Who is Satyam Kumar? Bihar Boy who Cleared IIT JEE at 12, Completed PhD at 24, Now Works As AI Researcher

STORIES OF INDIANS leaving a legacy in the tech industry frequently motivate countless individuals. A notable journey is that of Satyam Kumar, who made history by becoming the youngest individual to pass the IIT Joint Entrance Examination (IIT JEE) at the age of 12. His story is an example of pure hard work and determination. 

Who is Satyam Kumar?

Satyam Kumar was born on July 20, 1999 into a farmer’s family in Bakhorapur village in Bihar’s Bhojpur district. Since childhood, he showcased exceptional academic brilliance. His genius-level intellect caught the attention of a relative who convinced Satyam’s father to send him to Kota, Rajasthan to prepare for the IIT-JEE examination. 

Youngest IITian, Satyam Kumar said in an interview with IIT Kanpur, "When I cracked the JEE, it was a dream come true. I got the opportunity to pursue my education at one of the most prestigious institutes in the country."

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Satyam Kumar become youngest IITian

Satyam cleared IIT JEE Examination at the young age of 12, becoming the youngest IITian in the history of India. Instead of settling for his first result, he appeared for the JEE examination again the following year and secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 670 at the age of 13 in IIT JEE 2013. At such a young age he surpassed the previous record holder, Sahak Kaushik, who had cracked IIT JEE at the age of 14 in 2010.

During his time at the institute, Satyam learned about AI and developed expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and advanced computing, laying the foundation for his career in AI. Speaking about his experience at IIT Kanpur, he said, "The learning environment at IIT Kanpur motivated me to explore research and innovation on an advanced level. It helped me build the confidence to take on challenging problems."

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After achieving IIT-JEE at such a young age, he earned his way into one of the most prestigious IIT Kanpur where he completed a BTech-MTech Dual Degree in Electrical Engineering. At the age of 24, earned his Ph.D. at the University of Texas, in Texas, United States, and is now working for a US-based tech major. If we talk about his LinkedIn page, he previously completed an internship at Apple as a Machine Learning Intern, and is currently working as a Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer at Texas instruments.

How is the internet reacting to his achievement?

The success story of Satyam Kumar has gone viral on social media platforms, with several users praising Satyam’s extraordinary achievements from the youngest IIT to building a career in AI in Texas, US. One user wrote, "What an inspiring story! Rural Bihar boy cracking IIT-JEE at 13, now thriving as ML engineer at Texas Instruments." On the other hand, "Absolutely. A once-in-a-generation talent” wrote another user.

(Edited by Vaishnavi Sivadasan)

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