Forem: Kaustubh Paul

🚀 Wrapping Up My GenAI Journey with Google Cloud & Hack2Skill: A 5-Badge Learning Adventure

Kaustubh Paul — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 18:45:03 +0000

"The future isn't just built on code; it's shaped by those who dare to imagine, explore, and implement."
— Kaustubh Paul

Over the past few weeks, I embarked on an incredible journey with the GenAI Exchange Program — a collaborative initiative between Google Cloud and Hack2Skill designed to help developers dive deep into the world of Generative AI using Gemini models, Vertex AI, and production-grade tools.

I’m proud to share that I have now successfully completed all 5 skill badges from this program — each one shaping my understanding of how we can build real-world, scalable AI-powered applications.

As a representative of GDG On Campus BBIT, I took this opportunity not just as a participant, but as a learner, community builder, and explorer of what GenAI truly has to offer.

🌟 Why This Program Mattered

In a time where AI is rapidly evolving, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This program offered structure, clarity, and hands-on experience — no fluff, no shortcuts.

The roadmap guided us from basic prompt crafting to real app development using powerful APIs and tools like Gemini, Vertex AI, and Streamlit.

Whether you're a student, a curious tinkerer, or a developer looking to upscale, the GenAI Exchange program is one of the most valuable learning experiences out there right now.

📚 My GenAI Skill Badge Journey

Here’s a breakdown of all five badges I completed and the powerful lessons I took away from each:

🥇 1. Build Real World AI Applications with Gemini and Imagen
📅 Date: May 8, 2025 | 📍Level: Introductory

This badge introduced me to the fundamentals of Generative AI, prompting, and how to create AI-driven applications with Gemini Pro and Imagen for text and image generation.

Key Takeaways:

Prompt engineering basics
Text-to-image using Imagen
Building end-to-end apps with minimal code

🥈 2. Inspect Rich Documents with Gemini Multimodality and Multimodal RAG
📅 Date: May 10, 2025 | 📍Level: Intermediate

Here, I explored the power of multimodal inputs — using both text and images for context. The badge walked through how to extract, understand, and respond to information from rich documents using Gemini’s advanced capabilities.

Key Takeaways:

Multimodal input parsing
Document ingestion & retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
Handling real-world documents like receipts and forms

_🥉 3. Develop GenAI Apps with Gemini and Streamlit
📅 Date: May 31, 2025 | 📍Level: Intermediate
_
This was my favorite badge! It combined Gemini’s LLM capabilities with the fast prototyping power of Streamlit, allowing me to build and deploy an AI chatbot that could interact in real time.

Key Takeaways:

Full-stack GenAI app development
Streamlit integration with Gemini APIs
Real-time interaction and user input processing

🏅 4. Explore Generative AI with the Gemini API in Vertex AI
📅 Date: June 5, 2025 | 📍Level: Intermediate

A true game-changer — this badge gave me exposure to Vertex AI, Google’s enterprise-ready AI platform. I built secure, scalable, and customized LLM workflows using Gemini APIs on Vertex.

Key Takeaways:

Advanced prompt management
Deployment using Vertex AI endpoints
Tool calling, streaming responses, and chat history handling

🏆 5. Develop GenAI Apps with Gemini and Streamlit (Yes, again! This time, more advanced)
📅 Date: May 31, 2025 | 📍Level: Intermediate

This badge doubled down on using Streamlit with more advanced features of Gemini, focusing on usability, interaction design, and scalability.

Key Takeaways:

Advanced app interactions
Prompt customization for specific workflows
Enhancing UX with GenAI interfaces

💡 What I Learned Beyond the Badges

This wasn’t just about earning certificates. It was about building real skills that I can now apply in:

Community-based AI projects at GDG On Campus BBIT
Personal AI prototypes
Industry-level app development

I now understand:

How to structure prompts for context-aware LLMs
When and where to use tools like Vertex AI for performance
How to deploy generative features in real-world apps
Why responsible AI and security are as important as innovation

🙌 Why You Should Dive In Too

If you’re someone:

Curious about AI but don’t know where to start
Tired of theory and want to build hands-on
Looking to integrate AI into your startup or portfolio

This program is tailor-made for you. Each badge takes just a few hours, but the knowledge sticks with you for far longer.
The future of tech is AI-powered — and now’s the time to step into that future.

📢 Shoutout to the Organizers

A big thank you to Google Cloud and Hack2Skill for launching this campaign — it’s rare to find a free learning initiative that’s this well-designed and impactful. And to my fellow learners and community at GDG On Campus BBIT — this journey was more special because of you.

📌 Closing Thoughts

I may have completed the 5 badges, but this is just the beginning. I’ll be integrating everything I’ve learned into future hackathons, open-source projects, and AI prototypes.

If you’re reading this, consider it your sign to get started.

The world needs more builders. The world needs you.

Let’s build the AI-powered future — together.

📷 Gallery of My 5 Badges:

Badge Link: https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/public_profiles/8e8ad2b6-5613-43d3-b9c4-1ecab835cfe1/badges/15556921

Badge Link: https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/public_profiles/8e8ad2b6-5613-43d3-b9c4-1ecab835cfe1/badges/15612448

Badge Link: https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/public_profiles/8e8ad2b6-5613-43d3-b9c4-1ecab835cfe1/badges/15650177

Badge Link: https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/public_profiles/8e8ad2b6-5613-43d3-b9c4-1ecab835cfe1/badges/16237224

Badge Link: https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/public_profiles/8e8ad2b6-5613-43d3-b9c4-1ecab835cfe1/badges/16346932

🔖 Tags:

_#GenAIExchange #GoogleCloud #Gemini #VertexAI #AI #Hack2Skill #KaustubhPaul #GDGOnCampusBBIT #Streamlit #MachineLearning #AICommunity #devto
_

My GDSC Lead Interview 2024

Kaustubh Paul — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 17:04:27 +0000

Okay so let me go step by step...

Decoding the GDSC Lead Interview:

The email arrived, crisp and official: "GDSC Lead Interview Invitation." My heart pounded with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Leading a Google Developers Student Clubs (GDSC) chapter was a dream I'd nurtured for a while, and the interview was the gateway. Here's a breakdown of that experience, with tips for future GDSC lead applicants.

Before the Interview:

The days leading up to the interview were a whirlwind of preparation. I visited online resources for common GDSC lead interview questions. I revisited the GDSC mission and familiarized myself with Google's developer tools and resources. Most importantly, I reflected on my own experiences: Past leadership roles, Technical skills, and Ideas for the GDSC chapter. I brushed up my knowledge about basic Computer Science aspects and prepared myself to stay confident. I talked with my current GDSC Lead and she encouraged me as well before the interview.

The Interview Day:

Nerves and Excitement were on another level that day. The interview platform buzzed with anticipation. My interviewer was friendly and encouraging. The interview itself was a mix of different sections:

Self-Introduction:
This was a chance to showcase my passion for technology and my vision for the GDSC chapter. I gave a brief introduction about myself covering the important portions such as my technical skills and since I was currently serving as the Management Lead in the GDSC of my college I shared some of my leadership experiences with them. Overall this section lightened my fear a bit and I was able to be more comfortable in front of them.
Technical Knowledge:
There were basic questions on programming concepts, data structures, and algorithms, OOPS. Brushing up on these beforehand definitely helped! Moreover since I was a daily grinder of Google Cloud Arcade Games I was asked some core questions from the GCP including all its tools and how to use them. I gave all the answers confidently as everything was under my domain. Then I was asked about my projects and I shared my Github Repository which consisted of few of them.
Here I'm listing some of the questions which were asked to me.

What do you know about OOPS?
What are Data Structures and Algorithms?
Which of the tools of Google do we use in our daily life?
What are the 4 pillars of OOPS?
What is the time complexity of Bubble Sort?

Leadership Experience:
Here, I spoke about past leadership roles (even if they weren't technical) and how I fostered teamwork and achieved goals. Since I was the current Management Lead, I was responsible for hosting events and I shared my experience of hosting some of the past events which were conducted perfectly. Highlighting problem-solving skills was also important along with the mentoring capability of juniors as well as batchmates.
GDSC Vision:
This section was about outlining my plans for the chapter. I spoke about workshops, events, and initiatives I wanted to implement, keeping the specific needs of our student body in mind. Here I faced some really interesting and tricky questions through which the interviewer actually tested my skills in running a GDSC chapter. In short, this section will be the actual assessment of your character and innovation.

I'm giving an overview about what sort of questions I faced in this section.
I was put under certain situations and a problem was pitched in front of me, of which I was expected to give a solution keeping in mind the community guidelines.

If you become a GDSC Lead what will be your primary target to set up the chapter?
If two of your core team members are having an issue with each other just before a big event what will be your steps and how will you deal with it?
If there occurs an emergency situation with an attendee during an ongoing event what measures will you take as a GDSC Lead?
What checkboxes will you tick before hosting a full fledged offline event?

_Open Discussion: _ This final part allowed me to ask questions about the GDSC program and the role itself. It's a great opportunity to show your genuine interest and initiative. Here you can clear your doubts (if any) from the interviewer.

Beyond the Interview-"Takeaways"

The GDSC lead interview was a valuable experience, even if the outcome isn't yet known. It made me articulate my goals, refine my technical knowledge, and solidify my vision for the GDSC chapter. Here are some key takeaways:

Preparation is key: Research GDSC, practice interview questions, and be ready to showcase your skills and passion. You maybe asked about the current technological affairs. Thus you have to be up to date with all the current technologies.

Be confident: Even if you're nervous, project confidence and enthusiasm. Your passion for technology and the GDSC mission will shine through.

You Have to be very Honest: The GDSC Lead Interview is the most important way of assessment of character of the candidate. so you've to be very honest.

Highlight your strengths: Focus on experiences that demonstrate leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.

Be creative: When outlining your vision, think outside the box and propose unique and engaging events for the GDSC chapter.

No Negative Answers: Even if you get stuck in any of the answers or you can't answer any of the questions , don't just say , "I don't know the answer" straightaway. It poses a negative impact. Instead you can go for a more polite and positive answer which can potray that even though you don't know a specific thing, you're eager to know about it.

NOTE- Whether you secure the lead role or not, the GDSC interview process is a stepping stone. It cultivates valuable skills and gives you a deeper understanding of the GDSC program. So, if you're passionate about technology and want to build a vibrant developer community on campus, go for it!!