The name Raj Kissu Rajendran may not ring a bell among the local information and communications technology fraternity now, but the software engineering student of Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology could well be a household name in the future. With a passion for software programming, he recently became one of the first locals to take part in the highly recognised Google Summer of Code programme. Izwan Ismail finds out more.

Raj thinks that the local ICT industry

Q: How did your interest in software programming come about?

A: It started back in primary school when my teacher introduced the class to a programming language called Logo. We used it to draw circles, squares and other geometric patterns. I became fascinated with software programs since then.

Q: What about your Google Summer of Code (GSoC) participation?

A: I read about GSoC on the Internet last year, but didn’t give it much thought then. Coincidentally, when GSoC 2008 opened for application earlier this year, my work supervisor, Ditesh Kumar, encouraged me to apply. I did, and lucky for me, I was chosen.

Q: Tell us more about your involvement in GSoC.

A: I’m doing a project on binary large objects in database. Basically, it is aimed at allowing people to file or stream files online. The program is based on open source.

Q: You also work with QubeConnect. How do you manage your time between studying and working?

A: I am working part-time there as a software developer. My job is to develop Dope (Dynamic Operator Panel Extension) for the QubeTalk product. With Dope, calls to the PABX (private automatic branch exchange) are routed through a Web-based interface in real time, compared to the current practice of a switchboard operator manually routing calls. Furthermore, I am adding other functions to Dope as it is a software-based implementation.

I go to work between classes, or on days when I don’t have classes. My bosses at QubeConnect allow flexibility in my work hours, which makes it easier to juggle study and work.

Q: Do you have any idol(s) from the software programming space?

A: There are two whom I admire a lot: Richard Stallman and Jon Postel. Stallman started the free software movement and is author of the GNU General Public License, which is the most popular free software licence available today.

I admire Postel because of his work in the area of RFCs (Request for Comments). RFC is important as it dictates how the Internet and similar networks should work. It’s like the bible for people who develop the Internet and similar networks.

Q: Do you have any vision for the local information and communications technology (ICT) industry?

A: I envision a more innovation-centric industry driven by research and collaboration, especially in open source. The nature of open source is in its shared environment where experts help newbies design and implement efficient code. I think the local ICT industry needs to be more adventurous in R&D (research and development).

Q: Any work or life philosphy?

A: Do what you have to do, and get it done.

Google Summer of Code is a programme that offers student software developers stipends to write code for various open source projects. In the programme, Google will work with several open source, free software and technology-related groups to identify and fund several projects over a three-month period. It has brought together over 1,500 students worldwide, with over 130 open source projects to create millions of lines of code.