Meerali Naseet, 24
Meerali Naseet: From Hackathon Participant to AI MVP, Sparking Change and Building Community
Meerali Naseet’s hackathon journey began during a break from freelancing, internships and gig work in her second year of college. Eager to explore beyond academics, she stumbled across Major League Hacking. “I exactly don’t remember how I got to MLH, maybe from some Chrome ads or somewhere,” Meerali laughs. What started as curiosity quickly blossomed into passion as she dove into over ten hackathons—online, offline, and hybrid—where she built multiple MVPs and launched products. “I didn’t win any hackathons,” she says, “but those experiences worked!”
Meerali’s love for tech deepened as she became more involved with the hacker community. She moved from participant to organizer, hosting her own hackathon and awarding winners with 12 months of LinkedIn Premium. Her dedication to giving back is clear: “Yes, giving back is in my blood! I independently organized a hackathon and gave away incentives like LinkedIn premiums and certificates, through the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program” She has also led over 30 events, spoken in more than 15 sessions, hosted 10 challenges, and organized 15 quizzes.
Her community impact goes beyond numbers. Meerali has mentored over 100 students one-on-one and reached more than 20,000 participants through events, workshops, blogs, and sessions. She’s been recognized as a judge for Imagine Cup 2024-2025(Idea and MVP rounds) and the MLSA AI Projects for six quarters running, guiding students from hackathon projects to entrepreneurship. “The impact I created makes me truly stand out. It’s not only about participating but the hackers impacted and skills shared.”
One of her most memorable leadership roles was Study Group Lead for Azure AI over three consecutive quarters. Determined to keep things fresh, she transformed routine sessions into exciting events with quizzes, fun activities, and even a mini hackathon. “Earning the Credly badge as a Study Group Lead was special, but nothing beats the joy of seeing participants tag me in their LinkedIn posts with a thank you. That feeling? Truly rewarding!”
Meerali’s technical skills are vast, with a special fondness for C++. “It’s the fastest ever,” she says with a smile. But Python and Visual Studio Code are her hearts for all the automation and AI work she does. Beyond tech, she enjoys hosting hands-on workshops, exploring new spaces, fixing things around the house, cycling, running, swimming, playing badminton and spending time with grandparents and kids.
She embraces the unexpected with a playful spirit: “I do what people say don’t do. I play with 70+ year olds when no one else is free. Teaching them the basics of the digital world is a fantasy for me.” Her warmth and humor shine through everything she does, from hosting global hackathons to making the digital world accessible to everyone.
Today, Meerali proudly holds the title of Microsoft MVP in AI. She’s a Computer Engineer, Entrepreneur, MBA graduate, and a proud alumna of the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program as a Gold MLSA. Her journey is proof that “If the system holds you back offline, make your spark online. You are unstoppable. There is no limit!”
Quick Facts
Meerali Naseet, 24
Meerali Naseet: From Hackathon Participant to AI MVP, Sparking Change and Building Community
Meerali Naseet’s hackathon journey began during a break from freelancing, internships and gig work in her second year of college. Eager to explore beyond academics, she stumbled across Major League Hacking. “I exactly don’t remember how I got to MLH, maybe from some Chrome ads or somewhere,” Meerali laughs. What started as curiosity quickly blossomed into passion as she dove into over ten hackathons—online, offline, and hybrid—where she built multiple MVPs and launched products. “I didn’t win any hackathons,” she says, “but those experiences worked!”
Meerali’s love for tech deepened as she became more involved with the hacker community. She moved from participant to organizer, hosting her own hackathon and awarding winners with 12 months of LinkedIn Premium. Her dedication to giving back is clear: “Yes, giving back is in my blood! I independently organized a hackathon and gave away incentives like LinkedIn premiums and certificates, through the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program” She has also led over 30 events, spoken in more than 15 sessions, hosted 10 challenges, and organized 15 quizzes.
Her community impact goes beyond numbers. Meerali has mentored over 100 students one-on-one and reached more than 20,000 participants through events, workshops, blogs, and sessions. She’s been recognized as a judge for Imagine Cup 2024-2025(Idea and MVP rounds) and the MLSA AI Projects for six quarters running, guiding students from hackathon projects to entrepreneurship. “The impact I created makes me truly stand out. It’s not only about participating but the hackers impacted and skills shared.”
One of her most memorable leadership roles was Study Group Lead for Azure AI over three consecutive quarters. Determined to keep things fresh, she transformed routine sessions into exciting events with quizzes, fun activities, and even a mini hackathon. “Earning the Credly badge as a Study Group Lead was special, but nothing beats the joy of seeing participants tag me in their LinkedIn posts with a thank you. That feeling? Truly rewarding!”
Meerali’s technical skills are vast, with a special fondness for C++. “It’s the fastest ever,” she says with a smile. But Python and Visual Studio Code are her hearts for all the automation and AI work she does. Beyond tech, she enjoys hosting hands-on workshops, exploring new spaces, fixing things around the house, cycling, running, swimming, playing badminton and spending time with grandparents and kids.
She embraces the unexpected with a playful spirit: “I do what people say don’t do. I play with 70+ year olds when no one else is free. Teaching them the basics of the digital world is a fantasy for me.” Her warmth and humor shine through everything she does, from hosting global hackathons to making the digital world accessible to everyone.
Today, Meerali proudly holds the title of Microsoft MVP in AI. She’s a Computer Engineer, Entrepreneur, MBA graduate, and a proud alumna of the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program as a Gold MLSA. Her journey is proof that “If the system holds you back offline, make your spark online. You are unstoppable. There is no limit!”
