uProfile October 2026 - Asha Chaudhary

How did you first stumble into the Umbraco Community—and what made you stay?

I started my career as a .NET/MVC developer, and my first exposure to Umbraco came while working with a UK-based client whose websites were built on Umbraco.

Initially, I was quite confused by concepts like Documents and Document Types. 😄 I learned Umbraco by working on real projects, experimenting, making mistakes and gradually going deeper into the platform.

The Umbraco Community Forum also played a big role in my journey. I received a lot of help and guidance from the community, and I would especially like to thank Nikhil Prajapati, who supported me and helped me grow with Umbraco.

Over time, I became familiar with more of the Umbraco ecosystem in depth and products such as Umbraco Cloud, Umbraco Engage, Workflow and Umbraco Commerce etc. I started with Umbraco Version 6, and as the years passed, I got started working on migrations, upgrades and more complex solutions.

After 11+ years, Umbraco has become a platform I can rely on and, more importantly, a platform I genuinely enjoy working with. 😊

What do you do in the Community? Any special areas you’re passionate about?

Over the years, my involvement with Umbraco has grown from being a developer using the platform to actively contributing to the Umbraco community in India.

I am involved with the Umbraco User Group India (UUGI), where I participate in and help organise meetups, knowledge-sharing sessions and community activities.

One area I am particularly passionate about is the Umbraco Education Program, which I am working on together with Nikhil Prajapati and Milan Dudhatra. Our aim is to introduce Umbraco to students and young developers, giving them an opportunity to learn, experiment and build with the platform.

I also try to contribute through packages, articles, forum discussions, PRs and sharing technical knowledge wherever I can.

For me, it is about learning, building, sharing and giving back.

Favorite memory, proudest moment, or wildest experience?

One of my proudest and most satisfying moments has been working on the Umbraco Education Program with Nikhil Prajapati. Seeing the smiles on the faces of young, talented people after they successfully created their own website in just two days was truly special. Watching their excitement, confidence and curiosity grow throughout the experience made me feel that we were doing something meaningful. 

Another proud moment was when we presented an Umbraco + Algolia demo at Umbraco Community Day. Seeing Umbraco HQ later adopt and include Algolia in the platform was a really special moment for me. It was amazing to see something we had explored and shared with the community eventually become part of the wider Umbraco ecosystem. 

Becoming an Umbraco Certified Master and later an Umbraco MVP were also very special milestones in my journey. I would like to thank my organization – GIRIRAJ DIGITAL, to sponsor all kind of helps and supports whenever and wherever required. They were meaningful not just as recognitions, but because they represented years of learning, contributing and being part of the Umbraco community. 

And the recent proudest moments for me was being part of the migration from Sitecore to Umbraco. It was quite a challenging project because we had to understand the existing system, migrate the content, and make sure everything worked smoothly on the new platform. 

There were definitely some unexpected challenges along the way, but working through them as a team taught me a lot about problem-solving, planning, and collaboration. 

The moment we successfully completed the migration and saw everything working on Umbraco was really satisfying. It made me proud because it wasn’t just about completing a technical task, it was about taking on a complex challenge and seeing it through successfully. 

These experiences remind me why I enjoy being part of the Umbraco community so much: learning, building, sharing and seeing others grow. 😊 

Your top 3 tips for someone new to Umbraco or the community?

1. Learn by building
   Start with a small project, experiment, make mistakes and learn from them. I believe the best way to understand Umbraco is by actually building with it.

2. Get involved with the community
   Ask questions, attend meetups, join discussions and interact with other Umbraco community. You can learn a lot from other people's experiences. 

3. Start contributing, no matter how small
   Write an article, create a package, raise a PR, answer a forum question or simply share something you have learned. Also connect with your local Umbraco community. It helps you grow, build relationships, exchange experiences and gain confidence. 

   
   

What’s next for you? Any dreams, goals, or exciting plans?

My biggest dream is to see Umbraco become even more powerful and reach more and more people. I would love to see greater awareness of Umbraco and everything it is capable of, especially in India. 

My goal is simple: whatever we can do to help Umbraco grow, we will do it. Whether that means creating content, sharing knowledge, building useful things, supporting the community or helping people understand the platform better, I want to contribute wherever I can. 

At the moment, we are exploring new ideas and building things that make the Umbraco experience easier for the community. The aim is to create solutions that remove complexity and make people feel confident choosing Umbraco without having to think twice. 

And one of my biggest goals is to see people across India become aware of Umbraco, understand what it is capable of, and recognise what they can build with it. 

For me, what’s next is about making Umbraco more visible, more accessible and more powerful, while helping the community grow along with it. 🚀💙 

Fun facts

Got a fun fact, secret, or unexpected talent?

A fun fact about me is that when I first started with Umbraco, I was genuinely confused between Documents and Document Types. 😄 That confusion was actually part of my learning journey, and I think I will cherish that mistake for life. 

Outside programming, I have a real passion for farming. 🌱 It is something I would love to explore more deeply, just like I have explored Umbraco over the years. 

And perhaps my unexpected talent is persistence. If I really want to achieve something or connect with divine energy, I can walk for as many miles as it takes. 🙏✨ 

What’s currently living on your desk?

A few things on my desk have a special connection with my Umbraco journey. 😊 

My Umbraco MVP Award is a reminder of the community recognition and the journey behind it. 

I also have a very special Umbraco Diary that I received from Nikhil Prajapati, which has personal value for me because of the support and guidance he gave me when I was starting my Umbraco journey. 

And, of course, my phone, which is an everyday essential! 😄 

Beyond these, there is one more thing that is always on my desk, even if you can't see it: the curiosity to keep learning and building something with Umbraco. 

What book/series/game are you into right now?

I don't watch a lot of series, and I don't really play games either, except cricket, which is probably the one exception! 😄 

There is one book I have been planning to start reading for a long time: Srimad Bhagvat Geeta. It has been on my list for quite some time, and I would really like to make the time to start reading it and explore its teachings more deeply.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

If I could have a superpower, it would be the ability to pause time. 😄 

Imagine having a few extra hours every day to explore Umbraco, work on AI ideas, contribute to the community, and still have enough time to spend on farming. 🌱😄

What’s at the top of your bucket list?

At the top of my bucket list are a few simple but meaningful things. 😊 

I would love to explore beautiful places, experience nature and discover new parts of the world. 🌍 

I also want to explore farming using modern and better techniques, learn more about it and eventually apply those learnings myself. 🌱 

Another important part of my life is giving back to society. I truly believe in “Seva Paramo Dharma” — that serving others is one of the highest forms of purpose. We try to do things that are close to our hearts and meaningful to us, and through those activities, we find ways to give back to society. One of the things we regularly do is support pilgrims walking towards Ambaji and Dakor, two deeply revered pilgrimage places in Gujarat, by helping them along their journey. For me, it is not just about helping others; it is about doing something meaningful with the heart and finding happiness in giving back. 🙏✨ 

And above everything, I want to live a happy and peaceful life, spread happiness around me, and enjoy the journey. 🙏✨ 

Most unforgettable meal?

I don't think I have one particular meal that I would call the most unforgettable. 

For me, food becomes memorable more because of the people, place and experience around it than simply what is on the plate. 

A simple meal shared with the right people can sometimes be much more memorable than an expensive or fancy one. 😊 

Hidden talent?

I would say my hidden talent is observation. 

I tend to quietly observe, listen and learn before I speak. I learn best by building things and experiencing them, rather than just reading about them. 

I also have this habit of trying to visualise what someone is saying. When someone explains an idea or a problem, I naturally try to create a picture of it in my mind and understand how everything connects.

What’s on repeat in your headphones?

I’m sorry to say, but I don’t really listen to music on headphones. 😄 

If I do listen to something, it’s usually devotional songs, and I prefer playing them on a speaker. 

I mostly keep my headphones reserved for calls. 😄🎧

If you were an animal, what would you be?

I would probably choose a tiger. 🐅 

A tiger represents fearlessness, strength, sharpness and confidence. It doesn't back away from challenges and faces whatever comes its way with calmness and determination. 

I also like the idea of being quietly confident rather than always trying to prove yourself. 

Keep learning, adapt to the situation, face challenges gracefully and keep moving forward. And, of course, being a little sharp and talented doesn't hurt! 😄