with anybody (living or deceased) in the world, who would it be? What would you have for lunch?

Ismael Sallini:

I would love to have lunch with Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, or perhaps a great philosopher. I am fascinated by how their minds worked and would love the chance to understand their thought processes and learn from them.

As for the food, my first instinct is to say a kebab because it’s my absolute favorite, and I think it would totally blow their minds since modern street food like that wasn’t really around in their time! However, for such a deep and meaningful conversation, I would probably opt for a nice, formal sit-down meal with fish and a healthy salad. That way, I get to feed my brain with their wisdom and eat healthily at the same time—killing two birds with one stone!

Devansh Vashisht: Elon musk. Large double cheez pizza

Shubham Kumar: I would choose my father, because he is no longer with me.
For lunch, I’d have chicken cooked by him, simple but full of memories and meaning.

Silky Vyas: Honestly I would love to have lunch with Bernard Arnault, the man behind the entire LVMH empire which owns Dior, because I’m genuinely fascinated by how someone builds something that becomes the definition of luxury for the entire world. I’d want to just sit across from him and understand how he thinks, how he sees fashion, how he turned brands into cultural icons. And for lunch it has to be pasta, like a really good creamy pasta, something about discussing the most luxurious fashion empire in the world while eating pasta just feels right to me. I feel like it would be the most interesting conversation, fashion, business, art, creativity, all in one lunch.

Mohammad Gaus: I would love to have Biryani with Nikola tesla

Mansi Maurya:I will have lunch with Michelangelo.
I will have Chicken Katsu Udon Noodles and gyōza for lunch.

Aditi Nikam:

I’d probably choose Alan Turing because his ideas shaped the foundation of modern computing. I think it would be fascinating to hear how he approached problems and innovation during his time. And honestly, I’d probably keep the food simple maybe coffee and sandwiches because I’d be too busy asking questions.

Giulio Rinalduzzi: This is not an easy question, but I would choose Salvatore Sanfilippo, the Italian creator of Redis. I watch a lot of his videos and interviews, and he is a huge inspiration to me. He truly is a free person who simply follows his pure passion for coding.
Since I am stepping into the open-source world with GSoC, picking the brain of the developer who built one of the most popular and elegant open-source databases in the world would be incredibly inspiring.

As for what we would eat… I would definitely order a pineapple pizza for both of us, just to see the reaction of a fellow Italian software engineer!

Kalpesh Pawar: My first instinct is Linus Torvalds — very few people have shaped the programming world the way he has, and I’d love an hour of his time. I would love to cook for him, but he’d have to eat Indian food then.

But honestly, the lunch I want most isn’t with someone famous. It’s with my closest friends. I haven’t met them in person for six years now. We’re still in touch, but we all live so far apart that meeting up feels impossible. If I could have one lunch in the world, it would be all of us in one place again.

Craig Rosario: Linus Torvalds: I’d love to talk about how he built and scaled projects like Git and Linux. Probably pizza for lunch, keep it simple

Jay Soni: I would choose to have lunch with my parents, as they’ve been my biggest support system. I’d love to spend quality time with them and talk about life, goals, and everything beyond work. We’d probably enjoy a simple home style gujarati meal together.

Ruphine Kenge: Apostle Joshua Selman.
Just having lunch with this person makes what we eat irrelevant.

Nagarjuna Banda: With my Grand parents

Star Contributor of the Month – Krishna MewaraStar Contributor of the Month – Avinash Vijayvargiya