Amazon engineer gives up Rs 46 lakh package for Indian Army, set to be commissioned at OTA Gaya

In a story of choosing service over salary, 27-year-old Shardendu Tiwari, who worked as a cloud engineer at Amazon drawing an annual package of nearly Rs 46 lakh, is set to be commissioned into the Indian Army at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Gaya on Saturday, according to Arvind Chauhan’s TOI report.

A second-generation soldier, Shardendu turned down not just his corporate job but also an offer from global aerospace major Airbus to pursue a career in uniform.

He hails from Neelmatha in Lucknow, with family roots in Pipergaon village of Sultanpur district. His father, Honorary Captain Raj Kumar Tiwari, spent 36 years in the Army Service Corps before retiring, and it was this backdrop that shaped Shardendu's childhood ambition to join the forces, the report said.


Shardendu completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Chandimandir, in Haryana, before earning a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Technology. He later completed an MTech in Computer Science and Information Security from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.

His path to the Army was not an easy one. He appeared for the selection process eight times before finally clearing it. He eventually joined through the Technical Entry Scheme, a route that allowed him to serve in the Army while staying connected to the technology field, according to the report.

Explaining what drew him to the forces, Shardendu said he was also motivated by the opportunities the Army offers for adventure and field service.

During his training at OTA Gaya, he was appointed Senior Under Officer (SUO), one of the academy's highest cadet appointments, in recognition of his leadership qualities. Outside training, Shardendu enjoys playing basketball and table tennis.

(With inputs from TOI)