From rural Kyrgyzstan to the world of AI — a journey through code, competitions, and community

Hello, I'm Tazhibaev Iskhak

Student, Problem Solver, and AI Enthusiast

Hey! I'm from Batken, one of the most remote regions in Kyrgyzstan. I spend most of my time solving algorithmic puzzles, exploring AI, and diving into cybersecurity challenges. Right now I'm studying at MBZUAI, where I get to work on some really cool AI projects. I also love teaching — helping other students get into competitive programming has been one of my favorite experiences. Outside of tech, you'll probably find me playing chess or soccer.

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About Me

My Journey

I grew up in Batken, which is pretty much as rural as it gets in Kyrgyzstan. Tech access was limited, so whenever I got the chance to learn something new, I made the most of it. I've always been the type to wonder how things work — from simple programs to complex algorithms. That curiosity eventually led me to competitive programming, and now to AI research at MBZUAI. You can check out my CP solutions and progress on GitHub — it's basically my learning diary with code.

What Drives Me

The thrill of cracking a difficult algorithm problem at 2 AM
Seeing students I've mentored succeed in competitions
Making STEM education more accessible in my region
Building AI systems that actually help people
Connecting with other problem solvers around the world

What I'm Into

Competitive Programming — mainly C++ (check out my solutions)
Cybersecurity — CTFs, ethical hacking, breaking things to understand them better
AI/ML — working with neural networks and computer vision projects
Teaching — creating learning content and running programming workshops
Algorithm optimization — there's always a faster way to solve it

What's Next

Honestly? I'm just excited to keep learning. AI is moving so fast, and I want to be part of building things that actually matter. I'm also committed to helping more students from places like Batken get into tech — because talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn't. If I can contribute to changing that while doing research I love, that's the dream.

Gallery

Profile

A glimpse into who I am beyond the achievements

A Typical Study Day

The reality of student life - coffee, books, and determination

Mr. Robot

Exploring the intersection of technology and creativity

High School Dream

A reflection on dreams, achievements, and reality

Competitive Programming

International olympiad competitions and achievements

MBZUAI Campus

Studying at Mohammed bin Zayed University of AI

Team Leadership

Leading competitive programming teams and mentoring

Projects

Art of Science STEM Initiative

Co-founded nationwide online STEM education initiative delivering 200+ comprehensive lessons to 300 students across physics, informatics, mathematics, chemistry and biology. Achieved exceptional results with 5 students advancing to National Olympiad in Informatics.

Education STEM Leadership

Co-Founder & Mentor

School Olympiad Center

Founded and managed school-based informatics club serving 60+ students with advanced C++ programming and algorithmic training. Strategically managed resource acquisition and student selection, mentoring 2 students to qualify for National Olympiad.

C++ Algorithms Mentorship

Founder & Coach

Junior Competitive Programming Camp

Conceptualized and executed nationwide training camp for junior competitive programming teams. Coordinated logistics for 8 elite programmers and conducted intensive 5-hour contests with comprehensive analysis. Supported team advancement to Eurasian Computer Science Olympiad.

Competitive Programming Event Management Training

Head Coach & Organizer

AI Programming at NEAR.ai

Monetized advanced programming expertise through specialized AI platform, developing 30+ complex programming task solutions with detailed problem statements. Created well-documented, high-quality solution code demonstrating advanced algorithmic thinking.

AI/ML Python Content Development

Content Developer

High School Dream

The Dream That Didn't Go As Planned

"Bit of a loser, didn't make it to IOI 2 times, 2 times was 5th nationally missing IOI 1 place and then end it by quitting it also with feeling of doing nonsense and nothing, because at the end, there was Silver-Gold medal IOI openAI model."

This photo is from when I was chasing the IOI dream. Came 5th nationally twice — literally one spot away from making the team, twice. Then I quit. Felt like all those hours meant nothing, especially when I saw AI models start solving IOI problems better than most humans ever could.

Looking back now though? All those "failures" taught me way more than winning ever would have. The late nights debugging code, the friends I made at competitions, the mentors who pushed me — that's what actually mattered. I didn't quit competitive programming because I gave up. I quit because I found something else I wanted to pursue: building the AI that could solve those problems, and helping others discover what I did.

What I Actually Learned:

5th place twice hurt, but it taught me resilience
The skills stuck around even after I moved on
Failing at something can redirect you to where you're meant to be
Sometimes the best outcome isn't the one you originally wanted

My Journey Through Time

A personal timeline of key moments that shaped who I am today

2006

Born in Batken

Born and raised in Batken, one of the most remote regions of Kyrgyzstan. Growing up here taught me that if you want something, you have to work for it — opportunities don't just show up.

Birth Batken Rural Kyrgyzstan

2015-2017

First Computer

Finally got my hands on my first computer around age 8-10. Not many people had them where I'm from, so I was glued to it — playing games, breaking things, trying to figure out how everything worked. That curiosity never really left.

Technology First Steps

2019

Started Learning Programming

Wrote my first working program. Seeing the code actually do what I wanted felt like magic. I was hooked from that moment.

Programming Learning

2021

Joined 'Kut Bilim' Lyceum & Discovered CP

Started at an all-boys boarding school where phones weren't allowed. Living in the dorm 5 days a week with nothing but books and computers — that's where I discovered competitive programming. The focused environment helped me go deep into algorithms.

Education Competitive Programming Boarding School

2023

First International Competition

Competed at ISI-junior in Tajikistan. My first international competition — nerve-wracking but incredible. Met talented people and realized how much more there was to learn.

Competition International

2023

Got Into Cybersecurity

Started exploring cybersecurity in 10th grade. Learning how systems could be broken (ethically) was fascinating. CTF competitions became another obsession alongside CP.

Cybersecurity Ethical Hacking

2024

Started Teaching

Founded a school programming club and started coaching younger students. Turns out explaining algorithms to others is one of the best ways to actually understand them yourself.

Mentoring Leadership

2024

Discovered AI

Started getting into AI and machine learning in 11th grade. The intersection of algorithms and real-world problem-solving pulled me in — this is what I wanted to focus on.

AI Machine Learning

2025

Co-founded STEM Initiative

Started 'Art of Science' with some friends — an online platform to help students across Kyrgyzstan prepare for olympiads. Seeing students from rural areas make it to nationals made all the work worth it.

Entrepreneurship Community

2025

Started at MBZUAI

Got accepted to MBZUAI for undergraduate studies. Moving from Batken to studying AI full-time with amazing researchers and students from around the world — still feels surreal sometimes.

University AI Research

2026

What's Next

Still learning, still building, still teaching. Working on AI research while trying to help more students get into tech. The journey continues, and I'm excited to see where it goes.

Future Growth