Edward Nathan Varghese is a 21‑year‑old Computer Science student from IIT Hyderabad who has become a national headline for securing a record ₹2.5 crore per annum package from global trading firm Optiver in the Netherlands. This is the highest package ever offered to a student at IIT Hyderabad since the institute was founded in 2008.
His story is not just about a big number. It is the result of years of focused preparation in competitive programming, strong academics, leadership roles on campus, and a carefully used internship opportunity that he converted into a pre‑placement offer at Optiver.
Who is Edward Nathan Varghese?
Edward Nathan Varghese is a final‑year B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering student at IIT Hyderabad (batch of 2026). He is known for:
- Ranking among the top 100 competitive programmers in India.
- Serving as Overall Head, Office of Career Services (OCS) at IIT Hyderabad, leading placement and internship activities for the institute.
- Securing a record ₹2.5 crore offer from Optiver Netherlands after a successful internship.
His journey is being widely discussed because it combines academic excellence, competitive coding skill, leadership, and a strategic approach to internships.
Edward Nathan Varghese Age
As of early 2026, Edward Nathan Varghese age is 21 years. He is in his final year (4th year) of B.Tech at IIT Hyderabad, and will graduate with the CSE batch of 2026.
Edward Nathan Varghese – Quick Wiki
Early Life and Background
Edward was born in Hyderabad and spent his early childhood there before moving to Bengaluru for his schooling from Class 7 to Class 12.
He comes from a family of engineers. Both his parents are engineers, which naturally pushed him towards science, mathematics, and technology from a young age.
From school days, he showed a strong interest in problem‑solving and competitive exams. This early focus later helped him crack the JEE exams and succeed in competitive programming.
Education – JEE Journey and IIT Hyderabad
Edward’s academic journey reflects consistent high performance.
- He appeared for JEE Main and JEE Advanced in 2022.
- He scored around AIR 1100 in JEE Main and AIR 558 in JEE Advanced, which secured him a seat in Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Hyderabad.
At IIT Hyderabad, he took full advantage of the flexible curriculum, choosing courses that strengthened both theory (algorithms, data structures) and practical skills (systems, programming, finance‑related topics).
He also appeared for CAT 2025 and scored an impressive 99.96 percentile, with an approximate All‑India rank of 120, showing that his aptitude extends beyond engineering into management as well.
Focus on Competitive Programming
A key part of Edward Nathan Varghese IIT Hyderabad journey is his commitment to competitive programming (CP).
- From first year itself, he began practicing CP seriously, solving problems on platforms like Codeforces and other contests.
- Over time, he rose to become one of the top 100 competitive programmers in India, according to media reports based on his performance and CP ratings.
- His ICPC profile is formally listed, indicating participation in the International Collegiate Programming Contest.
This background directly matched Optiver’s hiring expectations, since trading firms look for fast, accurate problem‑solvers with strong algorithmic skills.
Leadership Roles at IIT Hyderabad
Edward did not limit his campus life to academics and coding. He took on major leadership roles that built his soft skills and visibility.
Internship Cell Coordinator (2024–2025)
- He worked as an Internship Cell Coordinator at the Office of Career Services (OCS) for around 11 months.
- In this role, he coordinated and pitched to more than 30 companies, including Zinnia, Yokogawa, Cisco, Imaginarium and more.
- He served as Domain Lead for SDE pitching, leading a small team to bring more software roles to the campus.
Overall Head, Office of Career Services (2025–2026)
Later, Edward was selected as the Overall Head of OCS, IIT Hyderabad.
- He led a team of 8 student managers and nearly 250 student coordinators across departments.
- His team handled placements and internships for hundreds of students—managing company outreach, pre‑placement talks, tests, and interview coordination.
This experience gave him:
- Strong leadership and communication skills.
- Exposure to recruitment processes from the institute’s side.
- A deeper understanding of what companies look for in candidates.
Optiver Internship and Record‑Breaking Offer
The most talked‑about part of Edward Nathan Varghese biography is his journey with Optiver, a Netherlands‑based global trading firm.
Internship Selection
- Optiver visited IIT Hyderabad and selected two students from CSE for its summer internship programme.
- Edward was one of the two selected, based on his strong coding, algorithm, and problem‑solving profile.
Internship Structure
The Optiver internship was intensive:
- 2 weeks of training, focused on tools, systems, and basic trading concepts.
- Followed by a 6‑week project, where interns were evaluated on technical skills, speed, accuracy, and decision‑making under pressure.
Converting to Pre‑Placement Offer
- Out of the two IIT Hyderabad interns, Edward was the only one to receive a Pre‑Placement Offer (PPO) from Optiver.
- His performance impressed mentors and hiring managers enough to extend a full‑time Software Engineer offer at Optiver’s Netherlands office.
He later shared that he was “ecstatic” when his mentor indicated that an offer would be made, and his parents were equally proud.
Record ₹2.5 Crore Package
- The final offer was reportedly worth ₹2.5 crore per year, including base pay and benefits.
- This made it the highest‑ever package in IIT Hyderabad’s history since its establishment in 2008.
- It also more than doubled the previous top package from around ₹1–1.1 crore.
It is worth noting that IIT Hyderabad and multiple national media houses confirmed this package as an official record for the institute during the 2025–26 placement season.
Edward Nathan Varghese and Optiver – Why This Matters
The “Edward Nathan Varghese Optiver” story stands out because it highlights:
- How competitive programming + strong academics + right internship can lead to top international offers.
- The importance of starting early; his preparation began in first year, not just before placements.
- How global trading firms like Optiver are increasingly looking at Indian tech campuses for talent.
- The possibility of breaking placement records even in a tough job market, through consistent effort and focus.
He has also mentioned interests in algorithms, competitive programming, finance, and management, aligning well with the tech‑finance hybrid profile needed at trading firms.
Family and Personal Background
While Edward has not shared detailed personal family information publicly, some key points are known:
- He comes from a family of engineers; both parents are engineers.
- His parents have expressed immense pride in his achievement and supported his academic journey.
- He was born in Hyderabad and later studied in Bengaluru from Class 7–12, giving him exposure to two major tech hubs in India.
He describes himself as someone whose interests span coding, finance, and management, and who enjoys connecting with like‑minded people.
Why Edward Nathan Varghese is Trending
Edward is trending across news channels and social media because:
- He set a new all‑time record for IIT Hyderabad placements.
- The ₹2.5 crore Optiver package stands out in a year when overall campus hiring has been relatively cautious.
- His journey is seen as a model roadmap for students who want to aim for top international tech and trading roles.
- Education and business media are using his example to discuss the value of early preparation, CP, and internships.
