Get in touch

Kerala, IndiaGamer, speaker, developer, leader

Zachary Samuel

Fast in the water. Sharp at the table.

I started out chasing ranks in games, found my voice through declamation, then learned to build software and lead the people building it with me. This is that story.

Start the story See my roles
Portrait of Zachary Samuel

Competing taught me to prepare. Debating taught me to listen. Building lets me use both.

Zachary Samuel

By the numbers

24

Gold medals in breaststroke

3

Diplomacy awards at MUN and G20

5

Leadership roles, from co-founder to captain

3

Languages spoken fluently

Chapter 1 · Games

It started with a controller.

Competitive gaming was my first training ground. It taught me to practise, lose, adjust and come back for another match.

  1. Fortnite, at the top

    I reached Unreal, Fortnite's highest competitive rank. It took practice, patience, quick decisions and always coming back for another match.

  2. Minecraft, a new challenge

    I moved to competitive Minecraft and reached LT3, one of the top tiers, in most game modes. Each mode had its own strategy to work out.

  3. From playing to making

    I got curious about the mechanics, rules and small choices that make a game feel right. So I started coding, and now I build games and software of my own.

Chapter 2 · Speaking

Then I found my voice.

Declamation came first: standing alone on a stage and delivering a speech as if every word were my own. I fell in love with it. That led me to Model United Nations and G20 simulations, where I represent a country, build alliances and defend positions under pressure.

Zachary at the IISP G20 2023, seated behind the Russia placard
IISP G20 2023, delegate of Russia
Zachary on stage, waiting to speak
Waiting to take the stage

IISP MUN

Best Delegate

Top delegate in committee, chosen for research, speeches and diplomacy.

IISP MUN

Best Delegate, again

Won the same top award a second time, at another IISP MUN.

IISP G20

High Commendation

Recognised for negotiation and policy work in a G20 summit simulation.

Chapter 3 · Building

Next, I learned to build.

The curiosity that started with games turned into code. These are six things I'm building: games, learning tools and hardware, made with code and a team of AI agents.

A build session at my desk, sped up.

Aloud

A voice-first learning platform. Upload your study material and it becomes a teacher that explains each idea out loud, asks questions, listens to your answers and adapts. The live demo runs the real server inside your browser.

  • Python
  • FastAPI
  • Speech
  • Education

Check it out Code

Signwave

Play music with your hands. A webcam reads hand signs and turns them into synth, bass and guitar notes in real time, with sing-along songs and a song writer. No camera? Watch the bot play.

  • Computer vision
  • Web Audio

Check it out Code

ArenaSlice

A first-person arena shooter in Unity with sliding movement, enemy AI that sees and hears you, and four waves to survive. Its page lets you try the jump physics, enemy hearing and weapon falloff.

  • Unity
  • C#
  • Game design

Check it out Code

Steady Utensil

Control firmware for a 3D-printed self-stabilising spoon for people with hand tremors. It cancels the shake but follows the hand to the mouth: −17.5 dB of tremor in simulation.

  • Hardware
  • Firmware
  • Accessibility

Check it out Code

LifeQuest

Real life as a game. Earn XP for real actions in fitness, learning and building, from level 1 to 100, with proof required before XP is awarded. The live demo runs the real server inside your browser.

  • Python
  • Web app

Check it out Code

ABBF website

An accessible website for the Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation, a community that breaks stereotypes around disability, with a built-in text size, contrast and motion toolbar.

  • Web
  • Accessibility

Check it out Code

Chapter 4 · Leading

And learned to bring people with me.

Building alone only goes so far. Speaking taught me to hold a room; working in teams taught me to listen to one. Now I help found, organise and run teams in tech and in sport, and I can do it in three languages.

  • 01Co-FounderPathforge
  • 02Chief Operating OfficerCTRL ALT EXPL
  • 03Head of Logistics and PlanningSynthica
  • 04Former Head of ChaptersByteByByte
  • 05Captain of two sports teamsSport
Alongside it all · Swimming

24 golds across three breaststroke events.

Breaststroke is the most technical stroke, where timing counts as much as strength. These are my gold medals by distance.

100mBreaststroke
13
200mBreaststroke
6
50mBreaststroke
5
Total gold medals24
Zachary on the podium holding a trophy, wearing his medals

On the podium at an Indus International School swim meet.

Awards

Every award, in one list.

  • 13×Gold medal, 100m breaststrokeSwimming
  • 6×Gold medal, 200m breaststrokeSwimming
  • 5×Gold medal, 50m breaststrokeSwimming
  • 2×Best Delegate, IISP MUNPublic speaking
  • 1×High Commendation, IISP G20Public speaking

Let's work together.

Interested in a project, a collaboration or a speaking event? My code and contact details are on GitHub.

Find me on GitHub