BTech Graduate Dhairya Shah Credits Research for Paving Way into Software Solutions

Olympic-style weightlifting involves complex, technical movements where accurate tracking of barbell motion is crucial for performance analysis. Blending computer science and engineering concepts with his passion for sports and research, our BTech graduate, Dhairya Shah, recently worked on identifying and tracking kinematic variables to help Olympic weightlifting athletes improve their technique.

In Olympic weightlifting, the main lifts are the clean and jerk, and snatch. A key focus for athletes in both is maintaining the correct body posture to prevent serious injuries, which can sideline a career for 6–12 months. Dhairya's work proposed a computer vision-based framework that first corrected for perspective distortion caused by varying camera height and distance, then applied a rule-based algorithm to classify snatch trajectories into four distinct types.

A preliminary investigation of 6,000 frames showed a 70 per cent classification accuracy. Building on these labels, eight key barbell kinematic variables were calculated. Of these, three—vertical peak height (Ymax), initial horizontal setup (X1), and bar drop efficiency (Ycatch)—were used to generate a consolidated 0–4 performance score, mapped to five qualitative categories ranging from "Very Bad" to "Excellent." The central problem was to analyse a lift and provide a performance score from zero to four, with four being the most balanced and efficient.

Dhairya began this work under the guidance of Professor Mehul Raval and professors from Sacred Heart University. The research was presented at the International Sports Analytics Conference and Exhibition in China. He has also assisted Professor Raval in another study focused on basketball, where players are prone to injuries from high-impact movements such as jumping and landing.

Dhairya's passion for research earned him admission for graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts. However, his drive to apply his learning to real-world challenges led him to explore a career as a software development engineer with Trilogy Innovations, where he now works on coding solutions for companies. Currently, he is developing solutions for an edtech company to make lessons more engaging and accessible.

Reflecting on his journey, he said: "The University offers a variety of experiences across different domains that help build a successful career or at least provide a launchpad. Let me enumerate the ones that helped me. The first is interdisciplinary education. I was always interested in different fields. It wasn't just about computer science; I was also drawn to psychology and entrepreneurship. So, I took courses in both. I was also selected for the VentureStudio Fellowship, which gave me insights into building my own venture."

Dhairya also highlighted the role of rigorous coursework in strengthening his core skill sets and the support of faculty who provided ample opportunities to pursue his interests. He further acknowledged the Career Development Centre​​​​​​'s immense guidance.

Dhairya’s journey reflects how curiosity and resilience shape students into confident professionals who excel in their chosen fields. His experience in cutting-edge sports analytics research not only deepened his skills but also prepared him for a promising career in software development.