Edward Nathan Varghese, a final-year BTech student in computer science at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, has secured a record Rs 2.5 crore annual offer from Optiver, defying a challenging global job market. The offer is the highest ever recorded at IIT Hyderabad since the institute was established in 2008.

Varghese will join the Netherlands-based firm as a software engineer in July 2026 after successfully converting a two-month summer internship into a pre-placement offer (PPO). He was the only candidate among the two interns selected by Optiver to receive a PPO.

Speaking to The Times of India, Varghese said this was the first and only company he interviewed with. Born in Hyderabad and educated in Bengaluru, he credited his strong background in competitive programming, where he ranks among the top 100 nationally, and IIT-H’s flexible academic structure for his success.

Strong Placement Season at IIT Hyderabad

The 2025 placement season has been exceptional for IIT Hyderabad. Apart from the Rs 2.5 crore offer, another computer science student secured a Rs 1.1 crore package. The institute’s average salary jumped nearly 75 per cent, rising from Rs 20.8 lakh in 2024 to Rs 36.2 lakh in 2025.

In the first phase of placements:

• 24 international offers were secured

• 62% of undergraduate students were placed

• 196 of 650 postgraduate students received offers

• Average packages stood at Rs 36.2 lakh (UG) and Rs 22 lakh (PG)

Mayur Vaidya, faculty in charge of IIT-H’s Office of Career Services, said the institute focuses on providing quality opportunities across disciplines, not just headline-grabbing packages.

The milestone highlights the growing global demand for IIT Hyderabad graduates and reflects the strengthening academic and career ecosystem at the institute.