From JEE AIR 2 to IIT Bombay
Nishant Totla’s academic journey is a testament to his intellectual prowess. After securing AIR 2 in JEE, he enrolled at IIT Bombay, one of the country’s most prestigious institutions, where he earned a B.Tech in Computer Science. His academic excellence didn’t stop there—Nishant also ranked 43rd in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) and was awarded the National Gold Medal in the Chemistry Olympiad.
During his time at IIT Bombay, Nishant received the Academy Excellence Award for the year 2008-09. He also pursued a minor in Mathematics, showcasing his love for the subject that had driven him to such heights.
Career at X (Twitter) and Google
After completing his B.Tech, Nishant worked as a Software Engineering Intern with the Growth Tactics Engineering Team at X (formerly Twitter). He contributed to the internal Scala framework for batch job processing and worked on dashboard and back-end design for advertising metrics. His expertise led him to a high-paying role at Google in North America, where he reportedly earned an annual salary of around ₹52 lakh.
Pursuing Higher Education at UC Berkeley
Despite his success in the tech industry, Nishant’s pursuit of knowledge led him to leave his job at Google and pursue a PhD at the University of California, Berkeley.
Background and Motivation
Growing up in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, as the only son of a doctor couple, Nishant’s parents played a crucial role in nurturing his love for mathematics and encouraging him to follow his passions. His achievements in academics, including a gold medal in the International Physics Olympiad, are a reflection of his determination and hard work.
Nishant Totla’s inspiring journey, from securing top ranks in one of India’s toughest exams to pursuing cutting-edge research in the United States, is a story of relentless pursuit of excellence and intellectual curiosity.