Reports circulate about IIT Bombay graduate Rishabh Agrawal declining a reported job offer from Meta and leaving the company to start his own artificial intelligence startup. Multiple outlets describe Agrawal as an AI researcher who initially drew attention online after viral posts claimed he turned down an offer described as worth more than ₹9.5 crore per year. Times of India reports that Agrawal responds to the circulating claims, including discussion of the reported “million-dollar” figure and his time at Meta, stating the Meta offer was one he ultimately did not take.
While the exact compensation details vary in how they are presented across posts and headlines, both sources agree on the broad sequence: Agrawal is an IIT Bombay alumnus, he is linked to AI work, he declines or leaves a Meta role, and he chooses to pursue entrepreneurship by founding an AI startup. The story also trends as an example of a wider pattern of young engineers in India weighing corporate employment against starting companies in deep-tech fields.
