Edward Nathan Varghese, a final-year computer science engineering student at IIT Hyderabad, has set a record for the highest placement package for the first time since IIT Hyderabad's establishment. Optiver, a Netherlands-based global trading firm, offered him an astonishing Rs 2.5 crore-a salary that is sending ripples in a tough job market. This is the highest placement package any student has received since the institution began operations in 2008. He will join as a software engineer in July next year.
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Who is Edward Nathan Varghese?
Edward Nathan Varghese had his early schooling in Hyderabad and then shifted to Bengaluru for his higher secondary studies in Classes 7 to 12. Both of his parents had an engineering background. He was naturally inclined towards science and technology from an early age. At IIT Hyderabad, he pursued his computer science engineering course and leveraged the institute’s liberal course system to choose his courses as per his needs to benefit both his knowledge and skills, Times New Network (TNN) reported.
Right from his first year at the university, he immersed himself in competitive programming and was one of the top 100 programmers in the country. He achieved an All India Rank of 1100 in JEE Main and a rank of 558 in JEE Advanced. Through this rank, he gained admission to IIT Hyderabad.
“This was the first and only company I interviewed for,” he said in an interview with the TNN, emphasising the importance of consistent hard work and preparation, which made him confident during the interview sessions.
Internship that led to a pre-placement offer
During Optiver’s summer internship program at IIT Hyderabad, two students were shortlisted; yet, Varghese’s performance stood out as he received a pre-placement offer. The internship had two weeks of training and a six-week project component. “I was ecstatic when my mentor indicated that the firm would be extending me an offer,” Varghese shared about the experience of getting a job offer from Optiver.
Placement trends at IIT Hyderabad
As per the report by TNN, the average packages at IIT Hyderabad have gone up from Rs 20.8 last year to 36.2 this year. In the initial placements, 24 foreign jobs were bagged, and 62% of the undergraduate students were placed. There was one extraordinary package of 1.1 crore for another computer science student, symbolising the growing global reach of the campus in the tech industry.
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He has interests not only in engineering but also in management. In 2025, he scored 99.96 percentile in the Common Admission Test (CAT) and achieved an All India rank of 120.
Besides studies, Edward has also played leadership roles. According to his LinkedIn profile, he was the Overall Head of the Office of Career Services at IIT Hyderabad. Earlier, he also worked as an Internship Cell Co-ordinator for about 11 months.
His interests extend beyond coding. Edward wrote on LinkedIn, "My interests span algorithms, competitive programming, finance and management. I'm eager to explore these domains and connect with like-minded individuals."
