From working at big companies and leading a comfortable life to leaving it all behind in pursuit of a soulful journey and finding one's place – this is Sachidananda's story. It's a tale that emphasizes the importance of never giving up on your dreams, even when it seems like you've already achieved enough. Sachidananda Dash, known as Sachi (薩其) to his friends in Taiwan, hails from the eastern state of India–Odisha. His decision to study in Taiwan was influenced by the stories of his brother-in-law, who had already been living there.

When asked about his motives for choosing Taiwan, Sachidananda explains, “If I recall, my brother-in-law used to say Taiwan is one of the best places to pursue science and engineering. Education is not excessively costly, and scholarship programs can cover your expenses. People here are friendly; the country is well-developed in terms of infrastructure and facilities. And, most importantly, Taiwan is a very safe place. The police are always active, people are civic-minded and well-behaved. Even if you lose your wallet or mobile, people will deposit it with the police rather than stealing it.”

At that point, Sachidananda had already completed his Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering and had worked for 4.5 years in two prominent Indian IT companies – Wipro Technologies and Infosys Ltd. So, the decision didn't come easy. He had doubts, but he knew that in his current job, he could barely apply the learnings from his bachelor's degree. Eventually, the desire to pursue work that could utilize his expertise and learnings won, leading him to apply to a dozen universities in Taiwan, with NYCU being his final choice.
 

Reflecting on his first month at NYCU, Sachidananda shares, “Starting a full-time degree program after having a lucrative job was itself a significant achievement for me. I confess that I was not an outstanding student during that time, and having a major gap in academics made me anxious about my chances of success. However, as time passed, I started to strengthen my fundamentals along with my research work. Despite language being a major barrier, with the help of technology, my lab mates, and those mandatory Chinese classes, life became easier. Additionally, I had great learning exposure in NCTU before it became NYCU. Here, the research activities are at par with international standards. The world-class collaboration with other renowned institutions broadens my thought process, and the facilities provided by the university for hands-on experience make me industry-ready by the time I graduate.”

Fitting into a new place is never easy, but for Sachidananda, everything went smoothly, not least due to the academic atmosphere. He gives a big shoutout to his advisors along his journey: “I was fortunate to work under Prof. Tian-li Wu of ICST. He is one of those professors who showed absolute professionalism and commitment to his words. He gave me full freedom to pursue my research and provided every facility required to fulfill my research.”
 

After completing his studies, Sachidananda embarked on a journey to Micron Technology, where he currently serves as a Product Engineer at the Houli, Taichung factory. His role revolves around ensuring the reliability of products before they reach the market, a seamless alignment with his research background. The serendipity of landing this position unfolded through an initial application on the 104 site and various company career portals, but a friend's referral secured his first interview.

With over three years in Taiwan, Sachidananda acknowledges the evolving global landscape shaped by the pandemic and geopolitical shifts. Offering advice to aspiring professionals, he emphasizes the importance of focus, suggesting they succeed in their chosen field. Building connections and friendships becomes paramount for broadening one's thinking process. Sachidananda advocates for humility, openness to knowledge, and adaptability in an ever-changing world. Encouraging the mastery of at least one valuable skill, he underscores the significance of staying vigilant and adaptable to navigate the dynamic nature of opportunities and challenges.