Backend and identity engineer · Chennai, India
I build secure sign-in.
The sign-in, single sign-on and access control behind the apps people use. Mostly with Keycloak and Java, at Grootan Technologies.
3+ years building sign-in and access
14 projects built, at work and on my own
10 posts explaining what I learn
1 award: Groot of the Quarter, 2024
Work and side projects
Things I’ve built.
01 / 07
Built at Grootan Technologies: sign-in, identity, data and the systems around them.
- 01
Work · 2023 – now
IdentityKeep a large company's login system safe and up to date with each new Keycloak release, without breaking what was built on top.
- Keycloak
- Token exchange
- LDAP
- 02
Personal · 2025
IdentityLog in with the device you already trust, no password. A PKI-style challenge and response that phishing and replayed credentials can't beat.
- PKI
- Passwordless
- React
- 03
Work · 2026 – now
BackendMoving a Melbourne earthmoving company's legacy on-site app to the cloud.
- Cloud migration
- Legacy modernisation
- 04
Work · 2024
DataKeep a cloud database and an on-site database identical in real time, even when one of them goes down.
- SymmetricDS
- MSSQL
- Azure
- 05
Work · 2024
WebAn admin portal with dashboards, scheduling and reviews, delivered a third faster with AI-assisted development.
- React
- Analytics
- LLM-assisted development
- 06
Work · 2024
BackendThe blueprints for how a large app handles user actions, data and sessions.
- Backend architecture
- Low-level design
- Java
- 07
Work · 2024
SecurityTested whether an open messaging platform could carry encrypted, federated chat before the team committed to it.
- Matrix
- Synapse
- End-to-end encryption
- 08
Work · 2023
IdentityOne sign-in that works safely across many separate customer organisations.
- Keycloak
- OIDC
- SSO
- 09
Personal · 2023
SecurityA real-time chat that encrypts every message, so only people with the key can read it.
- AES-256
- WebSocket
- React
- 10
Handcrafted · 2022
WebTrack spending on a calendar, set budgets, and get reminded about money lent or borrowed.
- React
- Spring Boot
- MySQL
- 11
Handcrafted · 2022
WebA Google Docs-style editor where several people type at once, with one-click locking.
- React
- Node.js
- WebSocket
- 12
Handcrafted · 2022
WebThe core of YouTube rebuilt to learn React and Node.js.
- React
- Node
- MySQL
- 13
Handcrafted · 2021
WebThe admin side of an e-learning portal, for managing courses, watching progress and blocking users.
- Java
- JSP
- Servlet
- 14
Handcrafted · 2021
WebMy first project. Videos unlock one by one and can't be skipped, so nobody jumps straight to the certificate.
- Java
- JSP
- Servlet
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Full timelineWork · 2023 – now · Grootan Technologies · Identity
IDP Core
Keep a large company's login system safe and up to date with each new Keycloak release, without breaking what was built on top.
- Role
- Intern, then Software Engineer
- When
- 2023 – now
- Area
- Identity
Own the recurring Keycloak upgrades for IDP Core, adapting its custom extensions to every release. Before that, as an intern on the same product, I extended its brute-force protection, helped migrate it from Keycloak 19 to 21 and set up LDAP user federation.
What I did
- Analyse each Keycloak release for upstream changes, new features and deprecations.
- Adapt the custom token exchange, partial import, Admin UI themes and authenticators to every release, keeping regressions out.
- Extended Keycloak brute-force protection to OTP resend, with a custom mechanism that limits repeated resend attempts.
- Helped migrate Keycloak from v19 to v21, debugging authentication flows, themes and IAM configuration.
- Configured and demonstrated LDAP user federation and synchronisation for enterprise clients.
Stack
- Keycloak
- Token exchange
- LDAP
- Java
Work · 2026 – now · Grootan Technologies · Backend
MadBros cloud migration
Moving a Melbourne earthmoving company's legacy on-site app to the cloud.
- Role
- Software Engineer
- When
- 2026 – now
- Area
- Backend
Helping Mad Brothers Earthmoving (Mad Bros), a civil and earthmoving contractor in Werribee, Melbourne, move their legacy on-premises application to the cloud. In progress; the technical details are confidential.
In progress
Stack
- Cloud migration
- Legacy modernisation
Personal · 2025 · Identity
Device Centric Authentication
Log in with the device you already trust, no password. A PKI-style challenge and response that phishing and replayed credentials can't beat.
- When
- 2025
- Area
- Identity
What I did
- Designed a passwordless sign-in that uses trusted devices as the main identity factor.
- Implemented a cryptographic challenge-response flow inspired by PKI.
- Built to resist phishing and replayed credentials.
Stack
- PKI
- Passwordless
- React
- Node
Work · 2024 · Grootan Technologies · Data
Hybrid-cloud database sync
Keep a cloud database and an on-site database identical in real time, even when one of them goes down.
- Role
- Software Engineer
- When
- 2024
- Area
- Data
Designed and built real-time MSSQL replication between Azure and on-premises servers with SymmetricDS. Configured triggers, conflict handling and queue-based recovery, so data keeps syncing through server downtime.
What I did
- Set up real-time MSSQL replication between Azure and on-premises servers with SymmetricDS.
- Configured triggers to capture changes, and conflict handling for edits made on both sides.
- Added queue-based recovery, so changes wait while a server is down and sync once it is back.
- Zero data loss was the stated design outcome.
Design goal, zero data loss
Stack
- SymmetricDS
- MSSQL
- Azure
Work · 2024 · Grootan Technologies · Web
SparkZen admin portal
An admin portal with dashboards, scheduling and reviews, delivered a third faster with AI-assisted development.
- Role
- Software Engineer
- When
- 2024
- Area
- Web
Delivered the analytics dashboards, scheduling and review workflows with GPT-assisted development, cutting the build from 30 to 20 days, about 33% under the original estimate.
What I did
- Delivered the analytics dashboards, scheduling and review workflows.
- Used GPT-assisted development through the build.
- Finished in 20 days against a 30-day estimate, about 33% less time.
Delivery time, 30 to 20 days (about 33% less)
Stack
- React
- Analytics
- LLM-assisted development
Work · 2024 · Grootan Technologies · Backend
Super App backend
The blueprints for how a large app handles user actions, data and sessions.
- Role
- Software Engineer
- When
- 2024
- Area
- Backend
Designed the low-level architecture for the User Action Processor, the XML parser, and session and state management, with clear component boundaries so later features fit in cleanly.
What I did
- Designed the low-level architecture for the User Action Processor.
- Designed the XML parser, and the session and state management components.
- Set clear boundaries between components, so future features have a place to go.
Stack
- Backend architecture
- Low-level design
- Java
Work · 2024 · Grootan Technologies · Security
TI-Messenger
Tested whether an open messaging platform could carry encrypted, federated chat before the team committed to it.
- Role
- Software Engineer
- When
- 2024
- Area
- Security
Evaluated the Matrix protocol and Synapse with proofs of concept for federation, encrypted messaging with Olm/Megolm and push notifications, to check it was feasible and inform the implementation.
What I did
- Evaluated the Matrix protocol and the Synapse server for TI-Messenger.
- Built proofs of concept for federation, encrypted messaging with Olm/Megolm, and push notifications.
- The results checked it was feasible and informed the implementation decisions.
Stack
- Matrix
- Synapse
- End-to-end encryption
Work · 2023 · Grootan Technologies · Identity
KOBIL Worksphere
One sign-in that works safely across many separate customer organisations.
- Role
- Junior Software Engineer (Intern)
- When
- 2023
- Area
- Identity
Built identity and user management with OIDC flows, IdP-initiated single sign-on and tenant-to-tenant token exchange, for enterprise sign-in that works across tenants.
What I did
- Built IAM and user management for KOBIL Worksphere.
- Implemented OIDC flows and IdP-initiated single sign-on.
- Added tenant-to-tenant token exchange for sign-in across tenants.
Stack
- Keycloak
- OIDC
- SSO
- Multi-tenant IAM
Personal · 2023 · Security
Cryptography Chat
A real-time chat that encrypts every message, so only people with the key can read it.
- When
- 2023
- Area
- Security
Every message is encrypted and decrypted with AES-256-CBC before it leaves or after it reaches the browser.
What I did
- Built a real-time chat that protects messages with symmetric encryption (AES-256-CBC).
- Implemented the encryption and decryption of every message in the browser.
Stack
- AES-256
- WebSocket
- React
- Node
Handcrafted · 2022 · Web
Expense Tracker
Track spending on a calendar, set budgets, and get reminded about money lent or borrowed.
- When
- 2022
- Area
- Web
Built while learning full-stack Java, with a calendar view, budgets per amount, automatic statistics and reminders.
Stack
- React
- Spring Boot
- MySQL
Handcrafted · 2022 · College project, BIT · Web
Docs Online
A Google Docs-style editor where several people type at once, with one-click locking.
- When
- 2022
- Area
- Web
Real-time multi-user editing, sharing as editor or viewer, one-click locking, public links and publishing.
What I did
- Built a Google Docs-style editor with real-time, multi-user editing.
- Added one-click document locking, to control who can change a document at once.
Stack
- React
- Node.js
- WebSocket
- MongoDB
Handcrafted · 2022 · Web
YouTube Clone
The core of YouTube rebuilt to learn React and Node.js.
- When
- 2022
- Area
- Web
Video upload, subscriptions, comments and likes.
Stack
- React
- Node
- MySQL
Handcrafted · 2021 · College project, BIT · Web
Admin Dashboard
The admin side of an e-learning portal, for managing courses, watching progress and blocking users.
- When
- 2021
- Area
- Web
Stack
- Java
- JSP
- Servlet
- MySQL
Handcrafted · 2021 · College project, BIT · Web
E-Learning Portal
My first project. Videos unlock one by one and can't be skipped, so nobody jumps straight to the certificate.
- When
- 2021
- Area
- Web
A proof of concept where fast-forwarding is blocked on first viewing, and a test can follow each video.
Stack
- Java
- JSP
- Servlet
- MySQL
Experience
Where I’ve worked and studied.
- May 2024 – now Software Engineer Grootan Technologies Work
- Jun 2023 – May 2024 Junior Software Engineer (Intern) Grootan Technologies Work
- Oct 2021 – Nov 2021 Web Developer (Intern) YaaRaa Technologies Work
- Aug 2020 – May 2024 B.Tech Computer Technology Bannari Amman Institute of Technology Study
Skills
What I work with.
Point at a tile, or tap it, to see since when and where I’ve used it.
Writing · 10 posts
I explain what I learn.
-
Cryptography
ECDSA vs RSA
11 min
Cryptography · 21 Oct 2026 · 11 min
ECDSA vs RSA
Understand RSA and ECDSA in simple terms. Explore prime numbers, elliptic curves, public and private keys, digital signatures, and quantum security.
- Cryptography
Read on the blog
-
Operating System
Understanding Clock Speed
2 min
Operating System · 16 Nov 2025 · 2 min
Understanding Clock Speed
Explore how your CPU’s clock speed really works — the tiny heartbeat ticking billions of times per second. A quick, clear dive into what GHz truly means and how it powers your device.
- Operating System
Read on the blog
-
Security
Device-Centric Authentication
2 min
Security · 14 Sep 2025 · 2 min
Device-Centric Authentication
The idea of Device Authentication.
- Security
Read on the blog
-
Database
Bi-Directional Database Synchronization
6 min
Database · 26 Jul 2025 · 6 min
Bi-Directional Database Synchronization
Recently, I worked on a real-time user database where we needed to enable bidirectional data synchronization between on-premises and cloud database systems. In this blog, Let's see how we achieved that using SymmetricDS, an open-source tool that made it possible with minimal configurations. By using its trigger-based change data capture (CDC), conflict resolution and decentralized architecture, we were able to sync data in both directions efficiently.
- Database
Read on the blog
About
I'm a backend engineer at Grootan Technologies in Chennai . Since 2023 I've built sign-in for real companies: keeping a large Keycloak login safe through every upgrade, and single sign-on that lets people move between organisations. Now I'm learning how AI changes the way we build, and I write up what I learn, in plain words.
- Now
- Software Engineer, Grootan Technologies
- Studied
- B.Tech Computer Technology, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology
- Based in
- Chennai, India
Contact
Let’s talk.
Identity, security, backend, or a good engineering problem. My inbox is open.