From a Hostel Room Idea
Back in 2015, when we were part of the very first batch of KTU at MEA Engineering College, Perinthalmanna, something special was born inside Room 329 of our hostel. What started as casual discussions soon turned into a project, we built a small Blogger site called ktustudents.in. The idea was simple: make academic life a little easier by providing notes, syllabi, and question papers in one place.
The Power of a Team
The journey of ktustudents.in was powered by a small but passionate team from our hostel. Ahammed Jouhar, with his problem-solving mindset, often took the lead in structuring ideas and keeping the project moving forward. Ahmed Salih AC played a crucial role as the developer, later building and launching the Android app that took the platform to the next level. Amjad Shibli contributed his tech and coding skills, ensuring the flow of content and resources reached students effectively. Inzamam was always the connector, helping us expand our reach and keeping the spirit alive within the college community. Shehil Abdulla for creative side, Hamid KC, Khais KC and many of our hostel-mates and friends helped and guided us in many aspects and situations. And I, Shahari, focused on the technical and coordination, making sure all the pieces came together. Together, in Room 329 of MEA Engineering College hostel, we complemented each other’s strengths and created something far beyond what any one of us could have built alone.
Recognition Beyond Expectations
At first, it was just a student experiment. But soon, the site began spreading across colleges and quickly became a lifeline for many. The recognition surprised us, our website was even featured on the official KTU University website, and we received a special mention from the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University. For a group of hostel students with limited resources, that moment felt huge.
App Release
The journey didn’t stop there. By 2017, we wanted to take it a step further and decided to launch an Android app. The app was developed by our friend Ahmed Salih AC, and with little prior experience, we faced countless hurdles. But determination kept us going. We chose the IEDC Summit at Adlux Convention Centre, Angamaly as our launch day. The night before, in a small hotel room in Angamaly, we stayed up all night fixing bugs and finalizing the app. By morning, against all odds, it went live on the Google Play Store. That overnight hustle remains one of our proudest memories.
10K+ App Downloads
The app quickly gained traction after launch, crossing 10,000 downloads on the Play Store and receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from students. It wasn’t just numbers, the reviews and messages from users showed us that what we built in limited time and resources was genuinely helping thousands of learners. That encouragement kept us motivated to keep improving.
First Taste of Entrepreneurship
The project also opened doors to collaborations, and for the first time, we stepped into the world of digital entrepreneurship. The day we received our first cheque from Google AdSense was unforgettable. That simple piece of paper symbolized more than just money, it was proof that our idea had real impact and reach. We even made a decent income from it and earned a reputation in our college community as “the guys behind ktustudents.in.”
Back to EdTech Again
Over the years, life moved on and we explored other projects. But the spirit of creating something from nothing stayed with us. After the post-Corona shift in education, we found ourselves drawn back into EdTech. Today, our entire tech team is working together again, channeling that same hostel-room energy into building and experimenting with new learning solutions through TRIZ Learning.
The Journey Continues
From Room 329 at MEA Engineering College to recognition, revenue, and now to a new chapter in EdTech, the journey has always been about learning, building, and pushing boundaries. This is just one chapter of our journey, more stories, memories, and milestones will be shared soon. Stay tuned!
