From College Dropout To Rs 70 LPA: 20-Year-Old’s Viral Success Story Stuns Internet

A 20-year-old Indian college dropout’s viral Reddit post claims he landed a Rs 70 lakh remote job with a US startup despite multiple rejections. He reportedly persisted by sending numerous emails and contacting the founder directly.

A 20-year-old Indian college dropout has gone viral on social media after claiming he secured a remote job paying Rs 70 lakh per annum with a US-based startup despite facing multiple rejections along the way. His story, shared on Reddit, has sparked massive discussion online about skills, persistence and unconventional career paths in the tech industry.

The young techie explained that he began freelancing at the age of 16 without a clear career plan. According to his post, he initially worked on small projects, often for low pay and difficult clients, before gradually building expertise in growth and marketing. Over time, he reportedly worked on more than 12 projects and even collaborated with the growth team of a major company as a freelancer.

In the now-viral post titled “How I landed a 70 LPA job as a 20-year-old college dropout,” the Redditor revealed that he spotted an opening at a San Francisco-based startup that had recently raised nearly $50 million in funding. Despite believing he had little chance of being selected, he still applied for the role.

The techie said he was rejected multiple times and even ignored after repeated emails. However, instead of giving up, he reportedly sent over 20 emails and eventually managed to contact the startup founder directly. “I somehow found the founder’s contact and sent him a super direct message basically explaining how I’d help them grow,” he wrote.

According to the post, the company later scheduled an interview focused largely on execution strategies, marketing psychology and growth ideas rather than academic qualifications. A few days later, the candidate allegedly received the offer for a fully remote role worth around $80,000 annually, equivalent to nearly Rs 70 lakh per year.

When asked about his work, the Reddit user explained that he builds “AI distribution funnels” for B2B startups. He described the role as creating infrastructure and marketing distribution systems across platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram using AI-driven content strategies.

The story triggered mixed reactions online. Many users praised the dropout’s persistence and self-learning journey, while others questioned the authenticity of the claims. One user commented, “Skills + consistency + putting yourself out there can genuinely change your life.” Another sceptical commenter called the story “made up.”

The viral post has reignited conversations around traditional degrees versus practical skills, especially in India’s rapidly evolving startup and AI-driven job market. Similar stories of tech professionals landing high-paying roles despite unconventional backgrounds have increasingly surfaced online in recent months.