Gwalior, 2000: The 64% That Changed Everything
It's 2000. I'm sitting in my room in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, holding my 12th board exam results. 64%.
My parents wanted me to study business administration. Everyone expected me to score less than 50%. But I had other plans. I wanted computers.
That 64% wasn't just a grade—it was proof that I'm built for solving hard problems, not following easy paths.
Twenty-five years later, I'm writing this from Kuala Lumpur, where I scaled a news platform from 3M to 8.5M monthly users (+184% growth), became a Top 3% StackOverflow contributor, and survived every major technology shift from Visual Basic 6.0 to Kubernetes.
This is that story.
Phase 1: Desktop Era (2006-2010) — Learning to Build Things
Visual Basic 6.0: Where It All Started
My first professional project wasn't glamorous. It was a desktop application built in Visual Basic 6.0 for VNS Microsystems.
What I learned:
- How to translate business requirements into working software
- The satisfaction of watching users actually use what you built
- That code quality matters more than clever tricks
First major lesson: Users don't care about your technology choices. They care if it solves their problem.
The .NET Transition
Around 2008, the industry moved to .NET Framework. I moved with it.
Key decision: Learn fundamentals, not just frameworks.
While everyone was memorizing APIs, I focused on:
- Object-oriented principles
- Database design (SQL Server)
- Understanding the compilation process
- How memory management actually works
Result: When .NET 2.0 → 3.5 → 4.0 happened, I adapted faster than most. Frameworks change. Fundamentals don't.
Phase 2: Web 2.0 Era (2010-2018) — The PHP/MySQL Years
The WordPress Goldmine
Around 2012, I discovered WordPress development. It was booming in India.
Projects I built:
- Corporate websites for local businesses
- E-commerce stores with WooCommerce
- Custom plugins for specific client needs
- Theme customizations
What this phase taught me:
- Performance matters. A slow site loses customers.
- Security is non-negotiable. I learned this the hard way after a client site got hacked.
- User experience beats technical perfection. A fast, ugly site beats a slow, beautiful one.
jQuery: The JavaScript Awakening
Before React, there was jQuery. And honestly? It was magical.
// This felt like superpowers in 2013
$(".button").click(function () {
$(".modal").fadeIn();
});
Critical realization: JavaScript wasn't just for form validation anymore. It was becoming the future of web development.
The AJAX Revolution
When I built my first single-page application using jQuery + AJAX in 2014, it felt revolutionary.
Problem I solved: A client wanted a product catalog that updated without page refreshes.
Solution: AJAX calls to PHP backend, dynamic DOM manipulation.
User feedback: "This feels like magic!"
My internal thought: "If they think this is magic, wait until they see what's coming next..."
Phase 3: Modern Cloud Era (2018-2025) — Everything Changes
React: The Paradigm Shift
2018 was my year of unlearning.
Old mindset (jQuery): Manipulate the DOM directly.
New mindset (React): Describe what you want, let React figure out the DOM.
First impression: "This is unnecessarily complex."
After 6 months: "I can never go back."
Node.js: JavaScript Everywhere
Learning Node.js felt like unlocking a new superpower.
Suddenly I could:
- Build APIs in JavaScript
- Use the same language for frontend and backend
- Share code between client and server
- Process data asynchronously at scale
First major Node.js project: A real-time analytics dashboard for an e-commerce client.
Challenge: 50,000+ concurrent connections.
Solution: WebSockets, Redis pub/sub, horizontal scaling.
Result: It worked. Beautifully.
Next.js: Where I Found My Home
2019: I discovered Next.js. It felt like React's missing pieces.
What clicked:
- Server-side rendering out of the box
- File-based routing (brilliant!)
- API routes (backend + frontend in one repo)
- Image optimization
- Performance by default
Current reality: I've built 10+ production applications with Next.js. It's my go-to for anything web-related.
Phase 4: The Cloud Native Journey (2020-2025)
Google Cloud Platform: From VPS to Cloud
Before GCP: Shared hosting → VPS → Dedicated servers
After GCP: Cloud Run, Cloud Functions, Cloud SQL, Cloud Build
What changed:
- Infrastructure as code (Terraform)
- Automated deployments
- Global distribution by default
- Pay for what you use
Docker & Kubernetes: The Learning Curve
Week 1 of Kubernetes: "This is overcomplicated."
Week 4 of Kubernetes: "Okay, I see why this exists."
Month 3 of Kubernetes: "How did I live without this?"
Real-world use case at FMT:
- WordPress + MySQL on Kubernetes
- 1 writer replica, 3 reader replicas
- Auto-scaling during traffic spikes
- Zero downtime deployments
Result: Handled 260,000+ daily pageviews with 99.9% uptime.
Phase 5: Web3 Exploration (2021-2023) — The Detour
Smart Contracts & Solidity
In 2021, everyone was talking about Web3. I had to explore it.
What I built:
- NFT minting platforms
- Smart contracts for token transfers
- Blockchain explorers
- Integration with MetaMask
What I learned:
- Blockchain has legitimate use cases
- Most Web3 projects were vaporware
- The technology is fascinating
- The hype was exhausting
Decision: Stayed at the edges, didn't go all-in.
Why? My gut said: "This isn't mature enough yet. Real problems need solving now, not in Web3's eventual future."
Current take: Web3 has potential. But most users still need fast, reliable Web2 applications.
Phase 6: News/Media Mastery (2021-Present) — Finding My Niche
Free Malaysia Today: The 184% Growth Story
October 2021: Joined FMT as Technology Lead.
The situation:
- ~3M monthly users
- Older WordPress setup
- Limited performance optimization
- Solo operation (just me)
The challenge: Scale this platform while maintaining editorial workflow, integrating complex ad systems, and surviving breaking news traffic spikes.
The Transformation Journey
October 2024 → April 2025: The Big Migration
From:
- Next.js 12 (Pages Router)
- Monolithic WordPress
- Basic caching
- Manual deployments
To:
- Next.js 14.1 with ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration)
- Headless WordPress via GraphQL
- SmartCache system (my custom LRU cache with dependency tracking)
- Kubernetes-orchestrated infrastructure
- Cloudflare CDN with aggressive caching
- Zero downtime launch on April 18, 2025
The Numbers:
- Traffic growth: 3M → 8.5M monthly users (+184%)
- Load time reduction: 60% faster
- Uptime: 99.9%
- Memory optimization: 100% usage → 15% (saved the containers from crashing)
- Cache hit rate: 85-90%
- Database optimization: Query response time reduced from 800ms → 120ms
The SmartCache Crisis & Solution
The problem (February 2025):
- Memory usage hitting 100%
- Containers crashing during peak traffic
- 600,000+ posts overwhelming the cache
- Stale content showing to users
The solution I built:
// SmartNewsCache system with dependency tracking
// Every GraphQL query includes databaseId for surgical invalidation
// Size-based eviction (not just count)
// WebSub integration for real-time updates
Result: Memory dropped from 100% to 15%. Zero cache-related crashes since.
What made this work: Bias to action. I didn't wait for perfect requirements. I studied the problem, designed a solution, implemented it over a weekend, and deployed it Monday morning.
What Watching Traffic Grow Feels Like
Here's something I've never admitted publicly: It gives me immense pleasure when I see the traffic rise with each news story.
Why news/media is special:
- You publish an article → Traffic spikes within minutes
- Breaking news → Watch real-time analytics explode
- SEO improvements → See organic search climb daily
- Performance optimization → Users stick around longer
It's addictive. Like watching your code compile successfully, but it happens 24/7.
The Constants: What Hasn't Changed in 18 Years
1. Good Code Is Still Good Code
Whether it's Visual Basic, PHP, or TypeScript:
- Readable > Clever
- Working > Perfect
- Maintainable > Optimized (unless you're at scale)
- Simple > Complex (until simplicity breaks)
2. Users Don't Care About Your Stack
Users care about:
- Does it work?
- Is it fast?
- Does it solve my problem?
Users don't care about:
- Your TypeScript configuration
- Your CI/CD pipeline
- Your microservices architecture
- Your clever abstraction
3. Documentation Is Still Everyone's Weakness
Truth: Most developers (including me) hate writing documentation.
Reality: Future-you will hate past-you for not documenting that complex logic.
Solution: Write docs like you're explaining it to yourself in 6 months. Because you will be.
4. The Fundamentals Never Go Out of Style
After 18 years and 20+ technology shifts, here's what still matters:
- Algorithms & Data Structures (LRU cache saved my job in 2025)
- Database Design (MySQL replica strategy scaled FMT)
- HTTP & REST (every new framework reinvents this)
- Git (learned in 2010, still using it daily)
- Problem Solving (the meta-skill that transcends all tech)
5. Continuous Learning Isn't Optional
2006: Visual Basic 6.0
2010: PHP, jQuery
2015: React, Node.js
2020: Kubernetes, GCP
2025: Still learning (currently: Native Android, just because)
At 40 years old, I'm learning Android development despite having zero need for it. Why? Because learning keeps you relevant. Comfort kills careers.
The Unexpected Lessons
Lesson #1: Being Solo Taught Me Accountability
4 years at FMT as the only technical person taught me:
- Ownership: If it breaks, I fix it. No blaming teammates.
- Prioritization: Can't do everything, must choose wisely.
- Documentation: Future-me needs to understand today's decisions.
- Automated testing: No QA team means I ship my own bugs.
But also:
- Loneliness: No one to brainstorm with.
- Decision fatigue: Every technical choice is mine alone.
- Burnout risk: No backup when you're sick.
Current realization: After 4 years solo, I'm ready for a team. Collaboration sounds exciting again.
Lesson #2: StackOverflow Made Me Better
Top 3% contributor (14,111 reputation). Not because I'm smarter than others, but because:
Teaching forces clarity.
When you answer someone's question, you can't hand-wave. You must:
- Understand the problem deeply
- Explain it simply
- Provide working code
- Anticipate edge cases
Result: Answering 694 questions made me a better engineer than reading 1,000 tutorials.
Lesson #3: Metrics Drive Decisions
Everything I've built has numbers attached:
- 184% traffic growth
- 60% load time reduction
- 85-90% cache hit rate
- 99.9% uptime
Why? Because "I improved performance" means nothing. But "I reduced load time by 60%" is quantifiable. Measurable. Provable.
In interviews, in promotions, in salary negotiations—numbers win.
Lesson #4: Technology Choices Are Bets, Not Marriages
Bad mindset: "I'm a PHP developer."
Good mindset: "I solve problems. Currently using PHP."
Outcome:
- When PHP wasn't cutting it → Learned Node.js
- When jQuery got tedious → Switched to React
- When servers were expensive → Moved to serverless
Career advice: Fall in love with problems, not tools.
Lesson #5: Side Interests Make You More Interesting
Plot twist: I teach Vedic astrology on weekends.
Wait, what?
Yes. When I'm not optimizing Next.js builds or configuring Kubernetes, I teach systematic astrological chart reading.
Why mention this?
Because it's taught me:
- Pattern recognition (useful in debugging)
- Systematic thinking (useful in architecture design)
- Teaching skills (useful in code reviews)
- Humility (there's always more to learn)
Plus: In technical interviews, everyone has Next.js on their resume. Not everyone teaches ancient astronomy systems.
Life lesson: Your quirks make you memorable. Don't hide them.
The Hard Truths (Things I Wish Someone Told 20-Year-Old Me)
1. Impostor Syndrome Never Fully Goes Away
18 years in, Top 3% StackOverflow, scaled platforms to millions of users.
And still: Every time I join a new codebase, there's a voice saying "Everyone here is smarter than you."
Truth: That voice lies. But also, it keeps you humble. Double-edged sword.
2. Your First Job's Technology Doesn't Define Your Career
Started with Visual Basic 6.0 in 2006. If I'd believed "I'm a VB developer forever," I'd be unemployable by 2015.
The industry moves fast. Your first tech stack is training wheels. Learn the bike, then let go.
3. Salary Negotiations Get Easier With Proof
Early career: "I'm worth RM X because... I need it?"
Mid career: "I'm worth RM X because I scaled Y to Z users with A% improvement."
Data wins. Build portfolio evidence, not just years of experience.
4. Corporate Politics Exist Everywhere
Wish it weren't true. But even in tech-first companies, politics happen.
My approach: Stay brutally honest, do great work, document everything.
Result: Mixed. Honesty sometimes costs you. But sleeping well at night is priceless.
5. Work-Life Balance Is Real (I Learned This Late)
20s: Worked 80-hour weeks. Thought sleep was for the weak.
30s: Burnout. Health issues. Realized I'm not a machine.
40s: Work smart, not just hard. Sustainable pace beats sprints.
Current philosophy: 40-hour productive weeks > 80-hour exhausted weeks.
What I'd Tell 20-Year-Old Mohit
Learn TypeScript Earlier
Seriously. I added TypeScript to FMT in 2024. Should've been 2020.
Why it matters: Type safety catches 70% of bugs before production. Time saved debugging > time spent writing types.
Start Writing Technical Blogs Sooner
Regret: I waited until 2025 to start blogging consistently.
Lost opportunity: 15 years of experience could've been 100+ blog posts, establishing thought leadership.
Advice: Document your learning journey. Your "today obvious" is someone's "tomorrow revelation."
Contribute to Open Source More
StackOverflow is great. But OSS contributions show:
- You can work in teams
- You understand large codebases
- You write production-quality code
Current plan: Start contributing to Next.js, Kubernetes docs, or React ecosystem.
Build a Portfolio From Day One
Reality: My portfolio went live in 2024. Should've started in 2010.
Why? GitHub stars and testimonials compound over time.
Lesson: Your work has value. Showcase it.
Ask for Help Earlier
Stubborn truth: I always try to solve everything alone first.
Result: Wasted weeks on problems that someone else solved in 10 minutes.
New approach: Google for 30 minutes. If stuck, ask in Slack/Discord/StackOverflow. Ego isn't worth the time loss.
Where I Am Today (November 2025)
The Numbers
- Age: 40 years old
- Experience: 18+ years professional
- Current role: Technology Lead at Free Malaysia Today
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- StackOverflow: Top 3% (14,111 reputation, 694 answers)
- Scaled: 3M → 8.5M users (+184%)
- Technologies: Next.js, React, Node.js, TypeScript, GCP, Kubernetes, MySQL, Redis, Docker
What I'm Looking For Next
After 4 years as a solo operator, I want collaboration.
Ideal role:
- Senior full-stack engineer or tech lead
- News/media platform (passionate about this domain)
- Team environment (tired of being a solo superhero)
- Challenging scale problems (traffic growth is my drug)
- Malaysia-based (family stability)
What I bring:
- Proven track record (184% growth, Top 3% StackOverflow)
- Next.js & performance optimization specialist
- Solo-built platforms serving millions
- 18 years of continuous technology evolution
- Bias to action, metrics-driven, brutally honest
What I need:
- Clear requirements (I thrive with autonomy after that)
- Results-driven culture (not politics-heavy)
- Challenging problems (easy is boring)
- Competitive compensation (value alignment)
Final Thoughts: The 18-Year Meta-Lesson
Here's what 18 years taught me that no bootcamp or tutorial ever could:
Technology is just the tool. Problem-solving is the craft.
- Visual Basic → PHP → React → Next.js
- All just tools
- The craft is understanding:
- What problem needs solving?
- Who experiences this problem?
- What's the simplest solution?
- How do we measure success?
Your career is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Sprint: Work 80 hours/week for 2 years, burn out
- Marathon: Work sustainable pace for 18 years, still going strong
Keep learning, or become obsolete.
- The technology you know today will be legacy in 5 years
- The fundamentals you learn today are forever
- Balance both
Document everything.
- Your future self will thank you
- Your teammates will thank you
- Your interviewers will thank you
- Your blog readers will thank you
Find what makes you excited to open your laptop.
For me: Watching traffic grow with each news story.
For you: Could be anything. Find it. Double down on it.
Thank You, Gwalior 2000
That 64% in my 12th board exam was the first proof that I could solve hard problems.
18 years later, I'm still proving it.
- To myself
- To my employers
- To my users (8.5M of them)
- To anyone who doubted that a kid from Gwalior could scale platforms and compete globally
The technologies changed.
Visual Basic → PHP → React → Next.js → Kubernetes → ?
The fundamentals didn't.
Problem-solving. Continuous learning. Bias to action. Metrics-driven decisions. Brutal honesty.
And the journey continues.
At 40, I'm learning Android development. Not because I need to. Because I can. Because learning is what keeps you alive in this industry.
Here's to the next 18 years.
Let's Connect
Want to discuss Next.js scaling, performance optimization, or news/media platforms?
I'm available for:
- Technical consulting
- Full-time opportunities (Malaysia-based)
- Coffee chats about architecture decisions
- Brutally honest resume/portfolio reviews
Find me:
- Portfolio: iamohit.com
- LinkedIn: Connect with me
- StackOverflow: Top 3% contributor
- GitHub: Check out my code
Or just:
- Schedule a call
- Drop me an email
- Comment below
P.S. If you're a hiring manager looking for a senior full-stack engineer who can scale platforms, optimize performance, and survive alone on a desert island with just a laptop and GCP credentials—let's talk.
P.P.S. Yes, I really do teach Vedic astrology. No, it doesn't involve crystals or fortune-telling. It's mathematical astronomy + pattern recognition. Think of it as debugging the cosmos.
Found this useful? Share it with someone starting their tech journey. Or someone 18 years in and wondering if it's just them. Spoiler: It's not just you.