At Analytics Vidhya, we celebrate women in data science by highlighting their remarkable journeys and achievements on our blog throughout the month of March. We believe their stories can inspire, encourage and empower others. Today we have the privilege of introducing Sarbani Maiti. Let's see her inspiring story!
Sarbani Maiti's journey in her own words
My name is Sarbani Maiti; I am a Solutions Architect Specialist in ai/ML at Databricks. In 2000, when the Internet was just a baby, I began my career as a Cobol/Unix developer. As a BTech Electronics and Telecommunications student, I knew almost nothing about computers. However, we had the luxury of having proper training periods where I learned about software engineering. From coding in Cobol to navigating through Java, Sybase, Teradata, Oracle and finally landing in the fascinating world of cloud, ai/ML, the journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.
Family, career and challenges
Balancing family, children, and a demanding career has been one of my biggest challenges. Late night calls with US clients while trying to keep up with the daily grind wasn't easy. But here's the secret ingredient: a strong support system. My family has been my backbone, supporting me through thick and thin. Challenges can be difficult, but with the right support, you can turn them into stepping stones to success.
Continuous learning: the key to confidence and success
Continuous learning has been my greatest strength. Embracing new technologies and putting myself in challenging positions has been the key to my confidence and success. I believe that learning is not a destination but a journey, and it is this journey that has allowed me to secure a place at the table of the ever-evolving technology industry.
A crucial lesson I have learned is the power of harnessing ancient knowledge. Moving from the world of Cobol to cloud computing and now to data science, I didn't unlearn my past; Instead, I accepted it. This fusion of new and old knowledge has allowed me to better understand business challenges and find innovative solutions using cutting-edge technologies.
Lessons from Wall Street
I have spent almost 10 years working with Wall Street banks. A decade-long experience in the world of finance taught me invaluable leadership and management skills. The focus was on managing a compact ship, where failures and downtime were critical factors to manage. However, embarking on new technologies and adapting to changes was often slow and difficult.
Now working with Silicon Valley… It's a whole new ballgame! Everything here is about technological challenges and every day feels like a crash course in the latest innovations. The pace is relentless and coping with the daily influx of new technologies can be overwhelming. However, it is this same environment that fuels my passion for learning and embracing the unknown.
Silicon Valley: a new ball game
The transition from Wall Street to Silicon Valley has been a transformative experience. The leadership skills learned have proven to be my guide through the technological chaos of Silicon Valley. It is a testament to the adaptability that every woman in technology possesses: the ability to navigate different worlds and emerge stronger and more resilient.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-message-for-women-in-tech“>Message for women in technology
Motherhood is an incredible experience in our lives, we cannot ignore the biological clock, unfortunately it clashes with our peak professional schedules. Make the priority clear, outsource work that does not add any value to our objectives, we do not have to be perfect in all areas. We can rebuild our career even after 30… but we must not lose sight of what is happening in the industry, what is the trend and very importantly, build your professional network, a mentor sponsor who can help you on your journey towards its objective.
My suggestions for my colleagues in technology: accept challenges, seek support and never stop learning. Your journey may take unexpected turns, but remember, each experience adds a layer to your experience. The world of technology is vast and there is a place for your unique skills and perspectives. Develop your thought leadership skills and the world will be yours…
About Sarbani Maiti
As a Digital Transformation Program leader with 22 years of experience in large investment banks and the healthcare industry, Sarbani Maiti specializes in guiding companies to translate their data into tangible value. Through a strong data strategy, analytics and ai/ML capabilities, she drives transformative change across organizations. Sarbani also shares the experience of her speaking commitments and articles, in addition to contributing to open source projects in GitHub.
Check out his LinkedIn profile here.
summarizing
Sarbani Maiti's journey from Cobol developer to ai/ML specialist at Databricks exemplifies perseverance and adaptability. Balancing his career and his family, he embraced challenges, continually learned, and built on his prior knowledge. The transition from finance to Silicon Valley demonstrated resilience. His advice: prioritize, network and never stop learning.
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Let us continue to encourage and empower each other on the path to a more inclusive and innovative future.