With techonolgy reinventing industries and changing the way of life, Jhankar Mahbub is an inspiration. He began by changing his career from studying to programming and ended up building one of the most influential coding platforms in the country, Programming Hero. Despite the setbacks that he has faced throughout this journey, perseverance, passion and herw innovation has seen him through. Through his narrative, he has made it possible for not only himself to change the course of his life but also for many more thousands of Bangladeshi youths to enter into the world of technology.
Early Life and Academic Journey
Jhankar Mahbub has always been a creative person. As a kid, he found ways to draw on any available surface, coverings that were not meant for writing walls, books, even his father’s arm while he slept. But destiny had other plans. He enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Production Engineering (IPE) from the highly honored Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), which he completed in 2007.
Jhankar then relocated to the United States for higher studies. While interning in Minnesota, programming was introduced to him. As much as he was an engineer, he was captivated by programming. He found it thrilling to see his commands transformed into orderly processes and this ignited a new found enthusiasm in him.
It was tough to change the focus. Jhankar opted for a Master’s in Software Engineering. Only his application was turned down on the grounds that he had no previous experience. Applicant’s enthusiasms and persistence, however, helped the faculty to agree to grant him a conditional enrollment. The first semester in this case was disorderly awful, confronted problems, did not pass several courses and so on. But his professors could see his love for it and let him carry on. For everyone, including Jhankar, programming did not come easy, as it would have required strength of character and sheer effort.
Discovering His Passion for Teaching
During his programming journey, Jhankar discovered his passion for teaching. To make coding easier for the Bangladeshi learners, he created Habluder Addakhana, an online portal. Although it achieved limited success, it sowed the basils that would later grow into a tech education revolution.
Additionally, Jhankar authored few technical books on programming, hosted tech events, and made new friends in the field. Once again the theme that proved to persist in his life was fondness for teaching. Out of his full-time job, he in particular spent most of his time helping budding programmers.
The Birth of Programming Hero
In 2018, Jhankar Mahbub released an alpha version of Programming Hero, originally as a gamified app accentuating the learning of programming through interaction. The primary objective of the platform was the provision of external structural aid to students who are unable to cope up with the existing coding education approaches.
As time passed by, Jhankar saw a huge gap in the market that could be filled for the Bangladeshi learners. Therefore, he modified the Programming Hero for Bangladesh and developed courses in Bengali. The platform was officially introduced to Bangladesh in 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Different from loads of other companies, and expressive in this period Programming Hero prospered. The rise of online education globally together with the embracement of technology and its demand as a skill in the society contributed to her growth.
By the year 2024, Programming Hero has become one of the biggest Ed-tech Platforms in Bangladesh with all sorts of courses in Web development, JavaScript, Python and more. Its app has been downloaded more than 1 million times on Google Play Store with a fabulous 4.6 overall rating. The platform has aided thousands of students in finding ways to get employed locally and internationally in the tech industry.
Innovative Learning Methods
The teaching methodology is perhaps what makes Programming Hero one of a kind. It incorporates elements of games into coding lessons Making the process of learning enjoyable. It has hands-on tasks, recorded sessions, and a support system in which mentors respond to students’ questions in less than a day.
In addition to the basic four weeks online course on web development, students learn about discipline in practice, undertake several projects in the field and have modules geared towards getting a job. A major undertaking is the establishment of the SCIC or Super Charged Interviewee Club, which offers members practice interview sessions, pedigree assessment and conduct ethics training to enhance soft skills.
Impact on Bangladeshi Youth
The importance of Jhankar Mahbub in the arena of technology education in Bangladesh cannot be overstated. Every year about 20,000 students graduate in the discipline of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) but only a handful finds jobs mainly due to the ever confronting nature of the curriculum and intended learners being industry unready. Jhankar seeks to narrow this bridge by ensuring that the learners acquire skills and more importantly self-belief.
To date, over 70,000 students have signed up for the Programming Hero courses. The rate of finishing the course is improving currently and a good number of graduates have got employed by international companies, markets for freelancers and joined new businesses. The platform has successfully changed numerous individuals such as this student Abu Saleh Faysal, who is pursuing his software engineering degree at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In addition to personal successes, Jessore’s ability to shift the narrative of tech education in Bangladesh speaks volumes. He has motivated tens of thousands of young people, irrespective of their educational backgrounds, to take a shot at programming. His motivational phrase that many have found helpful – ‘put in 6-10 hours a day for the next 3–4 months and learn coding’ has actually encouraged a good number of people to take risks.
Challenges and Vision
Creating Programming Hero was not a walk in the park. It is known that Jhankar has revisited several designs and approaches for many years. He began with some cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence projects, only to channel teaching as his passion later. To date, he serves as Programming Hero’s chief executive officer and also as a senior web developer at Nielsen Company on a full-time basis.
Even with a tight schedule, Jhankar puts in more than 60 hours a week to improve the contents of the platform. He has a dream where a sizeable portion of the people working in tech industries across the world come from Bangladesh. He seeks to fill the void in acquisition of such skills among students, who will thereafter be able to contend in global levels.
Expanding the Scope: From Coding to Career Development
The mission of Programming Hero goes way beyond just teaching coding. The aim is to prepare the user for a career. With its emphasis on problem-solving, critical analysis, and practical application of knowledge, the platform gets the students ready to face the challenges posed by the technology arena. It integrates job guarantees for its graduates through tie-ups with local and international companies.
Another thing that Jhankar supports is the idea of self-belief. When it comes to the global job market, students from Bangladesh are often at a disadvantage because of language and communication problems. Programming Hero helps overcome these problems by providing training in soft skills and one on one coaching.
The Ripple Effect: Inspiring a Generation
Thousands have been motivated by aligned individuals such as how Jhankar Mahbub was once a struggling school boy and now a tech entrepreneur. His tale encompasses the importance of bouncing back, adjusting as well as practicing what one loves the most. For many youth in Bangladesh, he symbolizes the perfect example of what one can achieve through hard work and by pushing their limits.
In creating a platform like Programming Hero, it is fair to say that in addition to teaching people how to code, Jhankar has grown a tribe of learners, dreamers, and achievers. Through him, there has also been a contribution to the modern technology development later clamored in the invention time of Jhankar, in Bangladesh which is now more dynamic than before and integrated within the global community.
Conclusion: An Ever Evolving Diaspora
One of the prominent examples of ‘education is indeed a blessing’ and ‘giving back is as important’ is the life of Mahbub Jhankar. He started Programming Hero which not only provides resources for people but has also raised the standard for Bangladeshi business people to the world.
Jhankar is tirelessly working to broaden and incorporate even more features in his platform, and thus, Jhankar’s aspiration of supporting the youth of Bangladesh is now closer to realization. There is an ultimate truth in his narrative, that is, where there is a will, there is a way to seek out any challenges for the goodness of the society and create a legacy for the future.
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