Bihar farmer’s son cracks IIT-JEE at 12, goes from IIT Kanpur to PhD in US and AI research

A boy from Bihar cracked the IIT-JEE at just 12, an examination for which many students spend years preparing. Satyam Kumar returned to the test a year later and secured an All India Rank of 670, setting the stage for an academic journey that took him from IIT Kanpur to a PhD in the US and eventually into artificial intelligence and machine learning research.

Satyam went on to pursue electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur, where he worked on robotics and research projects before moving to the US for doctoral studies. Years after his IIT-JEE achievement first brought him attention, he is now building his career in AI and machine learning in the US.

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Born into a farmer’s family in Bihar

Satyam was born on July 20, 1999, in Bakhorapur village in Bihar’s Buxar district and grew up in a farmer’s family. His early academic ability became evident at a young age, and a family friend reportedly advised his father to send him to Kota, Rajasthan, for IIT-JEE coaching.

That decision marked the beginning of an academic journey that would eventually make Satyam one of the youngest students to enter an IIT.

His first attempt at the IIT entrance examination came in 2011, but he did not clear it. He returned to the examination the following year and succeeded at the age of 12. He then appeared once again and, at 13, secured AIR 670 in IIT-JEE 2012, according to Anandabazar.

Looking back on the achievement in an interview with IIT Kanpur, Satyam said, “When I cracked the JEE, it was a dream come true. I got the opportunity to pursue my education at one of the most prestigious institutes in the country.”

IIT Kanpur opened doors to research and robotics

Satyam enrolled at IIT Kanpur in a dual BTech-MTech programme in Electrical Engineering. His time at the institute extended beyond academics, with his interests gradually moving towards intelligent systems, machine learning, robotics and advanced computing.

According to Anandabazar, he worked with IIT Kanpur’s Intelligent Systems and Sleep Laboratory and was also involved with the institute’s robotics club.

Among the projects he undertook with fellow students was a robot designed to operate both on land and water. The team finished third in a robotics competition in 2014.

His time at IIT Kanpur also brought opportunities for research abroad. In 2016, he received the Charpak scholarship for a research internship in France. A Government of India teaching assistant fellowship followed in 2017. He completed his studies at IIT Kanpur in 2018.

Reflecting on those years, Satyam said, “The learning environment at IIT Kanpur encouraged me to explore research and innovation. It helped me build the confidence to take on challenging problems.”

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Doctoral research takes him into AI and brain-computer interfaces

After graduating from IIT Kanpur, Satyam moved to the US in 2019 to pursue further research. He joined the University of Texas for a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

His doctoral work focused on the intersection of machine learning and brain-computer interfaces, bringing together artificial intelligence with technologies designed to interpret signals from the human brain.

The research continued for several years. According to Anandabazar, Satyam submitted his doctoral dissertation in September 2024 and completed his PhD at the age of 24.

Alongside his academic work, he also gained industry experience during his doctoral journey. Moneycontrol reported that he interned with Apple in machine learning.

From Apple to Texas Instruments

After completing his doctoral research, Satyam joined Apple as a trainee engineer in 2024, with Switzerland reportedly serving as his first work location in that role.

By October 2024, he was listed as a Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer at Texas Instruments. His professional work is focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning, continuing the research interests he developed during his academic career.

His LinkedIn profile describes him as a Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer at Texas Instruments in the US, working on advanced AI and machine learning technologies.

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What came after the IIT-JEE headlines

Satyam’s journey can easily be reduced to a series of striking numbers: 12 when he first cracked the IIT-JEE, 13 when he secured AIR 670 and 24 when he completed his PhD.

But the milestones that followed his early achievement chart a much longer path. His first IIT-JEE attempt was unsuccessful, yet he returned to the examination and eventually secured a place at IIT Kanpur. There, his interests expanded into research and robotics before taking him abroad for advanced study.

His career has since stretched from Kota’s coaching environment and IIT Kanpur’s laboratories to a PhD programme in the US and research-focused technology companies.

For Satyam, the IIT-JEE success was therefore not the endpoint. It became the starting point for a progression through engineering, robotics, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Today, years after he became known for entering an IIT at an unusually young age, he is pursuing a career in technologies shaping the future of computing.