When Rithuparna KS stepped out of her NEET exam hall a few years ago, she thought her shot at becoming a doctor was over. “After my 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,” she told TNN.
Her father suggested engineering. She picked Robotics and Automation at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management in Mangaluru. The plan was simple: make the most of it.
From college projects to international medals
She didn’t sit still. Senior students’ projects grabbed her attention. She wanted in. Soon, she and a friend were building robots for arecanut farmers — machines that could spray pesticide and harvest nuts, cutting down back-breaking work.
They took this to the INEX conference in Goa. They came back with gold and silver medals after competing with teams from Singapore, Japan, China and Russia.
From local labs to NITK and real-world impact
Rithuparna didn’t stop at classroom demos. She joined a research team at NITK Surathkal, digging into robotic surgery. She spoke to real surgeons. She sat with local officials, including then Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP, to help build an app for better waste management in her district.
She was also picked for the Dakshina Kannada DC Fellowship, chosen as one of 15 students tackling real local issues.
The Rolls-Royce rejection that changed everything
Her biggest goal? Land an internship at Rolls-Royce. But when she first reached out, they shot her down bluntly. “Do you even qualify to be part of our firm?” they asked. They told her she wouldn’t manage even one task in a month.
Most people would have given up. Rithuparna didn’t. She asked for a chance to prove herself. They threw her a one-month task. She didn’t fully understand it at first but she researched, read, stayed up. She got it done in a week.
Rolls-Royce took notice. One task turned into another. Then more. For eight months she juggled tough assignments, back-to-back interviews and late-night research, all while staying on top of her sixth-semester coursework.
The offer that broke the ceiling
In December 2024, the call came. Rolls-Royce offered her a pre-placement opportunity in its Jet Engine Manufacturing Division. From January 2, she worked remotely every night from midnight to 6 AM, squeezing in classes by day.
By April 2025, the company doubled down. Her initial ₹39.6 lakh package was bumped up to ₹72.3 lakh per year, recognising her grit and results.
She’ll soon finish her seventh semester and fly to Texas to join the global team.
Family and college pride
Rithuparna, daughter of Saresh KN and Geetha Saresh, grew up in Koduru in Thirthahalli taluk. She did her schooling at St Agnes before Sahyadri. Her younger sister, Rithvika KS, now has one more reason to look up to her.
Her college is beaming too. “The college is proud of her achievement,” said Lawrence Joseph Fernandes, Head of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics and Automation at Sahyadri, to TNN.
What does she say to students dreaming of big jobs? No sugar-coating. “Youth today have big dreams, yet they only give their 50 per cent instead of 200 per cent to achieve what it takes to be successful,” she told Deccan Herald.
From a girl who once thought her dream had ended outside an exam hall, it’s advice worth listening to.
Her father suggested engineering. She picked Robotics and Automation at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management in Mangaluru. The plan was simple: make the most of it.
From college projects to international medals
She didn’t sit still. Senior students’ projects grabbed her attention. She wanted in. Soon, she and a friend were building robots for arecanut farmers — machines that could spray pesticide and harvest nuts, cutting down back-breaking work.
They took this to the INEX conference in Goa. They came back with gold and silver medals after competing with teams from Singapore, Japan, China and Russia.
From local labs to NITK and real-world impact
Rithuparna didn’t stop at classroom demos. She joined a research team at NITK Surathkal, digging into robotic surgery. She spoke to real surgeons. She sat with local officials, including then Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP, to help build an app for better waste management in her district.
She was also picked for the Dakshina Kannada DC Fellowship, chosen as one of 15 students tackling real local issues.
The Rolls-Royce rejection that changed everything
Her biggest goal? Land an internship at Rolls-Royce. But when she first reached out, they shot her down bluntly. “Do you even qualify to be part of our firm?” they asked. They told her she wouldn’t manage even one task in a month.
Most people would have given up. Rithuparna didn’t. She asked for a chance to prove herself. They threw her a one-month task. She didn’t fully understand it at first but she researched, read, stayed up. She got it done in a week.
Rolls-Royce took notice. One task turned into another. Then more. For eight months she juggled tough assignments, back-to-back interviews and late-night research, all while staying on top of her sixth-semester coursework.
The offer that broke the ceiling
In December 2024, the call came. Rolls-Royce offered her a pre-placement opportunity in its Jet Engine Manufacturing Division. From January 2, she worked remotely every night from midnight to 6 AM, squeezing in classes by day.
By April 2025, the company doubled down. Her initial ₹39.6 lakh package was bumped up to ₹72.3 lakh per year, recognising her grit and results.
She’ll soon finish her seventh semester and fly to Texas to join the global team.
Family and college pride
Rithuparna, daughter of Saresh KN and Geetha Saresh, grew up in Koduru in Thirthahalli taluk. She did her schooling at St Agnes before Sahyadri. Her younger sister, Rithvika KS, now has one more reason to look up to her.
Her college is beaming too. “The college is proud of her achievement,” said Lawrence Joseph Fernandes, Head of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics and Automation at Sahyadri, to TNN.
What does she say to students dreaming of big jobs? No sugar-coating. “Youth today have big dreams, yet they only give their 50 per cent instead of 200 per cent to achieve what it takes to be successful,” she told Deccan Herald.
From a girl who once thought her dream had ended outside an exam hall, it’s advice worth listening to.
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