From IIT to the World: 5 Graduates Leading Major Companies in the US

Education can be a powerful springboard, shaping not only knowledge but the ability to think, innovate, and lead. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have long been recognized for producing students who combine strong technical skills with problem-solving abilities. Many of these alumni have taken the foundation they built in classrooms and labs to lead some of the world’s largest companies. Their journeys show how rigorous education can set the stage for leadership and global impact.

Here are five IIT graduates who have risen to the top of major companies in the United States:

Sundar Pichai – CEO of Alphabet and Google

Sundar Pichai, from Madurai, earned a B.Tech in metallurgical engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1993. His professors remember him as focused and capable, always participating actively in academic projects. Pichai went on to become CEO of Alphabet and Google, guiding one of the world’s most influential technology companies.

Arvind Krishna – CEO of IBM

Arvind Krishna graduated in electrical engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1985 before moving to the United States to pursue a PhD at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He later became CEO of IBM. Krishna has noted that opportunities for IIT graduates in India have grown over time, with more students now pursuing entrepreneurship and innovation.

Vinod Khosla – Co-founder of Sun Microsystems

Vinod Khosla completed his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at IIT Delhi from 1971 to 1976. After moving to the US to study at Carnegie Mellon, he co-founded Sun Microsystems and established Khosla Ventures, supporting technology and clean-energy startups.

Aravind Srinivas – CEO of Perplexity AI

Aravind Srinivas graduated from IIT Madras in 2017 with a dual B.Tech and M.Tech in electrical engineering. He earned a PhD in computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, and worked at research labs including OpenAI, Google Brain, and DeepMind before launching Perplexity AI in 2022.

Nikesh Arora – CEO of Palo Alto Networks

Nikesh Arora graduated from IIT BHU in 1989. He previously held senior roles at Google and SoftBank Group, and has been chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks since 2018. He is recognized as one of the top executives leading a major American technology company.