You don’t find your passion by thinking. You find it by trying.
She got admits from Cornell (Ivy League), Duke University, NC State, and other top universities. She won Google Startup Weekend. Today, she’s a software engineer, content creator, and mentor!
But her story didn’t begin with achievements.
It began in a small industrial town near Indore, where Chhavi Deshlahra was known as “the topper.” She was always among the top five in school—until she moved to Indore for JEE preparation. For the first time, she had to make peace with not being at the top.
Years later, she would say JEE gave her something far more valuable than a rank. It helped her become more confident, make lifelong friends, and realize that growth matters more than comparison.
At Manipal University Jaipur, she chose curiosity over comfort. Instead of staying in one lane, she explored content writing, UI/UX design, business development, freelancing, and entrepreneurship. Along the way, she won Google Startup Weekend and discovered a simple truth:
You don’t find your passion by thinking. You find it by trying.
After graduating, she joined Ericsson as a Software Engineer. Ironically, the subjects she once found ordinary in college became exciting in the real world. Building products from scratch and watching lines of code solve real problems made her fall in love with engineering.
Alongside her job, she spent nearly 18 months preparing for a master’s abroad. GRE. TOEFL. Applications. SOPs. Moments of uncertainty. Whenever she wondered if she should even apply, her father’s words stayed with her:
“Don’t reject yourself before someone else gets the chance to.”
She applied.
The result?
Admits from Cornell University, Duke University, North Carolina State University, and several other top universities.
Although she chose not to pursue the degree, the journey changed her perspective. She realized how confusing and expensive the application process could be, so she started mentoring students at an affordable cost and sharing her learnings through LinkedIn and Instagram—hoping to make the journey easier for someone else.
Today, Chhavi builds software by profession, creates content by passion, and mentors students by purpose.
Her biggest lesson?
Don’t let fear become your rejection letter.
Apply for the opportunity.
Start the project.
Share your story.
You never know how one decision can change your life—or inspire someone else’s.
But her story didn’t begin with achievements.
It began in a small industrial town near Indore, where Chhavi Deshlahra was known as “the topper.” She was always among the top five in school—until she moved to Indore for JEE preparation. For the first time, she had to make peace with not being at the top.
Years later, she would say JEE gave her something far more valuable than a rank. It helped her become more confident, make lifelong friends, and realize that growth matters more than comparison.
At Manipal University Jaipur, she chose curiosity over comfort. Instead of staying in one lane, she explored content writing, UI/UX design, business development, freelancing, and entrepreneurship. Along the way, she won Google Startup Weekend and discovered a simple truth:
You don’t find your passion by thinking. You find it by trying.
After graduating, she joined Ericsson as a Software Engineer. Ironically, the subjects she once found ordinary in college became exciting in the real world. Building products from scratch and watching lines of code solve real problems made her fall in love with engineering.
Alongside her job, she spent nearly 18 months preparing for a master’s abroad. GRE. TOEFL. Applications. SOPs. Moments of uncertainty. Whenever she wondered if she should even apply, her father’s words stayed with her:
“Don’t reject yourself before someone else gets the chance to.”
She applied.
The result?
Admits from Cornell University, Duke University, North Carolina State University, and several other top universities.
Although she chose not to pursue the degree, the journey changed her perspective. She realized how confusing and expensive the application process could be, so she started mentoring students at an affordable cost and sharing her learnings through LinkedIn and Instagram—hoping to make the journey easier for someone else.
Today, Chhavi builds software by profession, creates content by passion, and mentors students by purpose.
Her biggest lesson?
Don’t let fear become your rejection letter.
Apply for the opportunity.
Start the project.
Share your story.
You never know how one decision can change your life—or inspire someone else’s.
This story was told by Chhavi Deshlahra and published with their permission by the What's Your Story editorial team.
