Tapan Maji - Co-Founder

Tapan Maji

Co-Founder • Velona

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Co-Founder • Velona

From Railways to Artificial Intelligence

For more than three decades, my world revolved around engineering, locomotives and solving real-world mechanical challenges in Indian Railways. Retirement opened the door to something completely unexpected Artificial Intelligence.

I didn't come from a software background. I simply believed that learning never stops. That curiosity eventually became Velona a platform built to make world-class AI accessible, practical and affordable for developers, startups and businesses.

30+ Years in Indian Railways Mechanical Engineer AI Enthusiast Co-Founder, Velona Lifelong Learner

People often ask how someone with more than three decades of experience in Indian Railways ended up building an AI startup. The answer is surprisingly simple, I never stopped learning. What began as curiosity after retirement eventually became a mission to make Artificial Intelligence simpler, more accessible, and practical for everyone.

Three Decades of Engineering

For over thirty years I worked at Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), one of India's largest locomotive manufacturing facilities. My career revolved around engineering excellence, quality improvement, maintenance, production and leading teams.

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Manufacturing & Operations
  • Quality Improvement
  • Leadership & Team Management

Retirement Became My Classroom

Retirement gave me something I never had enough of, time to learn. Instead of slowing down, I started exploring Artificial Intelligence, reading documentation, experimenting with models and understanding how modern AI works.

  • Learning Large Language Models
  • Prompt Engineering
  • AI Research
  • Practical Experimentation

Discovering Artificial Intelligence

Although I came from a mechanical engineering background, I quickly realised AI isn't just for software engineers. It's a powerful tool for learning, decision-making, creativity and solving everyday problems.

  • Hands-on Learning
  • Continuous Research
  • Testing AI Models
  • Understanding Real-world Applications

Why Velona Exists

While experimenting with AI, I found the ecosystem unnecessarily complicated. Different providers, different billing methods, different APIs and too many barriers for new builders.

  • One Platform
  • One API
  • Simple Pricing
  • Built for Builders

Lessons From the Journey

Engineering taught me discipline. AI taught me curiosity. Combining both has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

  • Learning Never Stops
  • Experience Matters
  • Technology Should Empower People
  • Stay Curious

Looking Ahead

Today my focus is building Velona making world-class AI accessible through a simple platform that enables developers, startups, students and businesses to transform ideas into reality without unnecessary complexity.


The Journey in Six Steps

"I spent more than thirty years building locomotives.
Today, I'm helping people build with Artificial Intelligence."

Velona is built on one simple belief: technology should empower people, not overwhelm them. If my journey proves anything, it's that it's never too late to learn, innovate and build something meaningful.

Start Building with Velona →