Microsoft Certified Data Analyst | Accenture Professional | Practical Python Training | 6+ Years Teaching | 100+ Students Trained

Find out more about Prerna

• Tell us more about your subject. How did you develop an interest in this field?

  My area of teaching is Data Analytics, including Python, SQL, MySQL and Power BI.
  
  My journey with data and technology started around 7–8 years ago, when I did an internship with a USA-based startup. We worked on a medical use case where we developed Python scripts to extract useful information from lab reports. That experience introduced me to the practical side of programming and showed me how technology could be used to solve real-world problems.
  
  My interest grew further when I joined TCS and worked on a data migration project. This gave me the opportunity to work with more complex SQL queries and understand how data moves through real business systems.
  
  Later, in my professional journey, I got the opportunity to work on complete Power BI dashboards for businesses, including GE Healthcare, as well as projects within Accenture. This helped me understand the complete journey from data and logic to analytics, visualisation and finally communicating insights to business stakeholders.
  
  What fascinates me most about Python and SQL is the logic involved. Solving a complicated query or figuring out a programming problem sometimes feels like playing Sudoku you keep looking at the problem from different angles until everything finally falls into place.
  
  I find Power BI fascinating for a different reason. The visualisation, security, interaction with stakeholders and connection to actual business problems make analytics feel much more real. It is where all the data and logic start making sense from a business perspective.

• What or who is the motivation behind you choosing to teach & why?

  I am a full-time Data Analyst, but teaching has been a passion of mine for more than 7 years, so I continue to teach part-time alongside my professional career.
  
  Interestingly, my passion for teaching started when I was a student myself. During engineering, I would often teach concepts to my friends, and they would tell me that I had a way of explaining things that made them easier to understand. They encouraged me to give teaching a serious try and I did. I haven't stopped since!
  
  Over the years, I have taught 300+ students, including school students, college students, job seekers, working professionals and career switchers.
  
  With experience, I have learned that there is no single way of teaching. Every learner thinks differently. My biggest strength is being able to understand the learner's perspective and break a concept down in a way that works for them.
  
  If someone doesn't understand something the first time, I don't believe in simply repeating the same explanation. I try a different example, analogy, problem or even an entirely different approach until the concept clicks.
  
  The most satisfying part is seeing students use what they have learned to perform better at college or work, become more confident, clear an interview, complete a project, pass a certification or even get a new job.
  
  There is a very special sense of contentment when you see that moment when a student finally says, “Oh, now I understand!”

• How does your work help society?

  I believe good education has the power to make things simpler, faster and more efficient.
  
  Data analytics and technology can seem intimidating when someone is looking at them for the first time. My role is to make these subjects approachable and show students how they can actually be used in the real world.
  
  I work with a very diverse range of learners from children who are taking their first steps into programming to professionals who want to upskill or switch careers.
  
  Having worked as a Data Analyst myself, I try to connect what I teach to practical situations rather than limiting learning to theoretical concepts. My goal is not just to help someone finish a course, but to give them the confidence to actually use the skill.
  
  Whether that means helping someone understand their first Python program, solve a difficult SQL problem, build a Power BI dashboard, prepare for an interview or take the next step in their career, I find that incredibly meaningful.

• If you had to think of a role model for your work, who do you think of & why?

  I don't think of one particular person as my role model. Instead, I look up to the qualities that make someone a truly good teacher.
  
  For me, the most important quality is never giving up on your student.
  
  Every student learns differently, and sometimes the method that works for one person simply doesn't work for another. A good teacher needs the patience and creativity to recognise that and try something new.
  
  If a student doesn't understand a concept through a technical explanation, I might use an analogy. If that doesn't work, I'll try a real-world example, a visual explanation or a practical problem.
  
  I believe a teacher's job is not to decide that a student “cannot understand” something. It is to keep looking for a way to make the student understand.
  
  That patience, communication, compassion and willingness to keep trying are the qualities I aspire to bring into every class.

• Tell us about your hobbies outside teaching.

  Outside teaching and my work in data analytics, I love singing and dancing. Both give me a wonderful break from technology and allow me to switch off from the analytical side of my brain for a while.
  
  At the same time, I genuinely enjoy learning things related to data analytics, technology and logic building. So even though I like taking a break from technology, I also enjoy coming back to it and challenging myself with new concepts and problems.
  
  I think that balance is important having something that keeps your mind sharp and something that simply makes you happy.

• Do you have an anecdote to tell us about your student or professional life?

  One student who has stayed particularly close to my heart is Tommy.
  
  I taught him Python, SQL and Power BI, and his learning journey wasn't always easy. He struggled with concepts such as CTEs and subqueries in SQL and with logic building in Python.
  
  What stood out to me wasn't how quickly he understood everything, but his determination to keep going.
  
  Even with a hectic schedule, he made the effort to continue learning. If something was difficult, he didn't simply give up. He would come back the next day and try again.
  
  Eventually, he completed all three courses with me in 1.5 years and got his dream job. Somewhere along the way, the relationship also evolved beyond being simply a teacher and student we became great friends.
  
  For me, that experience perfectly captures why I love teaching. The most rewarding part isn't seeing a student who finds everything easy. It is seeing someone struggle, persist, improve and eventually realise just how much they are capable of.
  
  It reminded me once again that sometimes the most important thing a teacher can give a student isn't just knowledge it is the confidence to keep trying.