Personal Story
Published in the RSAA Lunations
Vol1 Issue73 1–30 June 2026
I was raised in Bangalore, although my family is originally from Kutch, in the western part of India known for its majestic salt desert and colorful artwork. Growing up in Bangalore, a city known for its technology and innovation, sparked my interest in engineering from an early age. In sixth grade, out of curiosity I decided to take apart a toy car just to see how it worked. Fascinated by its engineering. I spent countless weekends dismantling broken electronics—old UPS units, washing machines, remote-control toys, and anything else I could get my hands on. Using salvaged components, I made RC boats, planes, ECG, and many other projects.
From there, my hobby quickly became an obsession. Before I owned development boards or proper lab equipment, I learned by reverse engineering existing circuit boards, reading datasheets, and experimenting with whatever components I could salvage.
That curiosity eventually led me to pursue Electronics Engineering, and I recently completed my degree at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Throughout university, I developed a strong interest in embedded systems, FPGA design, digital electronics, and signal processing. I started the Brain computer interface project in my second year and worked part time as an FPGA engineer. I also volunteered in the ANU solar car team, and served as the industry representative at Engineering Student association. I enjoy working on projects that combine both hardware and software, and I find it especially rewarding to see an idea progress from a concept to a working system.
Outside of work, I like staying active by going to the gym, hiking and biking. I enjoy spending time exploring new places, sketching, painting, and learning about different cultures and history. For the past year I have been learning Bansuri (Indian Bamboo flute) and have collected traditional flutes from parts of India, China, Nepal, and 3d printed the Native American drone flute.
Moving to Australia for university has been an exciting journey, both personally and professionally. It's given me the chance to meet people from diverse backgrounds, develop new skills, and experience a different way of life. I'm looking forward to continuing that journey at AITC, getting to know everyone on the team, learning from their experience, and contributing to some exciting projects together.
Vansh Kothari
