A Remarkable Day for SSCn's at Microsoft Office

Date: February 15, 2025
Location: Microsoft Office, Gachibowli
Yesterday was an unforgettable day as I had the incredible opportunity to attend a Microsoft Office event with the Student Service Community Network (SSCN). We had representatives from Chennai, Anantapur district (Andhra Pradesh), Hyderabad, and IIT Madras. The event saw over 90 registrations, with 25 confirmed attendees and 20 participants finally joining us at Microsoft.

This was a great experience filled with learning, networking, and lots of fun. Here’s a quick look at the day:

The Core Team Of SSC

Maheswaram Subrahmanyam

Maheswaram Subrahmanyam

Team Lead & SSC Founder

VKR VNB AGK Engineering College

Swaty

P Swaty

SSC Mentor

Santhiram Engineering College

susmitha

Susmitha

SSC Mentor

ASHOKA WOMEN'S ENGINEERING COLLEGE

Chandu Sri

SAI SUDHA SUGALI

SSC Mentor

Santhiram Engineering College (Nandyal)

SHAIK KHADAR VALI

SHAIK KHADAR VALI

SSC Mentor

SVR engineering college (Nandyal)

Our Journey

The Journey: Laughter & Challenges

The journey itself was an adventure!

  • Starting Point: I, along with Sai Akash, began our trip from Machilipatnam. We were later joined by Gayathri, Sreelakshmi, Yashwanth, Dileep, and Madhan at Gudivada Station.
  • Train Delay: Our train to Secunderabad was delayed by two hours, so we reached at 7:45 AM and took the metro.
  • Ticket Mishap: I mistakenly bought metro tickets for only 7 people, leaving Sreelakshmi without a ticket. However, we managed the situation quickly and had a fun time navigating the metro.

One crazy moment was squeezing 8 people into a single auto to reach Microsoft Gachibowli. It was chaotic but incredibly fun!

Hurdles at Microsoft

Upon reaching Gate 4 at Microsoft Office, some challenges awaited us:

  • Sreelakshmi's Missing Confirmation: She didn’t have the confirmation ticket, but I managed to get her inside.
  • Nandyal Team's Delay: The mentors and SSCn's from Nandyal arrived late and weren’t allowed in. After much effort and with Swathi’s mother’s support, 5 members, including 4 SSC mentors, were able to attend.

  • I thank to Swathi's Mother For her unwavering support, I handed over one of the medals I received during the event to Swathi’s mother. It was a token of appreciation for her fight, her belief in us, and her role in ensuring the SSC mentors didn’t miss out on this life-changing experience. Words like "thank you" felt too small for her contribution, so this medal now symbolizes our respect and gratitude.

Key Highlights of the Event

Upon reaching Gate 4 at Microsoft Office, some challenges awaited us:

  • Networking: I connected with industry leaders like Morten Knudsen, Praveen Singampalli, and Kamal Shree. The SSC Community was widely recognized, and many participants appreciated our work.
  • Recognition: I answered multiple questions during the sessions, earning two medals and a t-shirt.
  • Memorable Lunch: We had a delicious lunch and clicked team photos to capture the day’s memories.

Key Sessions & Learnings

The event featured a series of impactful sessions delivered by industry experts and Microsoft MVPs. Some of the highlights include:

Scaling the Unscalable

Siddharth Vijay (AVP, Engineering | Baazi Games)

A fascinating session on managing real-time gaming platforms with high concurrency, reliability, and security.

Get Sh*t Done in IT

Michael Seidl (Owner | Microsoft MVP)

Practical insights on improving IT productivity and efficiency.

CLI for Microsoft 365

Arjun Menon (Microsoft MVP)

A deep dive into using CLI as a productivity booster for M365 workloads.

AI Integration with DevOps

Praveen Singampalli (Mentor | HeyDevOps)

Showcased how AI can optimize DevOps, automate tasks, and drive better decision-making.

Future of Observability in the Microsoft Ecosystem

Zameer Fouzan (Lead Developer Relations | New Relic)

Discussed advancements in observability with OpenTelemetry.

Cool Demos of Azure Copilot & Security Copilot

Morten Waltorp Knudsen (MVP | 2LinkIT)

Engaging hands-on demos of how Azure and Security Copilot optimize performance and ensure security.

Maximizing PowerShell with GitHub Copilot

Stoyan Chalakov (Sr. Consultant | Microsoft MVP)

Advanced coding tips using GitHub Copilot for PowerShell.

Challenges Along the Way

The journey wasn’t without its share of hurdles. The train from Machilipatnam to Secunderabad was delayed by two hours, putting pressure on our carefully planned schedule. Additionally, a metro ticket mishap left Sreelakshmi without a valid ticket, causing confusion that required quick thinking to resolve. At Microsoft’s security gates, some attendees faced entry issues due to missing confirmation tickets or delays, leading to a tense situation that demanded persistent efforts to ensure everyone’s participation.

Turning the Tide

Despite the challenges, the team managed to turn things around with resilience and teamwork. Quick problem-solving ensured that last-minute ticket and entry issues didn’t derail our plans. A pivotal moment came when Swathi’s mother stepped in to assist, helping the Nandyal team gain access to the event. The efforts paid off, as our active participation in the Q&A sessions earned us recognition in the form of medals and t-shirts, transforming obstacles into moments of pride and accomplishment.

Why Attend Events Like This?

After the event, we held a mentors’ meeting to discuss the key takeaways:

  • These events shift mindsets, inspire innovation, and open up opportunities for internships, jobs, and networking.
  • They help build communities and connections that can shape our future careers.

The Journey Back: A Crazy Adventure


After bidding goodbye to Microsoft, we faced another challenge while traveling back. Our plans to book a bus failed, so we took a general train. Despite being tired, the journey was filled with laughter, learning, and small ego fights.


Ending on a High Note


One of the best moments was a surprise birthday gift from SSC mentors. It truly made my day and filled me with gratitude

This experience has strengthened my desire to work at Microsoft someday and made me even more committed to expanding the Student Service Community.

Thank you to the Microsoft team, SSC mentors, and everyone who made this day so special.

Won Medels and T-shirts

Awarded Medals and T-shirts:

Recognized for outstanding performance in Q&A sessions during a Microsoft event.

Showcased Expertise & Interactive Engagement:

Demonstrated strong technical knowledge and problem-solving skills in front of experts, Actively contributed to discussions,leaving a positive impression on the Microsoft team.

Feedbacks