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"Overleaf has made work easier, documents prettier and life simpler." – Aalok Thakkar

Recently we spoke with Aalok Thakkar, a student at Chennai Mathematical Institute pursuing an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, and a member of Institute of Actuaries of India. His interest lies in economics, mathematics, computer science and history.

Inspired by the workshop provided by Overleaf Advisor and Chennai Mathematical Institute alumnus, Ratul Saha, in October, 2015, Aalok would like to offer a similar presentation to students at his alma mater, The Galaxy Education System (TGES) in Rajkot, India. He intends to visit almost all branches of TGES to share his experience with mathematics and computer science and to educate students on the importance of organization and documentation related to research in these fields including information on LaTeX and Overleaf.

An Interview with Aalok Thakkar

How would you describe your experience of using Overleaf?

My experience of Overleaf has been excellent. I often just use it to take notes, apart from writing papers. I was overjoyed when I learned that Overleaf is compatible with so many packages including Devanagari (an Indic script) which I required for one of my papers on history. Now that I am used to it, I doubt if typesetting without Overleaf would be my cup of tea.

I am a contributor to an online magazine called Gonit Sora. I no more email my articles to them, but simply send an Overleaf link of my article. Group assignments become pretty easy as anyone can edit the document, and the hassle of uploading and downloading files is done with. Moreover, my parents love to read what I write and hence they insist on me sending them my work. I have now just given them my Overleaf password.

What’s next for you and your work?

Next for me is undergraduate research in the fields of algebra, algorithms, and history of mathematics. I will soon be done with my paper on history of mathematics, and then focus on writing a commentary on a few ancient texts. I am uncertain of what shall be next.

In summary, how would you describe Overleaf in a single sentence?

Overleaf has made work easier, documents prettier and life simpler.

We're delighted to welcome Aalok as a new Overleaf advisor, and look forward to hearing more about his visits soon.