• Tanneeru Leela beats 73,388 women technologists to take home the title crown. Her proficiency in advanced niche technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotic Process Automation, Cloud was the core theme of the competition. Leela’s determination and skill helped her bag the trophy and earn a name all over the Indian technology industry.
• Success is not an overnight trip but a long journey of continuous efforts and improvements. TechGig Geek Goddess 2019 champion Taneeru Leela’s story is a testament to this statement.
Leela had participated in two earlier editions of TechGig Geek Goddess, and reached the finals too, but could only clinch the top crown in her third attempt! In all these years, her undeterred determination to win the top laurel at the TechGig Geek Goddess – India’s biggest hackathon for women coders – fuelled her ambition.
Leela works as a full-time front-end developer at Shure Inc. and is a programming enthusiast since her college days. She loves participating in hackathons and had reached the final round of TechGig Geek Goddess twice earlier. More determined to make her mark this year, she doubled her efforts despite her busy schedule.
The making of the Champion
She made it a habit to solve at least one coding question per week. This helped her to brush up on the core concepts of programming. She recounts, “The finale of Geek Goddess is an amazing event. The final coding round had two questions. I solved the first question in less than 20 minutes. That increased my confidence. The second one was really tough but I enjoyed solving it. The score of this problem decided the overall result.”
An ardent hackathon lover
Leela is a hackathon lover and she keeps participating in various hackathons. She likes to learn new things at such events, along with the opportunity to interact with passionate technologists and listening to their novice ideas which are also her sole motivation to participate in hackathons.
Motivation behind signing up for TechGig Geek Goddess 2019
“TechGig Geek Goddess is one of its kind event that encourages women programmers. I loved the energy at the Geek Goddess finale floor. We get good recognition as programmers along with the chance to listen to many amazing women technologists. The experiences that they share are very inspiring,” she said.
A life-changing experience
Talking about how winning the title of TechGig Geek Goddess 2019 changed her life, Leela says that her family, friends, teachers and relatives are very happy and proud of her success. Her teacher for Data Structures and Algorithms shared the news of Leela’s win on his social media handles. Leela’s message board is bombarded with a plethora of congratulatory messages. Leela fondly recollects how dearly her colleagues showered her with congratulatory messages after the win.
Family support
Leela hails from Hyderabad and says her family is very supportive and always encouraged her to move forward. For her bachelors, she chose Computer Science on the advice of her cousin, which was the best decision of her life.
Now that Leela is a recognized personality in the tech community, we asked for her advice to the first-time hackathon attendees. Here are her thoughts – “For many people, participating in their first hackathon can be intimidating but this experience is worth it. You might not win in the first attempt but that should not stop you from attending another hackathon and learning new things,” she says.
