Project volunteer Lakshmi Chockalingam
“I am most interested in and inspired by anything that helps us get a bit closer to equity and meaningful progress.”
Pronouns She/her
Roles Strategy & Transformation Consultant at TPXimpact
Twice DataDiver, once Data Ambassador, and part of the Ethics Committee at DataKind UK
Links LinkedIn
Lakshmi is an enthusiastic member of our community who has gotten stuck into several volunteer roles in less than one year! She shares her insights on maintaining focus in your data career, and a reason to plan a visit to the British Museum.
How long have you worked in data?
It depends on how we define ‘working in data’. I was first introduced to machine learning and data as part of my integrated master’s degree in software engineering, almost 10 years ago now. So, theoretically, I have been working in data for at least 10 years! However, I have never reported to technical managers, nor have I held a technical role in the industry. I pivoted into charities and I now work in public sector consulting, all the while using data more as a means than an end… I feel comfortable introducing myself as a data geek in non-DataKind spaces. At DataKind, given the rigor of data skills I have seen other volunteers wield, I would very much classify myself as an enthusiast!
What do you wish you’d known when you started to get into data?
Like any other skill, data is a means to an end. There’s no way, and no need, for any single person to master every single data skill and technique out there. Often, it’s the overwhelming number of possibilities that makes getting started difficult. At least that’s what felt difficult to me when I tried to re-enter the space after a short hiatus in 2018.
Here are three things that have helped me find some grounding and solace:
Start somewhere, anywhere. For me, it was learning Python, just because it felt easy to set up and access at the time I was exploring.
Given how ubiquitous data connectivity and learning resources are, do not feel the need to learn or remember every function and command (at least that never worked for me); but rather, at least initially, focus on the core concepts and logic.
Keep your eyes on the prize or the end goal (for me, working towards a pet project always helped me learn a specific skill).
I love the quote/idea, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
And both as a teacher (I used to teach computer science and coding at university level in India), and as a student, I have always found that keeping my eyes on the endless sea helps.
Is there a resource you’d recommend to the community?
Possibly because of the way I learn, I have gotten a lot of use out of Project Euler and Gapminder. I used to use Project Euler a lot when learning new programming languages.
Now when I learn new data tools, say Tableau or PowerBI, I use data from Gapminder. They give me a sense of purpose on the ‘endless sea’. For instance, one of the first projects I did with Tableau was to try and visualise how the growth of GDP of the top 20% of the population mapped to the growth of GDP of the bottom 20% of the population for a few different countries.
What is a data project that inspires you?
UID/Aadhar . What a massive feat it was to get almost the entirety of India’s biometric and demographic data in one place! We’re only still scratching the surface in terms of applications. Once AI, blockchain, and other technologies are better regulated, the possibilities with Aadhar data are endless.
My mom works in insurance, and while she loves the industry, she has always been concerned about how long it takes grieving family members to get life insurance claims sorted out. At a recent fintech conference, I heard about work on smart contracts to solve for this, and that is the kind of project that I am most interested in and inspired by — anything that helps us get a bit closer to equity and meaningful progress.
What have you done so far with DataKind UK?
I was a DataDiver at the Material Focus DataDive weekend, and then a Data Ambassador with the Starlight DataDive project. I also sit on the Ethics committee, but am yet to contribute meaningfully to this stream of work.
While I felt a bit lost with Material Focus (I was new to the domain of e-waste recycling and a bit rusty with my data skills, as well as new to DataKind UK) I absolutely loved the energy in the room, and meeting other volunteers. By day two, I even felt comfortable enough to commit to being a Data Ambassador the next time around! I think it was just a matter of finding out for myself that everyone has a place at DataDive weekends.
What’s surprised you most about volunteering?
That everyone has a place here! It’s not as much about the community being so inclusive (which it absolutely is) as it is about there being a need for all kinds of skills.
From core data skills to project management, scoping, and supporting streams of work such as ethics and community building, the possibilities seem endless! And once you get started, there’s so much scope to keep exploring and learning on the ‘job’, which makes DataKind UK feel a lot more like learning and development than volunteering!
Tell us something completely non-data-related about yourself!
I volunteer with the British Museum as a tour guide! I moved to the UK in 2021, and I have been fascinated with the theatre scene and the museum culture here. Within my first year in London, I visited around 20 museums.
While I was initially thrown by the South Asian sections in the British Museum, Ashmolean, and others, I have since come around to wanting to learn from them about curation, storytelling, and more. I am currently co-creating a tour of the Africa Gallery at the British Museum, and hope for it to go public in December.
