Bengaluru/Thirthahalli, November 16, 2025
In a tale that reads like a script from a Bollywood underdog saga, 20-year-old Rithuparna KS from a remote village in Karnataka has shattered barriers to secure a staggering ₹72.3 lakh annual package at Rolls-Royce—the only Indian woman and the youngest ever selected for the aerospace giant's elite Jet Engine Manufacturing Division. Hailing from Koduru in Thirthahalli taluk, her journey from failing the NEET exam and tending to family farmlands to outshining global prodigies from Japan, Singapore, and Russia underscores a powerful truth: In India's vast talent pool, brilliance blooms where opportunity dares to reach.
Rithuparna's story begins in the lush, rain-soaked hills of Shivamogga district, where her family ekes out a living through arecanut farming—a backbreaking trade plagued by labor shortages and inefficiencies. After excelling at St. Agnes School and completing her pre-university course (PUC), she set her sights on medicine, dreaming of becoming a doctor to serve her underserved community. But heartbreak struck in 2022 when her NEET UG score fell short of a government medical seat, dashing those aspirations and leaving her disheartened. Undeterred, she pivoted to engineering, securing a merit-based government seat through CET counseling at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management in Mangaluru for a BE in Robotics and Automation.
"After PUC, my dream was to become a doctor. However, when my NEET results did not fetch a govt seat, I secured a govt seat in the 2022 CET counselling and enrolled at Sahyadri College. Though disheartened initially, from day one of college, I began exploring and ideating," Rithuparna recounted in an earlier interview, her words a testament to resilience forged in adversity.
What followed was a whirlwind of innovation that transformed her setback into a launchpad. Inspired by her family's struggles, Rithuparna led a team to develop a compact robotic harvester and sprayer for arecanut crops— a low-cost, AI-driven device that automates plucking and pesticide application, reducing manual labor by up to 70% while minimizing chemical overuse. The prototype clinched gold and silver medals at the prestigious Goa International Engineering Expo (INEX), catching the eye of industry scouts. Her portfolio didn't stop there: She collaborated with surgeons on robotic-assisted minimally invasive procedures, contributed to a smart app for Shivamogga's solid waste management alongside Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP, and joined a cutting-edge research team at NIT Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal to advance surgical robotics.
These feats propelled her toward her boldest leap yet: a cold outreach to Rolls-Royce in late 2024 for an internship in their aerospace division. The response was a gut punch—recruiters questioned her credentials, quipping, "Do you even qualify to be part of our firm?" and doubting she could tackle a complex simulation task in a month. Rithuparna, ever the fighter, fired back: "Give me a chance to prove it." She not only completed the assignment in a mere week but aced eight months of escalating challenges, from algorithm optimizations to real-time engine diagnostics, all while juggling a grueling college schedule.
Her persistence paid off spectacularly. In December 2024, Rolls-Royce extended a pre-placement offer (PPO) for their Texas-based Jet Engine unit at an initial ₹39.6 lakh per annum. Impressed by her remote contributions— including midnight-to-dawn shifts starting January 2025, where she troubleshot propulsion systems from her Bengaluru dorm—the company hiked it to ₹72.3 lakh in April, complete with relocation perks, housing allowances, and stock options. Selected from a pool of thousands, including top talents from Japan, Singapore, and Russia, Rithuparna's edge lay in her blend of agri-tech ingenuity and aerospace adaptability, making her the youngest woman and sole Indian female in this cohort.
Lawrence Joseph Fernandes, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics at Sahyadri College, beamed with pride: "The college is proud of her achievement. It sets an example for aspiring engineers that hard work and innovation know no bounds." Indeed, her package rivals those of IIT graduates, spotlighting the rising clout of Tier-2 colleges in India's engineering ecosystem.
As Rithuparna prepares to touch down in Texas post her seventh semester—trading Karnataka's misty mornings for the hum of jet engines—her narrative resonates amid India's youth unemployment crisis. With over 1.2 crore engineering graduates annually, stories like hers remind policymakers and corporations alike: Talent isn't confined to metros; it's nurtured in villages, waiting for a spark. "Youth today have big dreams, but they need platforms to fly," she reflected earlier, echoing a call for more inclusive opportunities in STEM.
Rithuparna's ascent isn't just personal triumph—it's a blueprint for India's next generation, proving that from the fields of Thirthahalli to the skies over Derby, one bold step can redefine destinies. As Rolls-Royce eyes her for leadership in sustainable aviation tech, the world watches: What's next for this village girl turned global innovator?
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