A visually impaired software engineer, 25 years old and hailing from Madhya Pradesh, has been offered a job by the IT giant Microsoft with an annual package of Rs 47 lakh, which can be compared to winning a free bet, according to an official statement on Tuesday. Yash Sonakia completed his BTech degree in 2021 from the Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) in Indore, a government-aided autonomous institute.
The official from SGSITS mentioned that the recent graduate has secured a job offer from Microsoft, with an annual salary package of Rs 47 lakh. Sonakia, in an interview with PTI, confirmed that he has accepted the offer and is set to join the company’s Bengaluru office as a software engineer. Initially, he will be working remotely.
Sonakia faced the loss of his eyesight due to glaucoma at the age of eight. Despite this challenge, he successfully completed his studies with the assistance of screen-reader software. Subsequently, he ventured into job hunting and applied to Microsoft after acquiring coding skills. Following an online examination and interview, he emerged successful and secured the position of a software engineer at the company.
Sonakia’s father, Yashpal, who operates a canteen in the city, revealed that his son was diagnosed with glaucoma shortly after birth, leading to minimal vision in his eyes. Yashpal shared the story of his son’s determination, stating that despite losing his eyesight at the age of eight, they persisted in supporting Sonakia’s dream of becoming a software engineer. Yashpal played a crucial role in his son’s education, initially enrolling him in a school for children with special needs up to Class 5, and later transitioning him to a regular school. One of his sisters provided assistance, particularly in subjects like math and science.
Yashpal expressed his emotions, stating that Yash is his eldest son, and after numerous challenges, his dream of becoming a professional software engineer has finally come true.