A remarkable convergence of talent from Karnataka is currently steering the future of artificial intelligence at some of the world's most influential technology corporations. Three engineers with deep roots in the state—Sachin Katti, Rahul Patil, and Amar Subramanya—have ascended to pivotal leadership roles at OpenAI, Anthropic, and Apple respectively, marking a significant moment for India's tech diaspora.
From Belagavi to Silicon Valley: The Journeys of Three Pioneers
The most recent headline was made by Sachin Katti, a native of Belagavi. His hometown celebrated when Intel promoted him to Chief Technology Officer and AI chief during a major leadership overhaul. However, in a swift and strategic move, Katti announced his transition to OpenAI in November. At OpenAI, he is tasked with a mission critical to the decade: leading the development of the compute infrastructure intended to power Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman publicly welcomed Katti, expressing excitement about collaborating on designing and building the compute infrastructure that will scale AGI research for universal benefit.
Katti's academic journey is stellar. An alumnus of St. Xavier's School in Belagavi and Karnataka College, Dharwad, he secured an impressive 12th rank in his pre-university studies. He completed his undergraduate degree at IIT Bombay before earning both his MS and PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His entrepreneurial spirit shone between 2012 and 2014 when he co-founded Kumu Networks, pioneering full-duplex radio technology and raising $45 million for the venture.
Bengaluru's Brain Trust Takes Center Stage
In a parallel achievement, Rahul Patil, an alumnus of PESIT Bengaluru (now PES University), was appointed as the Chief Technology Officer of Anthropic, the creator of the Claude AI assistant. Patil, who graduated in the 10th computer science batch at PES in 1998, later pursued a master's degree from Arizona State University and an MBA from the University of Washington.
Growing up in Bengaluru, Patil studied at Baldwin Boys' School and St. Joseph's PU College. His mother, Neelam Patil, a computer science teacher at Bishop Cotton's for over two decades, witnessed his early passion for technology. Patil joined Anthropic from the payments giant Stripe, where he served as CTO overseeing global engineering and operations. He now lives in Seattle with his family.
Completing this powerful triad is Amar Subramanya, recently named Vice President of AI at Apple. A veteran researcher with decades of experience, Subramanya's connection to Bengaluru is anchored in his engineering degree, which he earned from Bangalore University in 2001 (now affiliated with the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering).
A Testament to Karnataka's Educational Ecosystem
This triple appointment has been hailed as a proud moment for Karnataka's education system and its vast pool of technical talent. TV Mohandas Pai, chairman of Aarin Capital, emphasized the significance, stating that it reflects the state's rich tech talent reservoir. He noted that these individuals serve as visible role models and that the aspiration of Kannadiga parents is increasingly focused on securing quality education for their children to achieve such global excellence.
The rise of Katti, Patil, and Subramanya underscores a broader narrative: Karnataka, and particularly Bengaluru, continues to be a fertile ground for world-class engineering minds who are now defining the next frontier of technological innovation on the global stage.
