Meet The Heart Behind LogiNext’s Route Planning- Sahil Dhakad on WeAreLogiNext

This article is a part of the #WeAreLogiNext series of articles where we focus on people’s journeys that power the company.

As engineers adapt to modern technology, some professionals create paths that stand apart from the rest. Sahil Dhakad is one such individual. His journey reflects resilience, adaptability, and a strong commitment to continuous self-improvement. He currently serves as Associate Vice President, Product Engineering at LogiNext.

In this exclusive interview, we explore Sahil’s early days as a tech enthusiast and his professional growth. We also discuss the opportunities that helped him unlock new potential throughout his career. But Sahil’s story goes beyond code and algorithms. We also uncover his creative side and the experiences that shaped him personally.

LN: How has your journey at LogiNext shaped the engineer and leader you are today?

SD: Joining LogiNext as a Software Developer and growing into an AVP – Product Engineering itself says a lot about how my journey has evolved here. A major part of my career has been shaped at LogiNext. It has played a huge role in making me the engineer and leader I am today.

From an engineering standpoint, logistics is one of the most complex domains to solve for. The scale, constraints, real-world unpredictability, optimization challenges — it naturally aligned with my love for solving hard problem statements. I was fortunate to witness the company evolve from solving for SMBs to building enterprise-grade solutions at scale, and in many ways, my own growth mirrored that journey.

But growth is not just about having skills. A lot of people are skilled. The real differentiator is getting the right opportunities to discover, sharpen, and convert those skills into meaningful ROI and impact. LogiNext gave me that space early on. 

Beyond technology, I also got exposure to the business side — client visits, leadership discussions, strategy conversations, understanding the “why” behind decisions instead of only the “what.” In a fast-growing startup with a lean team, responsibilities come to you much earlier than expected. You either step up or get left behind.

Thankfully, I chose the first option… which is probably why I could write the first line with such pride.

LN: Over the years, how has your role evolved, and what does your current designation and scope of responsibilities look like today?

SD: My journey started as a Software Developer, then Senior Software Developer, followed by Principal Engineer, and now AVP – Product Engineering.

The evolution has been far more than just title changes. Earlier, my focus was on implementing features and solving engineering problems within a roadmap. Today, the scope is much broader — driving company-wide technical decisions, influencing product direction, and building systems that scale not just technically, but operationally as well.

It has been a journey from learning to mentoring, from executing a roadmap to helping shape one.

Today, my role involves a mix of architecture, engineering strategy, product thinking, business alignment and mentoring. A large part of the responsibility is around making critical core architecture decisions, evaluating cost vs impact, driving efficiency and reliability at scale, prioritizing the right engineering investments, and ensuring we adopt new-age technologies — especially AI — in a practical and responsible way.

At this stage, engineering is no longer just about writing code. It becomes about ownership, decision-making, and building long-term value consistently.

LN: What are some of the most exciting challenges you are solving today, particularly in route planning and backend engineering?

SD: During my journey as a Senior and Principal Engineer, I got the opportunity to work extensively on one of LogiNext’s core USPs — the route planning and optimization engine.

It is easily one of the most complex and intellectually exciting problem spaces in logistics. Real-world route optimization is far beyond just finding the shortest path. There are operational constraints, live variables, scale challenges, and business trade-offs constantly involved. Solving those problems was an incredible engineering experience.

But currently, I’m working on something even more fundamental — the heart of any product: the database architecture itself.

Very few engineers get the opportunity to revamp systems at this scale in a mature product ecosystem. The challenge is not just building something new, but making an already large, complex, high-scale system significantly faster, more efficient, and future-ready without disrupting operations.

Honestly, it sometimes feels like performing open-heart surgery while the patient is still running a marathon. And that’s exactly what makes it both challenging and exciting.

Moreover, I’m recognized for my expertise in planning. I also have the role of an interviewer during our hiring processes. I’ve embraced the role of a mentor, guiding and supporting my colleagues, while also actively developing my project management skills. These diverse roles have shaped my journey here at the company.

LN: How has your approach to mentoring, collaboration, and leadership evolved as you’ve grown into a senior role?

SD: Earlier, it was more about having the right answers. Over time, I realized it is more about enabling the right environment for people to arrive at those answers themselves.

My approach today is heavily centered around ownership and clarity. I try to create teams that are confident in decision-making, understand the “why” behind problems, and think beyond just implementation.

Mentoring has also evolved from purely technical guidance to helping engineers navigate priorities, communication, business context, and long-term thinking. And sometimes, it also means knowing when to step back and let people surprise themselves with what they are capable of.

LN: Looking back, what are some of your most memorable moments at LogiNext so far?

SD: One of my earliest memorable moments was my first critical production deployment where we stayed up all night handling a migration and upgrade. That was probably my real introduction to engineering ownership.

Another big one was my first client demo with UPS at their warehouse, seeing our product operate in live logistics workflows.

Client visits across Singapore and Australia also gave me a completely different perspective on how customers actually think and operate.

And of course, the LNPL’s, party nights and workations(especially Greece) — are definitely hard to beat.

LN: If there is a person that you will say has mainly molded you or impacted you to make you the person you are today, who would it be?

SD: From the very beginning, I’ve had the privilege of guidance from a mentor who played a pivotal role in shaping my professional character – Srikant Panthankar. He instilled in me the importance of behavior, effective communication, and many other critical skills, especially problem-solving.

Moreover, during my journey at LogiNext, it’s difficult to single out one individual because I’ve gained valuable insights from a diverse range of colleagues. Whether it’s Dhruvil or our junior team members, each person I’ve had the opportunity to work with has imparted unique knowledge. Having been part of the team for an extended period, I’ve come to appreciate that every individual, skill, and position brings a distinctive perspective, enriching my growth and understanding of the field.

LN: What advice would you give to engineers joining the backend team and building their careers at LogiNext today?

SD: LogiNext is one of the few places where you will grow not just in technology, but also in understanding business, customers, and product thinking. You learn very quickly that solving a customer-first problem is very different from simply solving a technical problem.

The environment presents a lot of opportunities and challenges(both tech and functional) early on. It can feel fast, complex, and demanding at times, but that pressure is also what sharpens you the most. If you genuinely take ownership, stay curious, and keep pushing yourself, the growth here can be tremendous and rewarding

LN: So are you a book person or a movie person?

SD: My choice of entertainment largely depends on my mood, with movies being a significant preference. I find that visuals and cinematic experiences allow me to immerse myself more fully. Reading books primarily those related to the finance and FinTech domains. I have a particular interest in understanding the psychology of money, which is why books like “Rich Dad Poor Dad” resonate with me.

As for movies, my favorites can vary depending on my mood. However, I’m always up for a psychological thriller, no matter the mood. Films like “Shutter Island” and “The Sixth Sense” are among my top picks in this genre.

LN: If you had a superpower, what would it be?

SD: I often find myself yearning for the ability to teleport, escaping the hassles of traffic and other inconveniences, and having the freedom to travel at will, anytime, and to any place of my choosing.

Stay tuned to read more stories about those taking LogiNext to the next level.

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