The standard Indian startup formula often seems to require an elite engineering background, a corporate headquarters in a major tech hub, and heavy backing from top-tier global venture firms. However, a 20-year-old college student from a small town in Rajasthan is gaining widespread attention for challenging this very narrative. Armed with no formal industry experience, no corporate internships, and no mentor, he claimed to have learned everything independently on his laptop during late-night sessions. He recently shared his journey online to give a voice to the independent builders who do not fit the typical corporate mould.
“I'm 20. No CS degree. From a small city in Rajasthan,” Gaurav Singh wrote on LinkedIn. He continued, “I've never had an internship. Never worked at a company. Never had a mentor who sat across from me.”
Recalling his learning journey, he posted, “Everything I know, I figured out alone — at midnight, on a laptop, with whatever I could access for free. I'm starting to document this publicly because I think there are more people like me than LinkedIn shows.”
He expressed, “The feed is full of IIT grads, Bangalore founders, and YC alumni. This is the other side of that.”
{{/usCountry}}He expressed, “The feed is full of IIT grads, Bangalore founders, and YC alumni. This is the other side of that.”
{{/usCountry}}He also posted a picture that gives a visual narrative of his journey. It explicitly rejects the traditional, highly gatekept pathways of the Indian tech ecosystem, reading: "Not from IIT. Not from Bangalore. Not backed by YC."
It also shows a list of missing credentials that the industry typically demands, yet frames them as badges of honour: > no cs degree, > no internship, > no experience, > no mentor, and > no shortcuts.”
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According to his LinkedIn profile, Singh is a student at Maharaja Surajmal Brij University (MSBU), Bharatpur. His profile shows that he is the founder of CT-Studio, founded in January 2026.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)