Nishan Shetty

Nishan Shetty

SWE
Nishan Shetty

Current Role

Staff Software Engineer

Agoda · Bangkok

Expertise

Full Stack Engineer

10+ years · React · Scala · Node.js

EmailLinkedIn GitHub

Bio

Personal

I'm a software engineer, trail runner, investor, and reader — originally from Mangalore, India, now based in Bangkok.

I've been writing code since 2014. Today I work as a Staff Software Engineer at Agoda, where I focus on designing solutions for new features and improving systems to support multiple use cases at scale.

Running has become a serious pursuit. I've completed ten half marathons and, in December, finished my first 50k ultra trail. This year I'm targeting a 100k ultra along with a few more 50k races.

I invest in the Indian, U.S., and European stock markets — a habit I've built since I started earning in 2014. Weekends are usually spent researching companies and staying close to markets.

I read exclusively non-fiction — history, business, self-help, and health. Currently working through Younger for Longer. I also write a weekly newsletter sharing the best of what I've been reading.

Education
2010–2014
B.E. in Computer Science — Sahyadri College of Engineering, Mangalore

Skills

Technical
Over 10 years of professional experience building and scaling web applications — across the full stack, from UIs to distributed backend systems.
Frontend
ReactAngularTypeScriptJavaScriptHTML / CSS
Backend
ScalaNode.jsGraphQLSQL
DevOps & Tooling
GitDockerKubernetesCI/CD

Writing

Weekly
Every week I send out a newsletter with curated articles, a video worth watching, a useful online tool, and a quote — spanning technology, finance, health, and human performance.
Subscribe on Substack
All posts
Latest Issue
March 6, 2026

Newsletter Issue #53

This week's curated reads, a video worth your time, a useful tool, and a quote.

Read post

Fitness

Active
Running & Ultras
Running is where I push my limits. I've completed ten half marathons and, in December 2025, crossed the finish line of my first 50k ultra trail. The plan for 2026 is bigger — a 100k ultra and a handful more 50ks. The distance is the point.
CrossFit
I switched from the gym to CrossFit in 2024 and it's been the best training decision I've made. The variety, intensity, and community keep me consistent. I complement it with swimming and the occasional game of tennis.
Hiking & Trekking
I've trekked the Annapurna Base Camp and Langtang Valley routes in Nepal. Everest Base Camp is next — it's been on the list long enough.

Reading & Investing

Interests
Reading

I read exclusively non-fiction — history, business, self-help, and health are my go-to genres. Recent reads include The New Map by Daniel Yergin, Endure by Alex Hutchinson, and The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli. Currently working through Younger for Longer.

Goodreads profile
Investing
I started saving the day I got my first paycheck in 2014 — PPF and bank deposits first, then mutual funds, then direct equities. By 2018 I was picking individual stocks on Zerodha in the Indian market. In 2022 I expanded to the US via FirstTrade, and more recently to European markets as well. Weekends are usually spent reading annual reports, following business news, and thinking about long-term positions.

Quotes I Return To

Wisdom

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

— Annie Dillard

"If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems."

— Frank Wilczek

"Research is to see what everybody has seen and think what nobody has thought."

— Albert Szent-Györgyi

"If you're not rejecting relationships that don't align with your core values, you don't have core values."

— Unknown

"Chasing goals is a trap. Better to focus on cultivating the habits and practices that shape our lives. The rest will take care of itself."

— Josh Knox

"If you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success."

— James Cameron

"This present moment was once the unimaginable future"

— Stewart Brand

"If you want new ideas, read old books."

— Shane Parrish