# Sahil Popli — Profile and project reference > Sahil Popli is a software builder and founder of Brahma, a company developing digital infrastructure for Bharat. With Kashi (Varanasi) as an anchor, he travels and works across India, including time in the mountains. He builds connected systems for identity, knowledge, relationships, contribution, commerce, and community coordination. His approach draws on Indian philosophical traditions, travel across India, and hands-on engineering. He advocates human agency, local livelihoods, and recognizing forms of value beyond money. --- ## Identity & Background - Name: Sahil Popli - Title: Software builder & Founder of Brahma - Entity: Aham Brah-Maa Solutions (OPC) Private Limited (Registered OPC in Varanasi) - Location: Across India · Kashi as an anchor - Kashi anchor coordinates: 25.3176° N, 82.9739° E - Anchor: Trilochan Ghat, by the Ganga - Ethos: From Tech to Tapasya · Simple Tools · Real Life First - Website: https://popli.me --- ## Reference pages - [Home](https://popli.me) - [Reading and influences](https://popli.me/books) - [Projects and architecture](https://popli.me/systems) - [Principles and design thinking](https://popli.me/manifesto) - [Current development](https://popli.me/now) - [Previous work](https://popli.me/before-brahma) ## Project relationships and status - Brahma: Company and infrastructure for Bharat. The overarching work: connected systems for individuals, families, creators, businesses, communities, and institutions. Status: Infrastructure in development. - Brahma OS: Modular software framework. Shared software for identity, knowledge, intention, relationships, exchange, and coordination. OS describes an application framework, rather than a replacement for a device operating system. Status: Architecture and modules in development. - Brahmand: Attestation and value infrastructure. A shared record of contributions, claims, and value, with a 16-token design separating action, recognition, economic value, and collective voice. Status: Framework and integration in development. - Brahma-Kapāla: Art and cinematic exploration. A creative universe exploring Indian stories, consciousness, cultural memory, sound, and symbolism. Status: Creative exploration. - Kashi initiatives: Applications in local life. Experiments connecting visitors, boatmen, stays, guides, creators, and artisans, bringing infrastructure questions into everyday livelihoods. Status: Local experiments. ## Design thinking ### Why infrastructure for Bharat? Families, schools, temples, businesses, and local communities need ways to learn, exchange, and coordinate that reflect their languages, relationships, and places. I am building shared foundations that different applications can use, with Bharat as the starting context and wider applicability as an ambition. ### What does human agency mean? People should be able to understand what a system records, choose how they participate, and retain meaningful control over identity and creation. These are design criteria for Brahma’s identity and coordination systems. ### Why distinguish money from other value? A payment, a contribution, an endorsement, and a vote express different things. The 16-token framework gives these distinctions a place in the design. Preventing financial influence from overwhelming contribution remains an engineering and governance problem to test. ### How does Indian thought inform the software? Sankalp connects a declared intention to actions and progress. Vidya asks how knowledge becomes understanding and useful skill. Panchang brings traditional calendar context into software. These concepts inform specific responsibilities while their philosophical meaning extends beyond a digital record. ### What am I learning through building? Shared foundations must still support a simple, useful first experience. Offline records need reliable synchronization; attestations need accountable witnesses; commerce needs dependable orders and fulfillment. The architecture has to earn its place through these everyday requirements. ## Core Projects ### [01] Brahma — A company building digital infrastructure for Bharat. - Description: Brahma develops connected systems for identity, knowledge, relationships, contribution, commerce, and community coordination. I am building shared foundations for individuals, families, creators, businesses, communities, and institutions, informed by Indian thought and local life in Bharat. * Aham (Identity): Conscious presence and sovereign digital selfhood without algorithm capture. * Vidya (Knowledge): Learning turned into lived practice and active skill rather than passive feeds. * Sankalp (Intention): Deliberate focus aligned with natural time, sun, and lunar cycles. * Karma (Action): Proof of genuine real-world contribution, discipline, and daily consistency. * Haat (Exchange): Direct local commerce between people, artisans, and communities without corporate tollgates. * Brahman (Presence): Individual autonomy, privacy, and sovereignty across systems. * Infrastructure (Underlying Systems): Open protocols, natural time mechanics, and non-extractive coordination engines. ### [02] Brahma-Kapāla — A cultural and visual space exploring Indian stories, sound and symbolism - Description: A creative universe exploring civilizational stories through visual art, symbolism, and sonic textures. Built to preserve cultural memory and present ancient thought in modern forms. * Visual storytelling and archival projects drawn from classical Indian literature. * Symbolic design systems and high-resolution iconography. * Open digital commons for researchers, writers, and cultural practitioners. ### [03] Music by brah.ma — Music created alongside the work - Description: Original compositions made during long night coding hours. Blending Sanskrit verses, Indian percussive resonance, and ambient acoustic textures. * Releases including Maha Kaal Bhairav, Kunjika, and Bhavya Kashi. * Created as an auditory companion to deep thought and monastic focus. * Streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. ### [04] Kashi Yatra — Experiments in making pilgrimage and local travel work better for the people who actually live here - Description: Ground-level systems connecting visitors directly to traditional wooden boatmen, local homestays, guides, and artisans in Varanasi without middleman cuts or commissions. * Direct QR and peer exchange for wooden boat rides along the ghats. * Support for families and elders navigating pilgrimage with ease and respect. * A practical laboratory testing Brahma exchange protocols in physical reality. --- ## Previous work and ventures - Webivorous Web Services: Independent web engineering studio, digital systems practice & product consultancy. Founded and operated continuously as my primary independent technical practice and agency. Webivorous has spearheaded end-to-end web architectures, high-precision scientific interfaces, enterprise CMS platforms, and consumer digital products for global brands, multinational enterprises, and innovative startups. It remains my active commercial practice alongside Brahma. - KarmaBhoomi: Office & coworking space listing platform in India. An India-based listing platform connecting startups and people seeking affordable offices or coworking space with companies and owners who had spare workspace. The idea grew from our own difficulty finding a good office address on a tight startup budget. - Resource-Guru.com: Curated open tools for web designers and developers. A fast directory and resource engine collecting front-end libraries, CSS snippets, typography tools, and design assets for the global developer community. - Yatra: Grassroots technology testing on the river Ganga. A ground-level laboratory in Varanasi testing peer-to-peer exchange with traditional wooden boatmen, ashram stays, and local weavers. - Brah.ma: A human-centered infrastructure for living, learning, and working. The culmination of a decade of web craft, two years of solo backpacking immersion followed by continuing journeys in parts, and deep study in Kashi. An integrated system of 7 core modules and a 16-token value framework. ## Client and portfolio projects - Anton Paar: Global web presence, website, blog, shop, wiki, emailers & UI/UX - JK Tyre: Corporate website & interactive web interfaces (https://jktyre.com) - Airtel: Corporate web solutions & brand campaigns - XOLO Mobile: Website & device launch interfaces - Economic Times / ET Digi Forum: Conference portal & digital forum interface - Castrol: Zip Factor interactive mobile campaign - Fly Mobile: Product portal & device web experience - Maruti Suzuki: Web & application interface development - Honda: Web & application components - Mobiefit: Website, blog, events section & app-specific dashboards (https://mobiefit.com) - To The New: Agency website & digital portal - TTN Ventures: Incubator & venture portfolio site - 28 Degree North: Hospitality & destination website - TVS: Automotive project / demo website - Aircel Talkies: VAS & entertainment portal - Loan Singh: Lending website (https://loansingh.com) - Divercity: Crowdsourced research platform and forum for discovering unmapped experiences only locals know (https://divercity.in) - Klardenker GMBH: Typography-led website with scroll animation (https://www.klardenker-gmbh.de/) - Mohit Bhatia: Minimal portfolio website for a fashion photographer (https://mohitbhatia.in) - LifeWorks Studios: Studio portfolio website (https://www.lifeworksstudios.com/) - Signify / Philips (Ecolink): Professional lighting & consumer fan product portals (https://professional.ecolinklighting.in/) - Signify India Light Festival: Interactive campaign festival portal (https://signifyindialightfestival.in/) - Karanjawala & Co.: Corporate legal firm website (https://karanjawala.in/) - Excitel Broadband: High-speed fiber broadband consumer portal (https://www.excitel.com/) - TOTO: Luxury sanitaryware Indian corporate website (https://in.toto.com/) - Sujata Appliances: Kitchen appliances brand website & catalog (https://sujataappliances.com/) - Fair and Handsome (Emami): Brand campaign & consumer product website (https://fairandhandsome.net/) - Govind Kanhai: Fine art gallery & master artist portfolio (https://govindkanhai.com/) - Hub of Consciousness: Holistic wellness & meditation center platform (https://hubofconsciousness.com/) - VLCC Personal Care: Consumer wellness & skincare e-commerce platform (https://www.vlccproducts.com/) - Schneider Electric (President's Club): Enterprise partner portal & engagement platform (https://www.schneiderelectricpresident.com/) - SHIF: Financial inclusion & self-help group platform (https://www.shif.in/) ## The 16 Tokens (Brahmand Chain) A framework in development intended to distinguish contribution, recognition, economic value, and governance. These are design roles, not a statement that every token is available. - STREAK (Streak): Category=Action | Purpose=Daily consistency in real life. | Type=Earned only - KARMA (Karma): Category=Action | Purpose=Real work done and contributed. | Type=Earned only - DHARMA (Dharma): Category=Action | Purpose=Living up to personal and community duties. | Type=Earned only - SANSKARA (Sanskara): Category=Action | Purpose=Long-term track record and sustained habits. | Type=Earned only - KRIPA (Kripa): Category=Merit | Purpose=Goodwill and grace received from others. | Type=Gifted - PUNYA (Punya): Category=Merit | Purpose=Helpful contributions to community life. | Type=Earned only - ASHIRWAD (Ashirwad): Category=Merit | Purpose=Respect and endorsement from elders. | Type=Earned only - VARDAAN (Vardaan): Category=Merit | Purpose=Special trust unlocked through service. | Type=Earned only - MUDRA (Mudra): Category=Money | Purpose=Daily payments for stays, boats, and food. | Type=Tradable - DHANA (Dhana): Category=Money | Purpose=Financial savings and institutional reserves. | Type=Tradable - SAMPATTI (Sampatti): Category=Money | Purpose=Tangible property, tools, and land. | Type=Tradable - LAKSHMI (Lakshmi): Category=Money | Purpose=Ethical enterprise and shared prosperity. | Type=Tradable - MAT (Mat): Category=Voice | Purpose=Conscious vote on community priorities. | Type=Voice - BRAHMA (Brahma): Category=Voice | Purpose=Freedom to build and initiate. | Type=Voice - PARISHAD (Parishad): Category=Voice | Purpose=Council alignment across local groups. | Type=Voice - SATTVA (Sattva): Category=Voice | Purpose=Weight given to measured, calm participants. | Type=Voice --- ## The 10-Year Journey (From Tech to Tapasya) ### 2014 — Building for the Web (Haryana) Started Webivorous, a web development agency. Built websites and technical infrastructure for clients. Saw firsthand how the digital architecture of the internet was systematically optimizing for screen addiction. ### 2016 — 2018 — Two Years Backpacking (Across Bharat) Left client work and spent two years traveling solo with a backpack across India. Leaving the tech bubble to observe ground reality stripped away abstract theory and reshaped my understanding of how people live, work, and coordinate outside digital platforms. ### 2018 — Present — Journeys in Parts (Across Bharat) The exploration did not stop—it transitioned into a continuing solo backpacking journey undertaken in parts till today, moving through mountains, rural towns, and cultural crossroads to stay rooted in life beyond screens. ### 2017 — The Seed in Goa (Panjim → Kashi) Registered brah.ma while in Goa. Years later, Kashi became the place where the idea actually took shape as a comprehensive system. ### 2020 — The Lockdown Pivot (Gurugram) The lockdown changed the question. I stopped thinking about individual apps and started thinking about the systems underneath everyday life — identity, knowledge, intention, action, exchange, and community. ### 2022 — Moving to Kashi (Trilochan Ghat) Moved to Varanasi to live and work beside the Ganga. Set up a quiet workspace above Trilochan Ghat, building independently without outside venture capital. ### 2023 — 2025 — Quiet Crafting (Kashi) Spent two years writing code in the quiet hours of the night. Structured Brahma's core architecture, mapped the 16-token value framework, and built systems aligned with natural sun and moon cycles. ### 2026 — Ground Experiments (Ghats of Varanasi) Brought the systems to the river. Testing direct peer exchange mechanisms with wooden boatmen, ashrams, and local stays so people can coordinate directly without corporate tollgates. --- ## Rhythm when in Kashi - [Night] Building: Coding, writing, and system architecture in complete silence while the city sleeps. (Why: Life rhythm in Kashi — building) - [Morning] Ganga: Jal Shavasan in the river at dawn, walking the ghats, and watching the city wake up. (Why: Life rhythm in Kashi — ganga) - [Day] Ground Work: Walking the narrow alleys, talking with boatmen, weavers, and testing tools in real conditions. (Why: Life rhythm in Kashi — ground work) - [Evening] Reading & Reflection: Books, notes, conversations by the water, and unhurried study. (Why: Life rhythm in Kashi — reading & reflection) --- ## Core Thoughts ### Not Everything Valuable Should Be Purchasable - Focus: Why the 16-token framework separates currency from consistency, merit, and voice. (6 min) ### Systems Where Technology Meets Real Life - Focus: Moving away from digital attention retention toward tools that support physical presence. (5 min) ### Two Years on the Road: Lessons from Solo Backpacking - Focus: What traveling solo with a backpack across India—and continuing in parts today—taught me about human trust, local economies, and grounded systems. (8 min) ### Building from Kashi: Why the River Matters - Focus: How living by the Ganga anchors technical decisions in timeless human priorities. (5 min) --- ## Manifesto Technology was supposed to give us time and agency. It ended up capturing attention. Platforms were supposed to connect us. They turned human relationships into engagement metrics. I build Brahma because human life needs systems designed for depth, intention, and real-world presence. Not tools designed to optimize screen retention, but tools that do their work cleanly and let you return to living. Not everything valuable in human life can or should be bought with money. Consistency, character, goodwill, and community trust are fundamentally different kinds of value. I build at night because the stillness allows deep, honest craft. I practice Jal Shavasan at dawn because floating in the river clears away digital noise. Kashi is an anchor I return to. I also travel and work in the mountains and other places across India, keeping my questions connected to life beyond the screen. Technology should serve real life — not replace it. --- ## Contact - Email: sahil@popli.me - LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/sahilpopli - GitHub: https://github.com/belikebrahma - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildwithbrahma - Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/fl/sahilpopli - X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/sahilpopli4IN - Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/users/2109888/sahil-popli?tab=profile - Music: https://music.apple.com/in/artist/brah-ma/1884089888 - Platform: https://brah.ma - Kapala: https://kapala.brah.ma