Featuring Shiva Bhusal, a software engineer at Microsoft with a refreshingly humble and practical approach to tech. From starting out at Pulchowk Campus without a set direction to landing a role at one of the world’s top tech companies, Shiva’s journey is anything but linear — and that’s exactly what makes it inspiring.
🎯 Finding His Way: From Civil to Code
“I wasn’t sure which stream to choose,” Shiva recalls.
Like many students in Nepal, civil engineering seemed like the obvious first choice. But fate — and an unexpected seat in computer engineering — had other plans. What started as an uncertain path led to a passionate career in software development, graduate studies at Bowling Green State University, and ultimately, a role at Microsoft.
Along the way, he discovered a love for problem-solving, coding, and collaboration.
“Even when I wasn’t planning on computer science, I was drawn to the logic and creativity of it.”
Gif by cc0studios on Giphy
🧠 Lessons Learned: Follow What Feels Right
When asked what lessons he’s picked up on this journey, Shiva doesn’t talk about hype, titles, or trends. Instead, he emphasizes this:
“Find the thing you enjoy the most. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t last. And that thing will evolve over time — what you loved five years ago may not be what drives you today.”
He’s a big believer in pursuing what feels natural, not just what’s trendy.
🌱 Why He Said Yes to Mentoring
Shiva joined the Nepal-US AI Hackathon mentorship team for three reasons:
To learn — yes, learn — from the projects and participants.
To give back to a community that helped shape him.
To break out of his own comfort zone.
“Hackathons open your eyes. In big companies, your work can be narrow. But hackathons are where I see bold, creative ideas that remind me why I love this field.”
Giphy
💡 What He’s Hoping to See
Shiva is excited to see participants think simply but smartly.
“Keep it simple and stupid — that’s an actual design philosophy in software engineering. You don’t need fancy or trendy to make something impactful.”
He’s hoping to see teams go beyond hype and pursue solutions that are elegant, unique, and useful — even if they seem “too simple.”
Gif by thebaristaleague on Giphy
🙌 Advice for First-Time Hackers
Your perspective matters — “Even if you’re not technical, your input might be the most valuable.”
Find your way to contribute — Whether it’s brainstorming, writing, presenting, or designing, there’s always a role for you.
Don’t be afraid to speak up — “No idea is too small or silly.”
And yes, he even gave a special shoutout to the seventh grader joining this year’s hackathon:
“That’s amazing. I love that kind of energy.”