Edward Nathan Varghese, a 21-year-old computer science student at IIT Hyderabad, has secured the institute's highest-ever placement package of Rs 2.5 crore from Netherlands-based firm Optiver. Varghese converted a two-month summer internship into a pre-placement offer, crediting his success to competitive programming, the IIT tag, and a flexible curriculum. This record offer comes amid a challenging job market, with other students also receiving significant international packages, and the institute reporting a 75% increase in average salaries.