Satyam Kumar IIT JEE Prodigy: From Cracking IIT-JEE at 12 to Working at Apple at 24
2 minute read
• Updated on 26 Aug, 2026, 1:23 PM, • 42 minutes ago by KollegeApply
Satyam Kumar, the son of a farmer from Bhojpur, Bihar, became India's youngest IITian after clearing IIT-JEE at 12 and improving his rank to AIR 670 at 13. He completed a dual B.Tech-M.Tech in Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur, earned a PhD in Brain-Computer Interface technology in the US by 24, interned at Apple, and now works as a Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer at Texas Instruments.
Satyam Kumar's story is back in the spotlight — the boy from a small Bihar village who first cracked IIT-JEE at 12, went on to become India's youngest IITian at 13, earned a PhD in the US by 24, and worked at Apple along the way before joining Texas Instruments.
Who Is Satyam Kumar?
Satyam Kumar was born on July 20, 1999, in Bakhorapur village, Bhojpur district, Bihar, to a farming family with limited financial means. What makes his story remarkable isn't just where he started — it's how far he's travelled since.
In 2012, at just 12 years old, Satyam attempted the IIT-JEE for the first time and cleared it with an All India Rank (AIR) of 8,137. He sat for the exam again in 2013 and improved his rank to AIR 670, at age 13 — making him India's youngest IITian at the time.
To prepare, Satyam trained in Kota, Rajasthan, India's best-known coaching hub for engineering aspirants. According to earlier profiles of his journey, his father mortgaged the family's farm and house to fund his coaching and education.
Aspirants following a similar path can compare Kota's coaching options on KollegeApply's JEE Main preparation guide.
From IIT Kanpur to a PhD in the US
Satyam pursued a dual degree — B.Tech and M.Tech in Electrical Engineering — at IIT Kanpur, where he was also an active member of the Robotics Club and co-authored research papers in computational intelligence.
He then moved to the United States for doctoral studies, completing his PhD by age 24, specializing in Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology — a field at the intersection of neuroscience and engineering.
Career: Apple, InterDigital, and Now Texas Instruments
Satyam's professional path has run alongside his academic one:
- Research Assistant at InterDigital Inc.
- Machine Learning Intern at Apple, reportedly based in Switzerland
- Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer at Texas Instruments, a role he has held since October 2024
Why His Story Matters
For JEE aspirants and their families, Satyam Kumar's journey is a reminder that a rural, resource-constrained background doesn't have to cap outcomes. It also shows one path a strong JEE rank can lead to well beyond the IIT campus itself — students weighing electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur can read more on KollegeApply's IIT Kanpur admissions and placements page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Satyam Kumar when he cracked IIT-JEE?
Satyam Kumar first cleared IIT-JEE in 2012 at age 12, with an All India Rank of 8,137. He retook the exam in 2013 and improved his rank to AIR 670 at age 13, which made him India's youngest IITian at the time.
Which IIT did Satyam Kumar attend, and what did he study?
Satyam Kumar attended IIT Kanpur, where he completed a dual B.Tech-M.Tech degree in Electrical Engineering and was an active member of the institute's Robotics Club.
Where is Satyam Kumar from?
Satyam Kumar was born on July 20, 1999, in Bakhorapur village, Bhojpur district, Bihar, to a farming family. He prepared for IIT-JEE at a coaching institute in Kota, Rajasthan.
Did Satyam Kumar work at Apple?
Yes, Satyam Kumar worked as a Machine Learning Intern at Apple, reportedly based in Switzerland, during the course of his PhD studies in the United States.
What does Satyam Kumar do now?
Satyam Kumar has worked as a Machine Learning Systems Research Engineer at Texas Instruments since October 2024, following a PhD in Brain-Computer Interface technology that he completed by age 24.
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