The Indian tech success story is spreading on social media. A user who goes by the name Amit Dutta on Instagram is an example of how he failed to crack India’s premier institutions, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), but still managed to secure a lucrative job in London after overcoming several challenges. “I failed to crack IIT in 2018. I watched my classmates post their IIT admissions while sitting in a campus most people have never heard of,” he wrote in the caption.
Recalling that time, he added, “But I made a decision that changed everything. I stopped mourning the college I didn’t get and started becoming the engineer no college could claim.”
Dutta shared that he faced another major setback in 2021 when he was interviewed for an internship at Microsoft.
“I prepared for weeks and gave it my all, but I was rejected. The rejection broke something in me, but it also rebuilt something,” he said, adding that he decided to try again with more determination.
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How has his career changed?
His persistence paid off in 2022 when he secured a full-time position at Google.
“I could have hung on, most people do, but I had a chip on my shoulder the size of that IIT rejection letter,” he wrote.
Over the next two years, he focused on improving his skills, which led to opportunities such as an international work trip to Singapore and visits to several countries.
“The kid who couldn’t crack IIT was now solving problems across continents,” he remarked.
What led to his move to London?
The turning point came when Meta approached him about a role in her London office.
“Six rounds, the hardest interviews of my life, and I got through all six,” Dutta said.
He eventually moved to London with a reported salary ₹1.7 million, a milestone he once thought was unattainable.
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“I moved to London on a salary of 1.7 million, left a Tier 2 college no one had heard of, to a life I couldn’t have imagined in 2018,” he wrote.
How did social media users react?
The video received a strong response online, with many users commenting on their experience.
One user wrote: “This is a story every student needs to hear.” Another commented: “Proof that IIT is not the only path to success.” A third added, “Your mindset matters more than your college name.”
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Others shared similar views. “Rejections really redirect you to better things,” said one user. Another wrote: “Hard work and consistency always wins in the long run.” Another added: “It gave me hope after my own failures,” while another said: “Respect for not giving up despite setbacks.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified and does not endorse these claims.)
