Who is Edward Nathan Varghese, the IIT Hyderabad student who landed a Rs 2.5 crore offer?

Edward Nathan Varghese, a final-year computer science engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, has secured the highest placement package in the institute’s history. He received an offer worth RS 2.5 crore from Optiver, a Netherlands-based global trading firm, during the current placement season.The achievement comes at a time when the job market has been described as challenging, yet Varghese managed to convert a two-month internship into a pre-placement offer. If you are a student watching placements closely, this kind of result probably sounds unreal, but his journey shows how consistent academic focus and early skill-building can pay off.Academic background and early educationEdward Nathan Varghese grew up in Hyderabad and later went to Bengaluru for his higher secondary education (Classes 7 to 12). As his father and mother were both engineers, Edward naturally gravitated towards the science and technology stream from a very young age.Varghese studied computer science engineering at IIT Hyderabad. He also took full advantage of the flexible curriculum offered by the institute. He selected a wide range of courses that supported both theory and practical learning, according to details shared by the institute and the student in conversation with the TNN.Focus on competitive programming and skillsFrom his first year of engineering, Varghese actively participated in competitive programming. He ranked among the top 100 competitive programmers in the country, a factor that strengthened his technical profile during recruitment.“This was the first and only company I interviewed for,” Varghese has been quoted saying by the TNN. He added that his preparation and consistent interest in problem-solving helped him perform confidently during the interview process.Internship to pre-placement offerOptiver selected two students from IIT Hyderabad for its summer internship programme, but Varghese was the only one to receive a pre-placement offer. The internship included two weeks of training followed by a six-week project, after which his performance led to the full-time offer.“I was ecstatic when my mentor indicated that the firm would be extending me an offer,” Varghese told the TNN, adding that his parents shared his excitement. He will join Optiver as a software engineer at its Netherlands office starting in July.Placement trends at IIT HyderabadAlong with Varghese’s record offer, another computer science engineering student at IIT Hyderabad secured a package of RS 1.1 crore, finds the TNN report. According to TNN, the institute also reported a significant rise in average packages, which increased by about 75 per cent compared to the previous year, from RS 20.8 lakh to RS 36.2 lakh.In a conversation with the TNN, Mayur Vaidya, faculty-in-charge of the Office of Career Services, said that the focus remains on ensuring quality opportunities for all students, including those from core engineering streams. In the first phase of placements, 24 international offers were secured, while 62 per cent of registered undergraduate students received job offers.