Paran
Sonthalia.
I'm a quantitative developer at Citadel in New York, on the index rebalance desk. I write code for a quant trading team — careful systems, correct systems — and otherwise spend my time running long, building things, and tinkering with side projects.
Before this, UC Berkeley ('22, Computer Science and Data Science) and DeWaste, a Y Combinator-grant-funded food-waste startup. This site is a place to keep track of the things I've made and the places I've been. Poke around. ↘
A bit about me.
I'm a quantitative developer at Citadel in New York, on the index rebalance desk. The work is the right kind of hard — careful, correct, durable — and I get to learn from people who have been thinking about markets for decades.
Before Citadel I went to UC Berkeley for Computer Science and Data Science (class of '22), where I taught CS, did a bit of research, and spent more nights than I should have on side projects. While there I co-founded DeWaste, a Y-Combinator-grant-funded startup working on food waste in dining institutions.
Outside of work I'm an Eagle Scout, a big car person, and someone who enjoys building things with my hands. I keep a YouTube channel called Xcelerate where I document training for long-distance races.
If you want the short version: I write code that has to be correct, fast, and durable; the rest of the time, I run, build things, and write down what I notice.
— Paran
Now.
manhattan
things I've made.
AI-native technical interview platform. Candidates use AI freely while a silent watcher grades judgment, problem decomposition, and tool use — auditable scorecards in 45 minutes.
An AI interviewer that listens, speaks, and grades. Paste a job description and run a realistic mock interview — coding, system design, case, banking, or quant — with scored feedback.
Food-waste startup. Worked with dining institutions to measure and reduce post-consumer waste. YC Startup School grant.
YouTube channel documenting endurance training — running, biking, race prep. Long-form, no edits for the sake of it.
Designed and CAD'd custom arms, landing gear, and hub. Sourced parts, built a photography drone end-to-end.
Self-sorting trash can. Computer vision + servos to route landfill, recycling, and compost in real time.
The c.v.
Xcelerate — the channel.
Xcelerate →
Started in 2020 as a way to keep myself accountable. Still going. subscribe →
| 100-mile ultra | Big Bear, CA | 100 mi |
| SF Ultra | San Francisco, CA | 52.4 mi |
| JFK 50 | Washington Co., MD | 50 mi |
| Ironman | Texas | 140.6 mi |
| Ironman | Arizona | 140.6 mi |
| Half Ironman | Luxembourg | 70.3 mi |
Some kind words.
Volunteer work.
Gathered sponsors, mentors, judges. Planned the event end-to-end.
Mentored UC Berkeley students through intro CS courses.
Rebuilt the troop's site as a resource hub.
Taught a dozen-plus classes; continued tutoring at Berkeley.