IIT Bombay gold medallist said no to ₹2.9 crore US job for his parents — here’s the full story

Every year thousands of engineering students dream of landing a high-paying job abroad. But one IIT Bombay gold medallist's story is reminding the world that the hardest decisions are rarely made in boardrooms — they are made at home. (Representative pic)

Vivek Sharma, an IIT Bombay Computer Science gold medallist, turned down a $240,000 (around ₹2.9 crore) annual job offer from a San Francisco-based startup just before moving to the US. The reason was not a better offer. It was his parents.

Vivek grew up in a lower-middle-class family in Kanpur. His father worked as a railway clerk and his mother gave tuition classes. Savings were exhausted, jewellery was sold, and every rupee was carefully planned so Vivek could study in Kota and earn his IIT seat.

Just before leaving for the US, Vivek's father suffered a heart attack. Around the same time, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The excitement of a global career gave way to hospital visits, surgeries and chemotherapy.

Faced with a choice no campus placement prepares students for, Vivek cancelled his visa interview and declined the offer. He opened Sharma General Store beneath his house in Kanpur — and began teaching coding to underprivileged children. (Representative pic)

Years later, the same international company whose offer he had once declined reportedly reached out again. This time, instead of asking him to relocate, they invited him to contribute remotely to an education-focused initiative.

Today, Vivek balances technology, teaching and family without leaving Kanpur. One line from his journey continues to resonate across social media: "My parents are my biggest company." (AI generated)