Indian-origin engineer Vineeth Sendilraj, who went viral earlier this month after social media users mocked him for the way he drank water during a hackathon, has shared a personal update announcing that he has joined Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI.
Sendilraj described the development as a “full circle moment,” posting on X that the same event that led to online ridicule has now opened the door to a professional milestone. He shared the update along with the image from the hackathon that had circulated widely on social media.
“1 week ago I got clipped for drinking water. Now I'm joining @xai to build the future of AI. Full circle moment,” Sendilraj wrote.
Also Read | Anant Ambani gifts Lionel Messi ₹10.91 crore Richard Mille watch during Vantara visit
How the viral moment unfolded
The episode began after a photograph from an xAI hackathon surfaced online, showing engineers working during the event. Some users zoomed in on Sendilraj and began mocking the way he was drinking water from a bottle, turning the image into a meme.
Responding to the attention earlier, Sendilraj had posted on December 9, “1 million people judged how I drink water. I was damn thirsty,” acknowledging the incident with humour.
According to Sendilraj’s latest post, he went on to complete the hackathon and has now joined xAI following the event.
Social media reaction shifts tone
After his announcement, responses online turned largely supportive. Several users congratulated him on joining xAI, while others joked about recreating the viral photo on his first day at work. Sendilraj joined in on the humour, replying to comments about the “taste of the water” by calling it “out of this world.”
Also Read | Full-time girlfriend role? LinkedIn post from Gurugram goes viral with 26 applicants
Who is Vineeth Sendilraj?
Sendilraj is a Georgia-based student and was among four members of the Georgia Class of 2024 to be named US Presidential Scholars. He studied at Lambert High School, where he was also part of the school’s track team.
In an earlier interview with his school’s publication, Sendilraj said he aspired to use technology to create social impact. He spoke about coming from a middle-income family and wanting to develop solutions that could help people facing challenges beyond his immediate environment.
