It is everyone’s dream to get a high-paying corporate job, but Shardendu Tiwari, a 27-year-old engineer, built his career in the technology sector. The key point here is that it was not his destination.
His engineering degree helped him to secure a Rs 46 lakh per annum job. However, he left the job to join the Indian Army as an officer. According to the Times of India report, he will be commissioned at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Gaya on Saturday.
Tiwari’s journey is not special because of the salary he gave up, but because of the repeated setbacks before achieving his goal. He appeared for the selection process eight times before finally clearing it.
Who Is Shardendu Tiwari?
Shardendu Tiwari grew up in Neelmatha, Lucknow, and his family originally hails from Pipergaon village in Sultanpur district. He completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Chandimandir, Haryana, and later pursued a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology. Thereafter, Tiwari went to Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, to complete his MTech in Computer Science and Information Security.
Tiwari’s strong academic and technical background helped him to enter the corporate world, and he then worked as a cloud engineer at Amazon, where he used to earn around Rs 46 lakh annually. However, this did not change his long-term ambition, i.e., to join the Indian Army.
Why Did Shardendu Tiwari Leave Amazon?
Tiwari’s decision to join the Indian Army was influenced by his interest in adventure and field postings. His journey was not straightforward. He faced several unsuccessful attempts before finally making it through the selection process.
He was eventually selected through the Technical Entry Scheme, which allowed him to use his technical education while pursuing a military career. Tiwari also reportedly turned down an opportunity with aerospace company Airbus. He also left his corporate career to follow his ambition of serving in the armed forces.
Shardendu Tiwari Military Background Influenced His Decision
For Tiwari, the Army was not an unfamiliar world. His father, Honorary Captain Raj Kumar Tiwari, served in the Army Service Corps for 36 years before retiring. His father’s long military career played an important role in shaping his outlook. It also inspired Tiwari to consider a future in the armed forces from an early age.
At OTA Gaya, Tiwari was given the responsibility of Senior Under Officer (SUO). It is among the senior positions held by cadets during training. Away from military training, he enjoys playing basketball and table tennis.
IIT Mandi Graduate Also Left Corporate Career for Army
Tiwari’s story comes amid growing interest in engineers and technology professionals choosing careers in the armed forces. A similar story involving Captain Amar Simha Yadav recently attracted attention online.
According to a post shared on X by software engineer Vikas Alwys, Yadav had completed his BTech from IIT Mandi. He later worked as a Senior Engineer with Larsen & Toubro in the UAE. Despite having a stable and well-paying overseas job, Yadav eventually left the corporate sector and joined the Indian Army.
“Even though he had a secure and well-paying career, he chose to follow his dream of serving the nation, despite his parents wanting him to keep his stable job,” Vikas said. He also explained Yadav’s reason for making the switch.
“He said all he used to do was sit at a desk, gaining weight and losing his eyesight. Whereas the Army is the only organization where you are paid to stay fit, earn respect, and serve the best troops in the world.” Yadav went on to join the Indian Army as a Captain and Combat Engineer Officer.
Shardendu Tiwari: From Corporate Jobs to Army Careers
The journeys of Shardendu Tiwari and Amar Simha Yadav highlight a different career path for highly educated professionals. For Tiwari, it meant leaving behind an Amazon career and a salary of nearly ₹46 lakh. For Yadav, it meant giving up a well-paying job in the UAE. Both stories underline the pull of military service beyond salary and corporate benefits.
Tiwari’s journey is particularly striking because he did not succeed on his first attempt. After eight attempts, he finally achieved his goal of becoming an Indian Army officer. His story is now drawing attention as he begins a new chapter at OTA Gaya.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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