Indian software engineer Soham Parekh has publicly responded to the growing controversy surrounding his professional conduct. In an interview with TBPN, Parekh admitted that the allegations of working with multiple startups simultaneously were true. He revealed that he had been managing an intense workload, putting in nearly 140 hours every week. According to Parekh, this decision stemmed not from ambition or opportunism, but from a need to navigate a tough financial situation.
During the discussion, the hosts attempted to understand how Parekh maintained such a punishing schedule. They pointed out that he seemed to sleep only 6 to 8 hours per day while coding non-stop for 12 to 14 hours daily, including weekends. When asked whether the use of AI tools like code assistants contributed to him juggling multiple roles, Parekh agreed that these tools did enhance productivity, but he denied that they allowed him to take on more positions than he could handle.
Unconventional Work Ethic and Lifestyle
Parekh also spoke about his irregular routine, stating that he never followed a fixed work schedule for any company. Instead, he focused entirely on the immediate tasks before him. He admitted to operating on minimal sleep and said that friends and colleagues often remarked on his chronic lack of rest. Parekh described himself as someone who has become accustomed to sleeplessness, describing it almost as a part of his identity.
"I think people around me will probably say this: that I am notoriously known for not sleeping. I am a… you know… I am a serial-like non-sleeper at this point, I would say..." he said. He stated that he worked for 12-14 hours every day.
Reason Behind Moonlighting: Financial Crisis
Expanding on his motivations, Parekh reiterated that his choice to work multiple jobs was rooted in pressing financial challenges. He emphasized that no one willingly chooses to work nearly 140 hours per week unless driven by extreme necessity. His decision, he said, was not born out of greed but survival, as he had bills to pay and responsibilities to manage.
"Financial circumstances, essentially. No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, but I had to do it out of necessity.." he said.
Denying Outsourcing Allegations
As the controversy gained traction on social media, several users accused Parekh of transforming his multiple jobs into a business model by subcontracting his work to junior developers. These claims suggested that he was profiting off others' efforts while maintaining the illusion of handling all responsibilities himself. Parekh flatly rejected these allegations, asserting that he personally wrote every line of code assigned to him.
Journey from Mumbai to the U.S.
Parekh shared that he was originally from Mumbai and had moved to the United States in 2020. His initial plan was to relocate in 2018 to pursue graduate studies. However, financial difficulties forced him to delay that move. Once in the U.S., he finally enrolled and earned his master’s degree in computer science from the prestigious Georgia Institute of Technology. Prior to this, he completed his undergraduate studies in computer engineering at the University of Mumbai, graduating with an outstanding GPA of 9.83 out of 10.
Triggering the Backlash
The allegations against Parekh surfaced when Suhail Doshi, co-founder of Mixpanel and Playground AI, issued a public advisory to other startup founders via X (formerly Twitter). Doshi accused Parekh of misleading several startups, many of which were funded by Y Combinator, by accepting roles with them simultaneously. Following Doshi's post, at least six other technology executives confirmed that Parekh had been employed at their companies and was removed once his dual employment status was discovered.
Parekh’s story has sparked widespread debate in the tech industry about burnout, financial pressures, and the growing ethical dilemmas in remote work environments.
During the discussion, the hosts attempted to understand how Parekh maintained such a punishing schedule. They pointed out that he seemed to sleep only 6 to 8 hours per day while coding non-stop for 12 to 14 hours daily, including weekends. When asked whether the use of AI tools like code assistants contributed to him juggling multiple roles, Parekh agreed that these tools did enhance productivity, but he denied that they allowed him to take on more positions than he could handle.
Unconventional Work Ethic and Lifestyle
Parekh also spoke about his irregular routine, stating that he never followed a fixed work schedule for any company. Instead, he focused entirely on the immediate tasks before him. He admitted to operating on minimal sleep and said that friends and colleagues often remarked on his chronic lack of rest. Parekh described himself as someone who has become accustomed to sleeplessness, describing it almost as a part of his identity.
"I think people around me will probably say this: that I am notoriously known for not sleeping. I am a… you know… I am a serial-like non-sleeper at this point, I would say..." he said. He stated that he worked for 12-14 hours every day.
Reason Behind Moonlighting: Financial Crisis
Expanding on his motivations, Parekh reiterated that his choice to work multiple jobs was rooted in pressing financial challenges. He emphasized that no one willingly chooses to work nearly 140 hours per week unless driven by extreme necessity. His decision, he said, was not born out of greed but survival, as he had bills to pay and responsibilities to manage.
"Financial circumstances, essentially. No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, but I had to do it out of necessity.." he said.
Denying Outsourcing Allegations
As the controversy gained traction on social media, several users accused Parekh of transforming his multiple jobs into a business model by subcontracting his work to junior developers. These claims suggested that he was profiting off others' efforts while maintaining the illusion of handling all responsibilities himself. Parekh flatly rejected these allegations, asserting that he personally wrote every line of code assigned to him.
Journey from Mumbai to the U.S.
Parekh shared that he was originally from Mumbai and had moved to the United States in 2020. His initial plan was to relocate in 2018 to pursue graduate studies. However, financial difficulties forced him to delay that move. Once in the U.S., he finally enrolled and earned his master’s degree in computer science from the prestigious Georgia Institute of Technology. Prior to this, he completed his undergraduate studies in computer engineering at the University of Mumbai, graduating with an outstanding GPA of 9.83 out of 10.
Triggering the Backlash
The allegations against Parekh surfaced when Suhail Doshi, co-founder of Mixpanel and Playground AI, issued a public advisory to other startup founders via X (formerly Twitter). Doshi accused Parekh of misleading several startups, many of which were funded by Y Combinator, by accepting roles with them simultaneously. Following Doshi's post, at least six other technology executives confirmed that Parekh had been employed at their companies and was removed once his dual employment status was discovered.
Parekh’s story has sparked widespread debate in the tech industry about burnout, financial pressures, and the growing ethical dilemmas in remote work environments.
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