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In the competitive world of Indian engineering entrance exams, where lakhs aspire and only a few succeed, one extraordinary individual stands out. 

Satyam Kumar, the son of a farmer from Bihar, embarked on a journey that began at the tender age of 12 and culminated in an astonishing achievement – cracking the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) at just 13 years old.

A YOUNG RECORD-BREAKER

Back in 2013, Satyam Kumar made history when he secured the 670th rank in the IIT-JEE, becoming the youngest Indian to achieve this remarkable feat, breaking the record of Delhi's Sahal Kaushik who had achieved the feat at the age of 14 in 2010.

Satyam's journey was not without its share of challenges, but his unwavering determination and hard work were instrumental in his success. Born and raised in Bihar's Bhojpur district, Satyam set his sights on a brighter future through education.

Interestingly, this was Satyam's second time cracking the IIT exam at such a young age. He first cleared the exam in 2012, at the age of 12. But after achieving an all-India rank of 8,137, he decided to retake the IIT-JEE, aiming for a higher rank.

Satyam's journey continued as he pursued higher education. He completed his BTech-MTech Dual Degree in Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur in 2018, after which he set off for the University of Texas at Austin for his PhD.

He is currently specialised in brain-computer interfaces and working as a graduate research assistant. He worked on 3 projects in 2016 while at IIT: 'Electrooculogram based eye blink classification During EOG signal accuistion', 'Optimisation of electrode positions in Different Brain Computer Interfaces', and 'Imaginative Speech based Brain-Computer Interface'.

A BRIGHT CAREER AT APPLE

According to Satyam's LinkedIn profile, he embarked on a career journey that led him to prestigious institutions like ETH Zurich and Inria before landing a research internship at InterDigital Inc.

Most notably, he worked at Apple as a Machine Learning Intern until August 2023, highlighting his prowess in the tech industry.

THE YOUNG VISIONARY

In an interview with India Today in 2013, Satyam expressed his desire to make a significant impact in the world of technology, mentioning his aspiration to develop something akin to Facebook.

He also harbors ambitions of a future in bureaucracy and envisions teaching the children of his home district.

Satyam Kumar's remarkable journey is a testament to the power of determination and unwavering commitment. From a young boy with a dream to a professional excelling at Apple, his story continues to inspire the youth of India.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has shot off a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressing concerns and seeking clarification on Rs 798 crore from the Integrated Goods & Services Tax (IGST) being deducted from Karnataka. 

“The information at our disposal indicates that an amount of Rs 798.03 crore has been adjusted out of the IGST settlement as ‘adjustment of advance apportionment to make up shortfall in IGST balance as on 26.12.2022’,” Siddaramaiah stated. 

Siddaramaiah asked Sitharaman to explain the “rationale” behind “huge negative balances of Rs 34,000 crore to accumulate”. He said the accumulation of negative IGST balances would impact treasury management of state finances. 

“In order to facilitate better understanding and transparency, the state of Karnataka seeks information on the total amount of negative IGST balance and the methodology employed for distributing this among the states for recovery,” Siddaramaiah stated. 

Siddaramaiah also asked the union government to make deductions in instalments. “Given the pressing need for resources and the potential challenges associated with lump-sum deductions...we propose a phased approach, preferably in ten instalments, to mitigate the immediate impact on state finances,” he stated. 

“We believe that a transparent and collaborative approach in addressing these concerns will contribute to the effective functioning of the financial ecosystem,” Siddaramaiah stated.

Meanwhile Karnataka GST collection at Rs 11,970 crore finished in second place all India behind Maharashtra. 

Karnataka’s collection was more than Rs 1,000 crore higher than Gujarat, which managed Rs 10,853 crore. 

Tamil Nadu stood at fourth place with Rs 10,255 crore, while Haryana stood a distant fifth with Rs 9,732 crore. UP stood at sixth place with Rs 8,973 crore.

Mangaluru: Chandrashekhara MK, 33, from Mujoor village of Kadaba, who was arrested after hackers used his credentials to open a bank account and make an illegal transaction in Riyadh, was released from the Saudi Arabian jail on Monday.

In November last year, Saudi Arabian police arrested him for a banking fraud involving SAR 22,000 (approximately Rs 4.8 lakh), after he shared an OTP number with an unidentified person.

Social activist Shridhar Gowda, who helped the family of Chandrashekhara to reach out to the Indian Embassy through people’s representatives, said he reached home via Mangaluru International Airport on Monday evening.

Gowda said that Chandrashekhara was working for Al Fanar Co in Riyadh. “More than a year ago, Chandrashekhara had visited a shop in Riyadh to buy a phone and SIM card. The shop had taken his thumb impression twice and thereafter he received a message in Arabic. Later, he received a call asking him to share an OTP sent to his mobile phone. Without knowing the consequences, he had shared the OTP,” he said.

In November last year, Saudi Arabian police arrested him for a banking fraud involving SAR 22,000 (approximately Rs 4.8 lakh). Finally, with the help of his friends and the company in which he was working, Chandrashekhara could walk out of the jail through a court order,” Gowda added.