My ISA Story: From Seventh Place to Scholarship Winner

Summary

It all began on a quiet morning in my second year of college at VESIT, Mumbai, when I stumbled into a workshop hosted by the ISA student section. At that time, “ISA” was just another acronym to me, one of the many floating around in the world of engineering. I walked into the session with curiosity but little expectation.

What I didn’t realize was that this step, seemingly ordinary, was the beginning of a journey that would shape not only my technical skills but also my friendships, confidence and outlook on what it truly means to be part of a community.

The workshops themselves were lively, filled with hands-on learning and enthusiastic seniors guiding us patiently. Behind it all, our mentor, Gopalakrishnan Sir, was a constant presence. He encouraged us, corrected us when needed and most importantly, believed in our ability to rise higher. His steady guidance, along with the support of seniors, gave me the confidence to keep pushing myself. I was fascinated—not just by automation itself, but by the atmosphere ISA created. It wasn’t a typical lecture or classroom; it was a room full of energy, teamwork and people who genuinely wanted to help each other grow.

By the time I reached my third year, I had a chance to test myself in the India Automation Games, hosted by the ISA Maharashtra Section. It was a thrilling two-day competition with events ranging from robotics to pneumatics, PLC programming and even LabVIEW.

LabVIEW, in particular, was my big discovery. I had never touched the software before, and when the task was announced, I remember staring at the screen for a brief second of panic. But something about that moment lit a fire in me—I clicked, tried, and experimented.To my own surprise, I was the first in my batch to finish the assignment. The inspector walked over, checked my solution, gave a nod of approval and simply said, “Good.” I quietly moved on to the hall, waiting for the next task. Yet in that silence, I felt something shift—I realized I had a knack for quick problem-solving under pressure. It wasn’t just a win on a screen; it was a quiet win inside my mind, a reminder that I could rise to unexpected challenges.

Then came the results. The top six performers would go on to the International Automation Games. My heart raced as names were called out in reverse order. Sixth, fifth, fourth—still not me. With each name, my chest tightened. When the announcer paused before the first place, my hands were already sweaty. I knew I hadn’t done perfectly, but hope is a stubborn thing.

Maybe, just maybe, I thought.
 
But my name never came. I was seventh. Just one step away.
 
At first, disappointment stung. I had poured so much energy into those events, and to miss the cut by a single spot felt cruel. But then, I saw the joy on my friend Drushti’s face as she received the bronze medal and the giant cardboard check. We laughed together as we carried her prize home through the Mumbai subway, struggling with its sheer size and weight. Somewhere between those laughs, I realized that my journey with ISA wasn’t about one competition or one result—it was about the experiences, the bonds and the growth.

That realization pushed me forward. Together with my friend Bipin, I dived into new challenges. We built drones, tinkered late into the night, and eventually developed a VR-controlled SLAM-based autonomous mobile robot for our college project. It was ambitious, messy, and at times felt impossible, but ISA gave us the network, the workshops, and the encouragement to believe we could do it.

As we gained confidence, we gave back too. Alongside our local ISA chapter, ISA VESIT, we organized robotics workshops on ROS2 and Robotics, helping juniors take their first steps—just like seniors had once helped us. Watching them struggle, then smile when they solved a problem, was as rewarding as winning any competition.

Then came one of the most defining moments of my journey: the ISA International Scholarships. Bipin, Drushti, and I decided to apply. Filling out the application, I reflected on the countless nights of work, the competitions won and lost, and the friendships forged. Still, when the acceptance email finally landed in my inbox, my heart skipped a beat.

We had all three won. Each of us had been awarded the $2,000 scholarship. I remember reading the congratulatory letter from ISA President Scott Reynolds over and over, hardly believing it was real. For me, it wasn’t about the money—it was about recognition. It was proof that our journey, with all its ups and downs, mattered. ISA had seen the effort, the learning, and the perseverance and decided it was worthy of acknowledgment. That moment was worth more than any trophy.

Now, as I enter the final year of my bachelor’s in automation and robotics, my role has shifted. I find myself mentoring juniors, guiding them for competitions like the Automation Games, and leading workshops. I see the same spark in their eyes that I had when I first opened LabVIEW or touched a PLC board. And I realize the legacy of ISA is exactly that—passing the torch, building a community where every student feels supported, challenged and inspired.

Looking back, ISA has been more than just an organization for me. It has been a stage where I discovered my strengths, a safety net when I failed, and a family that celebrated every milestone. My story began with curiosity, was shaped by near-misses and hard-won lessons, and continues today with a promise—to give back, to guide, and to carry forward the spirit of this community.

As ISA celebrates 80 years, I stand proud to say that I am a part of this legacy. Seventh place may have once felt like a loss, but today, it feels like the first step of a lifelong journey with ISA.

_{As the International Society of Automation (ISA) celebrates 80 years of advancing the field of automation, we asked the automation community to share their personal experiences and stories. This story was one of the six we chose for publication on Automation.com. You can view all the submissions here.}