PBA Protocol Graduate and Blockchain Dev with ~4 years of Experience Interested in Making Polkadot Great

Dear Polkadot Fellowship Team,

My name is Kaushik and I recently completed the PBA course in Bali where I got to learn so much about the inner workings of everything from Merkle storage to how the different ways in which XCM can make cross chain transfers! After leaving, I have this feeling like I want to contribute more and make a meaningful impact to the ecosystem, so I want to join the fellowship to see how I can do that alongside my current job :)

Background Information

I am a blockchain engineer currently working at Dakota, where I contribute to building a stablecoin banking platform. Prior to this, I worked in different-levels of blockchain development, including MEV execution client work, a Solana Trader API to enable traders to more easily trade on market makers like Jupiter and Serum and have even worked on an open-souce game engine! I recently graduated from the Polkadot Blockchain Academy in Bali, where I deepened my understanding of Substrate, FRAME, XCM, and consensus mechanisms. My academic background also includes research in computational neuroscience, where I applied mathematical modeling to zebrafish neural activity. I am largely self-taught in programming, beginning after college, and have since built a career at the intersection of protocol engineering, applied cryptography, and distributed systems.

Motivation for Applying
I am applying to the Fellowship because I want to contribute to the long-term sustainability of the Polkadot ecosystem. Polkadot has consistently pushed the boundaries of what decentralized networks can achieve—from flexible runtime upgrades to secure cross-chain communication. I want to be part of the technical community that ensures these innovations remain robust, performant, and accessible to builders. The Fellowship also represents an opportunity to learn from and collaborate with engineers whose work I deeply respect, while sharing my own insights from both my PBA experience and ongoing protocol-level development.

Areas of Interest

My main areas of interest include:

1. Runtime engineering and governance: designing and refining FRAME pallets, validator/delegator logic, and governance mechanisms that make Polkadot resilient.
2. Cross-chain communication: improving the developer and user experience of XCM, particularly around asset transfers, error handling, and cross-chain programmability.
3. Consensus and scalability: exploring performance bottlenecks and contributing to solutions that enhance Polkadot’s throughput and security.

Work Relevant to Polkadot SDK:

• Implemented and tested a Delegated Proof-of-Stake pallet during PBA, including partially supporting delegation cycles, validator registering/staking, and reward distribution logic.

• Designed and tested XCM asset transfer flows between parachains and the relay chain, ensuring proper encoding/decoding of messages and error handling.

GitHub Profile
https://github.com/kdonthi

Polkadot Address
14fnnUEFRnJ1GxXPWxt7paewtKqjcjmAhiNKr1qavTkPRsxk

I look forward to use what I've learned and hopefully get to make an impact :)

Resume
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-z1mQyb_wbv1prlQ6paTAUX_7nW9zfqeKVNvygj_Csc/edit?usp=sharing