Alumni Speak
‘Teachers here helped me achieve my academic best’
This alumnus from Apeejay School, Kharghar, has built a website that makes investing smarter and simpler
He is taming the bulls and bears of the stock exchange single-handedly through his genius prudence and skill set. Meet the brilliant mind, Harmandeep Singh, who passed out of Apeejay School, Kharghar in 2021. In a candid interview, this prodigy shares how he bagged the job with Amazon, along with words of wisdom for his fellow schoolmates.
Read edited excerpts here.
What are you pursuing professionally now?
I recently completed my engineering in May 2025. I interned at Amazon last year and will be joining them as a Software Development Engineer (SDE) this July. Alongside that, I’ve been working on a start-up of my own in the investment-tech space. It’s still early days, but I’ve learned a lot already. Balancing both has taught me how important systems and discipline are.
Was engineering always your plan?
Not always. But engineering felt like the most natural path to explore my interests deeper, and honestly, it’s been a great foundation. If you are self-aware and take the opportunity, the entirety of those four years gives you the chance to discover who you are, what you want out of life and board the train which might lead you there.
Tell us about the website you created.
I launched valuate-ai.com, a platform that helps users analyse stocks and portfolios using AI-powered models. It’s built for retail investors and students who want deep insights without needing a finance degree. The site shows intrinsic value estimates using DCF projections, portfolio risk analytics and smart trading indicators to help users make better investing decisions.
How has AI redefined coding language?
AI has definitely changed the way we approach programming. It’s no longer just about writing every line from scratch; now it’s more about problem-solving, architecting, and working alongside AI as a sidekick. But at the same time, it demands deeper thinking, because now, the focus has shifted from “how do I write this” to “what exactly am I trying to solve?” I believe it’s not at a stage where it can completely take down software developers, but it certainly aids them in their jobs.
How were the teachers at Apeejay School?
I was really lucky because the teachers at Apeejay School, Kharghar, were genuinely supportive. They didn’t just teach, they also wanted the best for you. That made a big difference, especially during the high-pressure years. Academics-wise, without a doubt, we were always taken care of. What set them apart were the moral values, helping build soft skills and having someone motivating you that made the difference.
Share your favourite nostalgia from school.
Hands down, the Annual Days and the practice chaos before it. Running between classes and rehearsals, forgetting half the lines, helping build props; it felt like everything was falling apart, but somehow always came together on stage. It was pure adrenaline and a lot of laughter. Not to mention the entirety of class 10th was also special.
Any message for school students? Your teachers are fully capable of helping you achieve your academic best. So I’ll just share what I’ve learned since I passed out. Don’t overthink having it all figured out; no one does. Try things and don’t forget to consciously enjoy every moment of your life, to the absolute detail.
