campus highlights

In this episode of Campus Highlights, we feature a young mind who blends logic with curiosity, and algorithms with adventures. Meet Pritwish Kundu, a 10th grader from Singapore, who recently earned a consolation prize at the GEMA Python Olympiads 2025. But there’s more to him than coding. Start Of His Coding Journey His journey with Python began in grade 9, when his school offered a computer science course. Wondering about his choices in 8th grade, with his seniors’ advice and his growing interest in evolving technology, he decided to study Python. His parents supported the decision by arranging a tutor for him. His favourite area in Python is computer vision, aligning perfectly with his dream of working on autonomous technologies. The Python Olympiad wasn’t part of any grand plan. He discovered it in his school’s daily gazette and signed up without intense preparation. “I thought dabbling there would help extend my knowledge,” he admits. Instead of playing it safe, he built a complex algorithm, choosing creativity over convention. Problem-Solving Methods On being asked how he handles tough problems, Pritwish broke down his thought process for us. First, he breaks challenges into substeps and functions and then solves them one by one. Despite choosing to be unconventional in his work, he admitted that being creative was the hardest part of the project. “I’m more into objective subjects like Computer Science and Physics,” he says. But when his final algorithm clicked into place, he describes it as his most memorable moment when his code finally made sense. Birds and Drones “So I have a few passions,” Pritwish says casually. “One of them is obviously computer science, particularly computer vision for autonomous technologies such as drones and self-driving cars. I’m also an avid bird watcher.” It’s not a passing hobby for Pritwish; he has photographed birds across three continents, spotting over 500 species. When he’s not behind a camera or a keyboard, he’s on a badminton court, a sport he has played for nearly nine years. From a Mother’s Perspective According to his mother, his interests were shaped by his school and environment; growing up in a digitally involved city and school campus naturally made him interested in technology, and her role is to help him stay balanced. She shared that one way Pritwish handles academics and extracurriculars is by staying organised and knowing what to prioritise. A reminder board in his room helps him track deadlines and avoid last-minute rushes. She credits his success to one special quality: focus. When he’s interested in a topic, he fully immerses himself and devotes his time and effort to the subject. She believes this focus is what leads him to success. A Message to Future Coders His advice is straightforward and helpful, “Be good at maths.” According to Pritwish, a good foundation in mathematics is extremely important to coding. It is not only essential for logic but will also help with tough problem-solving since the problem will be easier to understand. “Start with Scratch.” advises Pritwish to younger learners which would help them build confidence before diving into Python and more complex coding languages. Conclusion Five to ten years from now, Pritwish sees himself studying engineering or a field related to computer science at university. Beyond that, he dreams of launching a startup focused on autonomous drones given his immense interest in autonomous technologies such as self driving cars and drones. With big dreams and great potential, the interview came to an end with well wishes and congratulations to our young genius.