Welcome to my little corner 👋

Thanks for sticking around to learn a bit about me! I’m Sai Siddartha Maram—but feel free to call me Sai, Sid, Siddu, or Maram. I was born on May 11, 1998, which happened to be Buddha’s Birthday. Inspired by the coincidence, my father named me "Siddartha," the birth name of the Buddha.

My educational journey has taken me through several cities—Chennai, Zurich, and Hyderabad—each adding something unique to my perspective. Eventually, I found myself at Thapar University in Patiala, where I completed my undergraduate degree. Eager to keep exploring and learning, I made my way to California, where I’m currently pursuing my PhD.

Along the way, I picked up a handful of languages: I speak English, Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil, can read Kannada, and even understand a bit of German.

When I’m not deep in academic or UX work, you’ll probably find me watching movies or OTT shows, playing my ukulele, crafting something with my hands, or café-hopping. Growing up in a Telugu household gave me a deep love for Telugu cinema—but I also enjoy films in Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam. Watching movies isn’t just a hobby for me—it’s a lens through which I view my research. I pay close attention to direction, dialogue, and narrative structure, and often bring those storytelling techniques into my own work.

My curiosity for UX design also sparked a love for crafts and art. With a little help from YouTube, I taught myself to play the ukulele and began experimenting with painting and sculpting—still very much a beginner, but enjoying every bit of it. You can check out some of my early creations above!