AI is everywhere. But still, we have barely scrapped the surface in terms of what AI is capable of accomplishing and how it can help in making processes faster, smarter, and more efficient.
Rashmi Dhamija, our next pathbreaker, works as AI Research Engineer at SLK Software, a technology and consulting company that provides IT and AI solutions to various industries, including banking and finance, insurance, and manufacturing.
Rashmi talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about her background in Applied Physics, which led her to NBRC (National Brain Research Center), Manesar, where she worked on AI for brain imaging.
For students, don’t limit yourself. Explore fields beyond your subject. Your transferable skills will always help you transition to new areas !
Rashmi, can you share your background with our young readers?
I was born in a small village called Akanwali in Fatehabad district, Haryana. Life in the village was simple, but my parents always valued education. They were not that educated, but they always wanted their children to study as much as they wanted. Even though many people around us said things like “Why are you sending your daughter away? Times are not safe.? But my father never listened to them. He believed in me. And I, from a very young age, loved studying. My mother often used to tell me that when other kids cried about going to school, I would wake up excited, ready to learn.
In the evenings, my favorite pastime was looking up at the sky. The stars fascinated me. I used to wonder: What is beyond them? What was there before the Big Bang? What is inside a black hole? These weren’t ordinary questions for a child, but somehow, they lived in my mind.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I did my BSc and MSc in Physics followed by PhD in Experimental High Energy Physics from IIT Hyderabad.
What inspired you to choose a career in Physics?
At 15, I participated in a Science Olympiad and won a silver medal. That was a turning point — it gave me confidence that maybe I could do something in science. In high school, my science teacher had a big influence on me. She didn’t just teach formulas; she encouraged me to ask questions. And slowly, I realized that Physics was the subject that truly matched my curiosity.
My career path was shaped more by my curiosity than by any fixed plan.
When I read Stephen Hawking’s book A Brief History of Time, it opened a new universe for me. I learned about concepts like gravitational lensing, wormholes, and quantum entanglement. I remember thinking — the world is so mysterious, there is so much to know more? There is a famous quote from Issac Newton: “What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an Ocean,” and that used to be my laptop wallpaper. It keeps me curious.
Later, when I attended a lecture on the discovery of the Higgs Boson and the experiments at CERN given by Prof Suman Behri, Panjab University, Chandigarh, I was completely fascinated. That was the moment when I thought that at some point in my career, I wanted to be part of these experiments. But how that was still not clear. When I was doing my Master’s, I had a lot of discussions with my friends and faculty about the universe, black holes, white holes, elementary particles, etc. Again, there was a lecture on “Particle Physics” by Prof. Anjan Giri, Department of Physics, IIT Hyderabad. After the lecture, I interacted with him and expressed my interest in doing research in Particle Physics. He told some pathways to join his lab. This is how I choose my career.
So what really made me choose this career, I’d say:
● It was curiosity: wanting to know how the world works.
● It was mentors and teachers who guided me to ask questions, who kept my curiosity and passion for physics alive.
Tell us about your career path. How did you get your first break?
Honestly, my career was never a straight line. It was full of twists and turns — and that’s okay.
After class 12, I joined a BSc in Science at PGGCG–11, Chandigarh. This itself was a challenge because no girl in my family had ever gone away from home for studies. My parents had to face a lot of criticism, but they supported me.
Then came MSc at Punjabi University, Patiala. Here’s a fun story: I had applied for Pure Physics and Astro-Space Physics, but not for Applied Physics. At the last moment, seniors told me, “Apply for Applied too, just in case.” I did — and got admission there. At first, I thought it was a mistake. But to my surprise, I topped in the very first semester among all streams! That gave me huge confidence and also helped me win the DST-INSPIRE Fellowship.
That fellowship took me to IIT Hyderabad for a PhD. My thesis was on rare particle decays at the Belle experiment in Japan. I was part of a collaboration of more than 1000 scientists across the world. I even got to travel to Japan twice, working at KEK, a world-famous research center. My supervisors were very kind and supportive. My PhD journey, unlike what many people say, was actually smooth and filled with learning.
But towards the end, I started asking myself: Where is the real-world application of my work? How do I explain it to my parents? When I told them about my research, they would only relate it to ISRO or rockets, but not really understand. That’s when I thought maybe I should explore something more practical.
I was introduced by one of my friends and colleagues to “Medical Physics”. I started exploring the path to medical physics after my PhD in particle physics. I found that a couple of people had already taken that career choice. Fortunately, I got a chance to shadow a medical physicist at PGIMER, Chandigarh, where I learned about radiotherapy and imaging. Later, I worked at NBRC (National Brain Research Center), Manesar, using AI for brain imaging.
At NBRC, I worked on a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The challenge was that low-field MRI machines (which are cheaper and more portable) produce images that are not very clear compared to high-field MRI machines. This can make diagnosis difficult for doctors, especially in low to middle-income countries. My role was to use deep learning methods to improve the quality of these low-field MRI images so they could look closer to high-field scans. The objective was that even hospitals with basic MRI machines could provide better care to patients.
It was exciting, but still not permanent. I realized — if I wanted stability and real-world impact, maybe the industry was the right place.
That’s how I moved into AI and Machine Learning. I already had experience with Python, Deep Learning, NLP, and did some online certifications too. While giving interviews in the industry, I slowly built confidence. Through LinkedIn networking, I connected with people at SLK Software and got my first break as an AI Research Engineer.
So my thought process was always: stay curious, stay open, and keep moving forward even if the path changes.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
One big challenge was social pressure. People told my parents not to send me away for studies. But my father stood like a rock and believed in me.
Another was financial constraint. I always dreamt of becoming a doctor, but it was said to me that “Becoming a Doctor is not for middle-class people”, so I chose Physics. At first, I thought it was a compromise, but today I see — it was a blessing in disguise.
The third challenge was career uncertainty after a PhD. I applied for many Postdoc positions in Medical Physics abroad. I gave interviews, even twice at one place, but didn’t get selected. That was one of the most stressful times of my life. I had thought – after a PhD, jobs would come easily. But life doesn’t work that way.
What helped me was support from my supervisor and family. My supervisor himself reached out to labs for me. My family never let me feel low. And most importantly, I did not stop — I kept exploring, talking to people, learning new skills, until I found the right path.
Where do you work now?
Presently, I work at SLK Software as an AI Research Engineer. I joined SLK Software at the end of March 2025.
SLK Software is a technology and consulting company. They provide IT and AI solutions to various industries, including banking and finance, insurance, and manufacturing. Their customers include large organizations such as Fortune 500 companies, WorldPay, and Emerson. There are various verticals, whereas I am part of the AI vertical.
What problems do you solve?
My job is to build Artificial Intelligence models to solve real-world problems for industries. For example, we work on making processes faster, improving accuracy, and helping companies serve people better.
To a layman, it looks like a big shift from my physics career. But actually, my day is more or less similar to my PhD life like writing code, presenting ideas or findings, solving problem step-by-step. Earlier it was only about particle physics, but now its real world industry problems. So, I would say communication, collaboration, adaptability are the transferable skills that I’m applying here too; of course some of technical skills also and I am learning new skills as well. I believe adaptability is one of the most important skills. I remember being invited to give an international talk on behalf of my research collaboration. The topic was not related to my PhD thesis at all. Still, I took it as a challenge. I went back to the basics, studied the subject thoroughly, read research papers, and prepared my presentation with full effort. In the end, the talk went well, and I realized that with the right mindset, you can step outside your comfort zone and still succeed.
AI is now everywhere. However, its all about making processes faster, smarter, and more efficient. For e.g.: in Banking, traditionally, it could take days or even weeks for your papers to be checked. With AI, the system can automatically read your documents, verify details, and flag errors in just a few minutes.
This saves both time and effort for the bank and the customer.
In healthcare, AI can analyze X-rays or MRI scans and highlight areas that a doctor should look at carefully. This doesn’t replace doctors but supports them, helping them diagnose diseases faster and more accurately.
I just mentioned it briefly. There is still so much more to discover about what AI holds for us.
What are the skills required for your role? How did you acquire them?
The skills needed are coding (Python), Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, SQL — but equally important are soft skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
A typical day in my job involves team discussions, writing and testing code, brainstorming solutions, and presenting ideas.
What I love most is teamwork. In research, you often work alone on your thesis. But here, the success belongs to the entire team. Everyone collaborates, and when a problem is solved, it’s a shared victory. That gives me a lot of satisfaction.
How does your work benefit society?
When I was in research, I sometimes felt far from the real world. But now, I can see how the projects I work on are directly used by industries and benefit thousands of people. That’s the most rewarding part.
Tell us an example of a specific, memorable work you did that is very close to you!
One memory that always stays with me is from my PhD days. I worked on the Belle experiment in Japan, which involved more than 1,000 scientists worldwide. Standing in the control room, watching the detectors collect data, I felt like I was truly part of something bigger than myself. It was a dream come true — the same child who once looked at stars in her village was now working on an international project to understand particles smaller than atoms!
Another memorable experience was at PGIMER Chandigarh, where I shadowed a medical physicist. For the first time, I saw how physics could directly help save cancer patients’ lives. That day I realized — whether it is pure science or applied science, both have the power to touch human lives.
Your advice for students ?
● Keep trying. You may try 100 things and fail in 99, but that 1 success can change your life.
● Talk to people. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, reach out to mentors, or seniors. You’ll be surprised how many good people are willing to help.
● Don’t limit yourself. Explore fields beyond your subject. Physics took me to AI — and I love it.
● Believe in yourself. Even if things don’t make sense now, they will later. What feels like rejection today may actually be redirection to a better path.
Future Plans
I plan to continue growing in the field of AI and Machine Learning and establish myself as a strong professional in the industry. I want to keep learning new technologies and work on projects that make a real difference in people’s lives.
At the same time, I also want to share my journey with students like you. When I was your age, I had many questions but very few people to guide me. If my story can inspire even one student to believe in themselves and chase their dreams, I would consider that a big achievement.