Curriculum Vitae

Software engineer and entrepreneur focused on AI-assisted learning tools. Currently shipping full-stack features and growth experiments at Bending Spoons. Founder of the apps Fluenci and TuneTutor.

One-pager for recruiters

PDF preview not available in your browser. Click here to download

Download PDF
✦ ✦ ✦

The real resume

Actual list of things I've done, including the ones that have gradually been deemed not important enough to make the one-page cut.

Contact

Professional Experience

  • Software Engineer & Growth Manager — Bending Spoons (Dec 2024 – Present, London, UK)
    • Full-stack software engineer working primarily with React, TypeScript, and Swift across multiple consumer applications.
    • Part-time growth manager responsible for shaping product direction and growth engineering strategy across several mobile apps.
    • Shipping features and running growth experiments for apps with millions of users.
    • Collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize metrics such as monetization and user retention.
  • Founder — Fluenci App (Mar 2024 – Oct 2024, London, UK)
    • Designed and built Fluenci, an LLM-powered language partner app for intermediate-level learners to gain conversational proficiency.
    • Created companion product TuneTutor, a generative AI tool that teaches languages through song lyrics with interactive breakdowns.
    • Tech stack: Flutterflow for UI, Firebase for backend services, AWS for infrastructure.
    • Managed entire product lifecycle from ideation to web deployment.
  • Python Engineer — Silvr (Sep 2022 – Jun 2023, Paris, France - Remote)
    • Developed and maintained client-facing features for the Silvr financing platform using Python and Django.
    • Collaborated with product teams to deliver user-centric solutions.
  • Software Engineer Intern — Bloomberg LP (Jun 2022 – Sep 2022, London, UK)
    • Built a news recommendations service that retrieves and clusters related news stories from a large dataset.
    • Worked primarily in Python with PySpark and Pandas for large-scale data processing.
    • Implemented algorithms for content similarity and relevance scoring.
    • Contributed to Bloomberg's news intelligence infrastructure serving millions of financial professionals.

Education

  • BSc Computing Science (cum laude), University of Groningen (Sep 2020 – Aug 2023, Groningen, Netherlands)
    • GPA: 8.9/10 — Graduated with distinction (cum laude).
    • Physics Minor — Completed additional coursework in theoretical and applied physics.
    • Founding member of the university's Competitive Programming Committee — Organizing and participating in algorithmic programming competitions.
    • Key coursework: Logic, Discrete Math, Data Structures & Algorithms, Software Engineering, Database Systems, Computer Networks, Operating Systems, Computer Graphics, Research Skills.
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), Jayshree Periwal International School (Apr 2017 – Aug 2020, Jaipur, India)
    • Head Girl — Student leadership role representing the student body.
    • IB Final Score: 43/45
    • ACT Score: 33/36
    • Higher Level subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology.
    • Standard Level subjects: English A, French B.
  • IGCSE (Cambridge International), Jayshree Periwal International School (2017 – 2018, Jaipur, India)
    • All A*s with 96.3% aggregate across all subjects.
    • Subjects: International Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, English Language, French, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics.
    • Award for Excellence in French (2017–2018) — Recognized as the school's top IGCSE French student.
  • 42 Wolfsburg (Wolfsburg, Germany)
    • Completed 12 out of 16 projects in the core curriculum at 42 Wolfsburg, a peer-to-peer learning coding school emphasizing project-based education.
    • Scholarship recipient for developing MeritTrade, an online tutoring platform.
    • Intensive hands-on programming and software engineering training without formal teachers or lectures.

Technical Skills

  • Programming Languages: TypeScript, Python, JavaScript, Swift, Dart, SQL, C, R.
  • Frontend: React, Flutter, HTML/CSS, modern UI/UX patterns.
  • Backend & Infrastructure: Node.js, Django, Firebase, AWS, REST APIs.
  • DevOps & Tools: Docker, Terraform, Git, CI/CD pipelines, Unix/Linux.
  • Data & AI: Large Language Models, prompt engineering, PySpark, Pandas, data pipelines.
  • Mobile Development: iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin), App Store deployment.

Soft Skills & Leadership

  • Management & Leadership: Team leadership and management, mentoring, strategic planning.
  • Communication: Technical writing, presentations, cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder management.
  • Product & Growth: Product strategy, user research, A/B testing, growth engineering, digital marketing.
  • Problem Solving: Critical thinking, analytical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, creative solutions.
  • Entrepreneurship: Product development, market validation, customer development, business strategy.

Projects & Side Builds

  • Fluenci (Mar 2024 – Oct 2024)
    • Full-featured language learning app with AI-powered conversation practice for intermediate level learners to attain conversational proficiency.
    • Implemented real-time voice interaction, personalized learning paths, and progress tracking.
    • Built custom prompt engineering system for natural, contextually appropriate conversations with feedback provision.
    • Web app gained 700+ users during beta phase.
  • TuneTutor (2024)
    • Generative AI tool that creates vocabulary lessons and flashcards from song lyrics.
    • Feature grammar breakdowns, vocabulary extraction.
  • Japanese Lyrics Breakdown Builder (2025)
    • Command-line tool for generating detailed, line-by-line explanations of Japanese lyrics.
    • Automated generation of furigana, grammar notes, and natural translations.
    • Multiple export formats (TXT, PDF) with email delivery option.
    • Preview available at https://khanakgulati.com/lyrics-breakdown-builder/index.html
  • Japanese Anki Vocabulary Deck Builder (2025)
    • OCR-powered pipeline translating handwritten notes into context-enriched Anki flashcards.
    • Uses Google Cloud Vision for image processing and OpenAI for kanji explanations.
    • Generates polished .apkg files with definitions, example sentences, and contextual hints, ready to be imported into Anki.
    • Preview available at https://khanakgulati.com/anki-builder/index.html
  • Daily Japanese Passage Generator (2024)
    • Personalized reading practice generator using custom word banks.
    • Implements spaced repetition algorithms to reinforce vocabulary in context.
    • Adjustable difficulty levels and themed content generation.
    • Daily email delivery automation.
  • Synthetic Data Generation Project (Feb 2022 – Jun 2022)
    • Coding lead for a six-person university team building an intelligent dummy data generator in Python.
    • Client: Syntho, a Dutch synthetic data company.
  • Novel Writing
    • Authored two novels (unpiblished):
      • Fiction novel (2019): Completed full-length manuscript (50,000+ words).
      • Memoir (2024–25): Ongoing personal collection of memoirs, 75,000+ words written — read excerpts (Japan blogs).

Publications & Research

  • “A Comparison of the Effectiveness of ChatGPT and Co-Pilot for Generating Quality Python Code Solutions”
    • Published in IEEE, March 12, 2024.
    • Empirical study comparing AI coding assistants on code quality, correctness, and efficiency.
    • Analyzed performance across various programming paradigms and problem complexities.

Competitive Programming & Competitions

  • IMC Trading Competitions (2023)
    • 1st Place — Women Insight's Day final algorithmic trading competition.
    • Top 100 worldwide — Prosperity Trading Challenge (out of thousands of participants globally).
    • Developed and optimized trading algorithms under time and resource constraints.
  • Benelux Algorithm Programming Contest (BAPC) 2021
    • Qualified for the Northwestern Europe Regional Contest (NWERC).
    • Solved complex algorithmic problems under competitive time constraints.
    • Represented University of Groningen in international competition.

Awards & Honors

  • First Ascent, Women in Tech Europe Edition (Oct 2024) — Selected as one of 20 female students across Europe for an exclusive, all-expenses-paid tech retreat organized by Bending Spoons in Milan, Italy.
  • Cum Laude Graduation (2023) — University of Groningen, BSc Computing Science with GPA 8.9/10.
  • Award for Excellence in French (2017–2018) — Recognized as the school's top IGCSE French student at Jayshree Periwal International School.
  • Rajasthan Rajya Krida Parishad Chief Minister Scholarship — State-level scholarship for outstanding performance in equestrian sports. Attended subsequent training camps and qualified for National level competitions in Dressage.
  • Head Girl (2018–2020) — Student leadership position at Jayshree Periwal International School.

Volunteering & Community Engagement

  • Team Leader — Robin Hood Army (Aug 2019, Jaipur, India)
    • Led and managed a team of students to collect food packets donated by citizens across Jaipur and distribute them to less privileged people in surrounding rural areas.
    • Coordinated volunteer efforts during Indian Independence Day celebrations.
  • Volunteer — GreenDreamFoundation (Jan 2019, Jaipur, India)
    • Participated in cleaning up plastic waste in the Man Sagar lake in Jaipur.
    • Spread awareness about pollution prevention at the source and cleanup of existing waste.
  • Fundraiser — Greensole (Jan 2018, India)
    • Individually crowdfunded over 1000 USD to donate 375 pairs of footwear to children in need at the R.U.P Vidyalaya Dnahwa.
    • All footwear was made from recycled materials by the Greensole Foundation, saving 1875 lbs of carbon dioxide in the process.
  • Social Service Volunteer — Parvah (Jan 2018, Mahapura, India)
    • Contributed to renovating a school in rural Mahapura.
  • Chemistry Tutor — Provided private chemistry tutoring to a 9th-grade IGCSE student, helping improve understanding of key concepts and exam preparation.

Continuing Education & Certifications

  • Digital Marketing — Legendary Marketer
    • Comprehensive program covering affiliate marketing, social media strategies, sales funnel optimization, advertising techniques, and business scaling tactics.
  • Coursera Specializations:
    • Entrepreneurship Specialization (Courses 1-4) — University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
    • Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity — Stanford University
    • Introduction to Engineering Mechanics — Georgia Institute of Technology
    • Game Theory — Stanford University & The University of British Columbia
    • Financial Markets — Yale University

Languages

  • English — Native fluency
    • Professional working proficiency in technical and business contexts.
    • Experience with technical writing, documentation, and presentations.
  • Hindi — Native fluency
    • Bilingual from birth; full professional and social fluency.
  • French — Intermediate proficiency
    • IGCSE French with top school grade (Award for Excellence, 2017-2018).
    • IB French B Standard Level.
    • Can read, write, and hold conversations on everyday topics.
  • Japanese — Elementary proficiency (actively studying)
    • Passed JLPT N4 — Japanese Language Proficiency Test level demonstrating ability to understand basic Japanese.
    • Self-taught through immersion, apps, and AI-powered tools.
    • Can read hiragana, katakana, and ~300 kanji.
    • Building conversational fluency through daily practice and content consumption.
    • Developed multiple learning tools to accelerate personal progress.

Performing Arts & Creative Pursuits

  • Grade 8 Piano — Trinity College London
    • Passed with Merit.
  • Visharad Degree in Kathak Dance — Bhatkhande Sangit Vidyapeeth Institute
    • Five-year comprehensive program in classical Indian dance.
    • Trained in traditional rhythms, expressions (abhinaya), and choreography.
    • Public performances at cultural events and competitions.

Athletics & Adventure

  • Equestrian Sports
    • Chief Minister Scholarship recipient (2017-2019) for outstanding performance in horse riding.
    • Regional Equestrian League (Equestrian Federation of India) — 2× qualified at competitions such as the Chinkara Horse Show.
    • Competed at regional levels in dressage and qualified for National level competitions in Dressage.
    • Trained also in show jumping.
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) — India
    • Combined Annual Training Camp participant.
  • Adventure Travel
    • Glacier hiking in Chamonix Mont-Blanc (France) — completed Le Raid Glacier hike with crampons and ice axes.
    • Walked every property on the London Monopoly board (26+ km route across the city).
    • Multiple international trips for cultural immersion and adventure.

Personal Interests & Hobbies

  • Language Learning: Passionate about polyglotism; building AI tools to make language learning more accessible and engaging. Currently learning Japanese.
  • Music Production: Experimenting with home recording and composition.
  • Travel & Photography: Documenting adventures through @khanakexplores; focus on cultural experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
  • Content Creation: Writing blog posts about tech, travel, and language learning; sharing insights on personal growth.

Links & Online Presence