Indian Students Who Became Legends: From Top Colleges to Global Leaders

Jul 9, 2025, 13:45 IST

Discover the inspiring journeys of 10 Indian students who moved to the U.S. with big dreams and small savings. From creating the Pentium chip to leading companies like Microsoft, Adobe, and Google — see how they became legends.

The ten Indian students proved that genuine talent overcomes national boundaries by going on to rule America. They brought nothing except talent with them. They had eight dollars in their pockets, an IIT or AIIMS degree in their hands, and one aim in mind: to establish themselves in a nation that had never heard of them. They now lead multinational tech companies, transform healthcare, and influence public politics. 

Let’s take a look at the lives of these genius minds who not only proved themselves in a foreign country like the USA but also set a benchmark for the Indians who aspire to achieve something in adverse situations.

Vinod Khosla- IIT Delhi Graduate turned Venture Capitalist

Vinod Khosla studied mechanical engineering after being turned down by IIT Delhi's electrical engineering department. He then received his master's degree from Stanford, co-founded Sun Microsystems, and rose to prominence as a venture capitalist around the world. At IIT Delhi, he changed his major from electrical to mechanical engineering. "The only way to get out of your social situation was to enroll in IIT." Looking back on the experience, Khosla said, "It was a fair playing field."

Kanwal Rekhi- IIT Bombay Graduate with only 8 Dollars 

Rekhi, an IIT Bombay graduate who arrived in Michigan with eight dollars, had several layoffs before relocating to Silicon Valley. In addition to mentoring a generation of Indian entrepreneurs, he launched Excelan, the first tech business listed on the Nasdaq that was entirely owned by Indians.

Indian Students Who Became Legends

These are some successful people from India who studied in top colleges and proved their worth by achieving a name for themselves.


Name

University/College

Accomplishment (In Simple Words)

Vinod Khosla

IIT Delhi, Stanford University

Co-founded Sun Microsystems; became a global venture capitalist.

Kanwal Rekhi

IIT Bombay, Michigan Tech University

Founded Excelan, the first Indian-owned tech firm on Nasdaq; mentor to Indian entrepreneurs.

Suhas Patil

IIT Kharagpur, MIT

Invented fabless chip model with Cirrus Logic; transformed electronics manufacturing.

Vinod Dham

Delhi College of Engineering (now DTU)

Helped develop Intel's Pentium chip; known as the "Father of the Pentium chip".

Shantanu Narayen

Osmania University, University of California, Berkeley

Rose from employee to CEO of Adobe; led its transformation into a subscription-based software giant.

Satya Nadella

Manipal Institute of Technology, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

CEO of Microsoft; drove its shift to cloud computing and massive growth.

Nikesh Arora

IIT BHU, Boston College, Northeastern University

CEO of Palo Alto Networks; former Chief Business Officer at Google; one of the highest-paid US CEOs.

Siddhartha Mukherjee

AIIMS Delhi, Harvard University, University of Oxford

Won Pulitzer Prize for his book on cancer, blending science and storytelling.

Atul Gawande

Stanford University, Harvard Medical School

Doctor and author; improved hospital safety worldwide and changed how we view end-of-life care.

Vivek Murthy

Yale University

US Surgeon General under two presidents; key figure in America’s COVID-19 response.

Suhas Patil- IIT Kharagpur to Chip Innovator

With very little money, Patil came to MIT from IIT Kharagpur. He went on to invent the fabless semiconductor model with Cirrus Logic, which transformed chip manufacturing and made it possible for modern electronics to flourish.

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Vinod Dham- Creator of Pentium Chip

Dham, who came to America with eight dollars, helped create Intel's Pentium chip, which powers millions of computers globally.  This innovation made him a legend in the world of technological creativity.

Shantanu Narayen- From a mere Employee to Adobe CEO

Narayen, a Hyderabadi engineering student, joined Adobe as an employee and went on to become its CEO, revolutionizing software economics globally and turning the company's business model into a subscription powerhouse.

Satya Nadella- The Cloud Computing King of Microsoft

Nadella relocated to the United States to pursue his master's degree and master's plan after graduating from Manipal Institute of Technology. He spearheaded Microsoft's transition to cloud computing, rose to the position of CEO, and turned the business into the most valuable in the world.

"He convinced Microsoft to make significant investments in cloud computing because he recognized its transformative potential," says Indian Genius: The Meteoric Rise of Indians in America, authored by journalist Meenakshi Ahamed

Nikesh Arora- One of the Highest-Paid CEO of America

A student of IIT BHU, Arora is now one of the highest-paid CEOs in America. Arora has redefined cybersecurity on a global scale while serving as the CEO of Palo Alto Networks. He also proved his worth by becoming Google's Chief Business Officer in his previous role.

Siddhartha Mukherjee- Pulitzer Prize Winner

Mukherjee attended Harvard and Oxford after graduating from AIIMS Delhi. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his book The Emperor of All Maladies, which combined science, literature, and humanity to provide a thorough history of cancer.

Atul Gawande- US Medical Revolutionary

After graduating from Harvard Medical School, Gawande rose to prominence as a writer and surgeon. His Checklist Manifesto revolutionized hospital safety globally, and Being Mortal revolutionized the conversation surrounding end-of-life care.

Vivek Murthy- US Surgeon General of two US Presidents

Born to Indian immigrants, Murthy attended Yale before serving as the US Surgeon General under two presidents, demonstrating compassion and knowledge while spearheading the country's COVID-19 response and public health campaigns.

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Vidhee Tripathi
Vidhee Tripathi

Content Writer

Vidhee Tripathi completed her PG Diploma degree in Digital Media from Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. She is a graduate in Science with chemistry honors from Banaras Hindu University. She has 2 years of experience in various aspects of journalism. She was previously associated with the social media wing of Akashvani. At jagranjosh.com, currently she covers current affairs, national news and international news. She is also associated with the education news section of Jagran Josh.

Certificate: Creative Writing, Problem Solving, Web Content Writing
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