Without IIT tag, Indian gets job at NVIDIA for ₹2.6 crore per annum: ‘I’ve done it, you can do it’ | Today’s news
For budding engineers, clearing the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) entrance exam is often seen as a path to success. However, the journey of a Karnataka techie is different from many others.
Pruthviraj P described his journey on the networking site LinkedIn, where he announced that he has joined NVIDIA as a Software Development Engineer – Deep Learning at the company’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California.
Reflecting on his success, he said the path once seemed out of reach.
“We come from a place where access to technology once felt out of reach, the journey here seemed almost impossible,” he wrote. “But every long night, failure and moment of doubt only strengthened my resolve.
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Hailing from Katamdevarakote village in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district, Pruthviraj said he comes from a middle-class family and that opportunities to explore technology are limited in his area.
Instead of studying at an IIT or other top engineering institute, he completed his undergraduate studies at PES University in Bengaluru between 2016 and 2020.
After completing his undergraduate studies, Pruthviraj started his professional career with Bengaluru-based technology company Enquero. He worked there as an engineer for almost three years, from August 2020 to July 2023, gaining experience in the field before deciding to continue his studies in the United States.
In August 2023, he entered Clarkson University to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. He further developed his technical knowledge during the two-year program and graduated in May 2025.
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Just a few months later, he secured a role at NVIDIA and joined the company’s Deep Learning division in August 2025. He is now based in Santa Clara and reportedly earns an annual salary of around ₹2.6 million.
“Joining NVIDIA is incredible”
Sharing the milestone on LinkedIn, Pruthviraj said the opportunity meant much more than just getting a new job.
“Joining NVIDIA feels surreal, not only for the opportunity to work on cutting-edge deep learning and AI, but also as part of something bigger, alongside some of the brightest minds in tech,” he wrote.
He also offered words of encouragement to students and young professionals hoping to build careers in technology.
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“To those still following their dreams, don’t give up. Keep learning, stay patient and keep moving forward one step at a time,” he wrote.
He concluded with a message reflecting on his journey from a small village in Karnataka to one of the world’s leading AI companies.
“What seems impossible to you today can become your story tomorrow.”
He signed off with a line that has since resonated with many online: “Yes, I got into NVIDIA and so do you.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified and does not endorse these claims.)
