In India, conversations about successful engineers often begin with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). But OpenAI's newest technology leader tells a different story. Uday Ruddarraju, who studied Computer Science at Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology (CBIT) in Hyderabad, has been promoted to CTO, Compute at OpenAI. The role puts him in charge of expanding the enormous computing infrastructure that powers some of the world's most advanced artificial intelligence models, including GPT-5.6. Announcing the promotion on LinkedIn, Ruddarraju said he was excited to lead OpenAI's effort to build "the world's largest compute footprint" so frontier AI can reach more people and businesses.<h2>From Hyderabad to Silicon Valley</h2>Unlike many Indian technology leaders, Ruddarraju is not an IIT, NIT or IIIT graduate. After completing his engineering degree at CBIT, he interned at Amazon before moving to the United States to pursue a Master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Minnesota. That decision became the foundation of a career focused on one of technology's most valuable specialisations large-scale cloud infrastructure.<h2>Building the invisible engine behind AI</h2>Ruddarraju is not known for creating AI chatbots or inventing language models. Instead, he builds the enormous computing systems that make them possible. These include GPU clusters, high-speed networking, distributed computing platforms, storage systems and AI training infrastructure capable of handling billions of calculations every second.His career reflects that expertise. He spent more than five years at eBay, helping build cloud infrastructure for one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms. He then joined Robinhood, where he spent nearly six years, eventually becoming Senior Director of Engineering and Head of Infrastructure during a period of rapid growth. In 2024, he was hired by xAI, where he led infrastructure engineering for Elon Musk's AI company before joining OpenAI in 2025 as Head of Compute and Infrastructure. Just over a year later, he has been promoted to CTO.<h2>Why compute has become AI's biggest battleground</h2>The promotion highlights a major shift in the AI industry.Building powerful AI models is no longer just about hiring researchers. It also requires vast computing infrastructure that costs billions of dollars and consumes enormous amounts of energy. Companies such as OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Anthropic and xAI are investing heavily in AI supercomputers because access to compute has become one of the industry's biggest competitive advantages.As CTO, Compute, Ruddarraju will oversee OpenAI's efforts to rapidly expand that infrastructure, ensuring future frontier models can be trained faster and deployed at global scale. His appointment also sends a broader message to aspiring engineers: while prestigious institutions can open doors, long-term success in technology is increasingly shaped by specialised skills, execution and the ability to solve complex engineering problems.

OpenAI has promoted Indian-origin engineer Uday Ruddarraju to CTO, Compute. A graduate of Hyderabad's CBIT, he now leads the computing infrastructure behind OpenAI's frontier AI models, showing that specialised expertise not just elite college credentials can shape careers in global technology.

In India, conversations about successful engineers often begin with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). But OpenAI's newest technology leader tells a different story. Uday Ruddarraju, who studied Computer Science at Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology (CBIT) in Hyderabad, has been promoted to CTO, Compute at OpenAI. The role puts him in charge of expanding the enormous computing infrastructure that powers some of the world's most advanced artificial intelligence models, including GPT-5.6. Announcing the promotion on LinkedIn, Ruddarraju said he was excited to lead OpenAI's effort to build "the world's largest compute footprint" so frontier AI can reach more people and businesses. From Hyderabad to Silicon Valley Unlike many Indian technology leaders, Ruddarraju is not an IIT, NIT or IIIT graduate. After completing his engineering degree at CBIT, he interned at Amazon before moving to the United States to pursue a Master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Minnesota. That decision became the foundation of a career focused on one of technology's most valuable specialisations large-scale cloud infrastructure. Building the invisible engine behind AI Ruddarraju is not known for creating AI chatbots or inventing language models. Instead, he builds the enormous computing systems that make them possible. These include GPU clusters, high-speed networking, distributed computing platforms, storage systems and AI training infrastructure capable of handling billions of calculations every second. His career reflects that expertise. He spent more than five years at eBay, helping build cloud infrastructure for one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms. He then joined Robinhood, where he spent nearly six years, eventually becoming Senior Director of Engineering and Head of Infrastructure during a period of rapid growth. In 2024, he was hired by xAI, where he led infrastructure engineering for Elon Musk's AI company before joining OpenAI in 2025 as Head of Compute and Infrastructure. Just over a year later, he has been promoted to CTO. Why compute has become AI's biggest battleground The promotion highlights a major shift in the AI industry. Building powerful AI models is no longer just about hiring researchers. It also requires vast computing infrastructure that costs billions of dollars and consumes enormous amounts of energy. Companies such as OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Anthropic and xAI are investing heavily in AI supercomputers because access to compute has become one of the industry's biggest competitive advantages. As CTO, Compute, Ruddarraju will oversee OpenAI's efforts to rapidly expand that infrastructure, ensuring future frontier models can be trained faster and deployed at global scale. His appointment also sends a broader message to aspiring engineers: while prestigious institutions can open doors, long-term success in technology is increasingly shaped by specialised skills, execution and the ability to solve complex engineering problems.

OpenAI has promoted Indian-origin engineer Uday Ruddarraju to CTO, Compute. A graduate of Hyderabad's CBIT, he now leads the computing infrastructure behind OpenAI's frontier AI models, showing that specialised expertise not just elite college credentials can shape careers in global technology.

Who is Uday Ruddarraju? The Indian origin engineer now leading OpenAI's compute future

An engineer from Andhra Pradesh was swept away by a strong current after getting caught in a whirlpool while celebrating his 26th birthday with friends at a waterfall in California, United States. The victim was identified as Singireddy Sai Srihari Krishna, a software engineer hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Piridi village.&nbsp;Srihari Krishna, a Vizianagaram native, had recently completed his MS and secured a job. He was swept into a whirlpool while swimming with friends.As per reports, Srihari Krishna was caught in a whirlpool caused by a strong current and drowned.&nbsp;Srihari Krishna hailed from Piridi village in the Bobbili mandal of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. He had gone to the US to pursue higher studies and had secured a job recently, just three months after completing his MS.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-tmc-govt-allocated-rs-6-000-crore-for-madrasas-neglected-funding-for-north-bengal-pm-modi-1776003995356">‘TMC govt allocated Rs 6,000 crore for madrasas, neglected funding for North Bengal’: PM Modi</a><h2>Parents back home devastated by tragic loss&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;His parents Srinivas and Rama are devastated by the sudden loss. Arrangements are being made to return his mortal remains to his hometown.&nbsp;The news of his death has devastated his family in his hometown, and they are struggling to cope with the tragedy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-to-restore-most-of-its-damaged-refinery-facilities-within-two-months-deputy-oil-minister-1775994877040">Iran to restore most of its damaged refinery facilities within two months: Deputy oil minister</a><h2>Two men of Telugu origin drowned in Colorado River last year</h2>&nbsp;Last year, two 32-year-old men of Telugu origin, including an engineer, had drowned in the Colorado River in California. They had anchored their rented pontoon boat, entered the water to cool off, and were not wearing life jackets.The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office had identified the victims as Anoop Gankidi from Tempe and Venkata Mukkaala from Milpitas, California.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pahalgam-massacre-enhanced-pak-s-image-globally-lashkar-commander-exposes-islamabad-s-role-in-killings-1775932347779">‘Pahalgam massacre enhanced Pak’s image globally’: Lashkar commander exposes Islamabad’s role in killings</a>&nbsp;Gankidi, who was from Hyderabad, had moved to the US to pursue a master’s degree in computer engineering at California State University. Gankidi worked as a computer engineer in the Phoenix area. Both were declared dead at a nearby medical centre.

Singireddy Sai Srihari Krishna, a software engineer, hailed from Piridi village in the Bobbili mandal of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. He had gone to the US to pursue higher studies and had secured a job recently, just three months after completing his MS.

An engineer from Andhra Pradesh was swept away by a strong current after getting caught in a whirlpool while celebrating his 26th birthday with friends at a waterfall in California, United States. The victim was identified as Singireddy Sai Srihari Krishna, a software engineer hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Piridi village. Srihari Krishna, a Vizianagaram native, had recently completed his MS and secured a job. He was swept into a whirlpool while swimming with friends. As per reports, Srihari Krishna was caught in a whirlpool caused by a strong current and drowned. Srihari Krishna hailed from Piridi village in the Bobbili mandal of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. He had gone to the US to pursue higher studies and had secured a job recently, just three months after completing his MS. Also Read: ‘TMC govt allocated Rs 6,000 crore for madrasas, neglected funding for North Bengal’: PM Modi Parents back home devastated by tragic loss His parents Srinivas and Rama are devastated by the sudden loss. Arrangements are being made to return his mortal remains to his hometown. The news of his death has devastated his family in his hometown, and they are struggling to cope with the tragedy. Also Read: Iran to restore most of its damaged refinery facilities within two months: Deputy oil minister Two men of Telugu origin drowned in Colorado River last year Last year, two 32-year-old men of Telugu origin, including an engineer, had drowned in the Colorado River in California. They had anchored their rented pontoon boat, entered the water to cool off, and were not wearing life jackets. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office had identified the victims as Anoop Gankidi from Tempe and Venkata Mukkaala from Milpitas, California. Also Read: ‘Pahalgam massacre enhanced Pak’s image globally’: Lashkar commander exposes Islamabad’s role in killings Gankidi, who was from Hyderabad, had moved to the US to pursue a master’s degree in computer engineering at California State University. Gankidi worked as a computer engineer in the Phoenix area. Both were declared dead at a nearby medical centre.

Singireddy Sai Srihari Krishna, a software engineer, hailed from Piridi village in the Bobbili mandal of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. He had gone to the US to pursue higher studies and had secured a job recently, just three months after completing his MS.

Software engineer from Andhra drowns in US waterfall amid birthday celebrations

Disclaimer: Some readers may find the story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

In another heart-breaking incident, a software engineer died by suicide at his home. According to the police, he electrocuted himself and his wife found him tangled in a live wire.

The man was battling depression due to work pressure, as per reports,&nbsp;and&nbsp;was alone in his house in Thazhambur off Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) on Thursday (Sep 19) at the time of the incident.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/eys-ex-employees-open-up-about-toxic-work-culture-as-annas-tragic-death-takes-country-by-storm-760132">EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm</a>

When his wife came back home from the temple, she found that the man was lying unconscious and had wires wrapped around his body, said the police.&nbsp;

<h2>Police say man was a software firm's employee for past 15 years</h2>

The victim was 38-year-old Karthikeyan and he was a native of Theni. He was an employee of a software firm in Pallavaram for the past 15 years.

He used to live with his wife K Jayarani, and their two children, who were 8 and 10 years old.

According to the police, the man had complained of facing depression because of work pressure&nbsp;and was receiving treatment at a hospital in Medavakkam for the last two months. As reported by NDTV, the man had recently shifted to a new company and had left a suicide note for the family members.

The wife, Jayarani, had gone to the Thirunallaru temple along with her friends. The two children had gone to stay with their grandmother and Karthikeyan was alone at home.

Watch:&nbsp;Deloitte acts after EY employee's death

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/deloitte-acts-after-ey-employees-death-760867/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

When the wife returned, she knocked on the door several times but got no response. Then she used the alternate key and opened the door and found the man lying unconscious.

He was only wearing his undergarments and the entire body was wrapped with a power cable which was connected with the main junction box.

The police sent the body for post-mortem to Chromepet govt hospital and filed a case of unnatural death.

The case has come at a time when Ernst and Young's (EY) former employee Anna Sebastian Perayil's tragic death allegedly due to work pressure has left the entire country shocked and in rage.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

<a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469">Get help &amp; support for suicide</a>

If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a&nbsp;suicide prevention hotline&nbsp;using the information above link.&nbsp;WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: Some readers may find the story disturbing. Discretion is advised. In another heart-breaking incident, a software engineer died by suicide at his home.

Disclaimer: Some readers may find the story disturbing. Discretion is advised. In another heart-breaking incident, a software engineer died by suicide at his home. According to the police, he electrocuted himself and his wife found him tangled in a live wire. The man was battling depression due to work pressure, as per reports, and was alone in his house in Thazhambur off Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) on Thursday (Sep 19) at the time of the incident. Also Read: EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm When his wife came back home from the temple, she found that the man was lying unconscious and had wires wrapped around his body, said the police. Police say man was a software firm's employee for past 15 years The victim was 38-year-old Karthikeyan and he was a native of Theni. He was an employee of a software firm in Pallavaram for the past 15 years. He used to live with his wife K Jayarani, and their two children, who were 8 and 10 years old. According to the police, the man had complained of facing depression because of work pressure and was receiving treatment at a hospital in Medavakkam for the last two months. As reported by NDTV, the man had recently shifted to a new company and had left a suicide note for the family members. The wife, Jayarani, had gone to the Thirunallaru temple along with her friends. The two children had gone to stay with their grandmother and Karthikeyan was alone at home. Watch: Deloitte acts after EY employee's death When the wife returned, she knocked on the door several times but got no response. Then she used the alternate key and opened the door and found the man lying unconscious. He was only wearing his undergarments and the entire body was wrapped with a power cable which was connected with the main junction box. The police sent the body for post-mortem to Chromepet govt hospital and filed a case of unnatural death. The case has come at a time when Ernst and Young's (EY) former employee Anna Sebastian Perayil's tragic death allegedly due to work pressure has left the entire country shocked and in rage. (With inputs from agencies) Get help & support for suicide If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline using the information above link. WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.

Software engineer, battling depression due to work pressure, dies by suicide

The state of loneliness is mental or emotional distress one may experience from either being alone or just because you feel as if you are alone despite being among a group of people. Loneliness can leave people feeling isolated and disconnected from others.&nbsp;

In order to combat this feeling (or maybe a phase), an India-based engineer was reportedly seen driving an auto-rickshaw on the weekends in Bengaluru. He was wearing a company hoodie.&nbsp;

A social media user, named Venkatesh Gupta, took to X and shared a post about the techie, who apparently works at Microsoft.&nbsp;"Met a 35-year-old staff software engineer at Microsoft in Koramangala driving Namma Yatri to combat loneliness on weekends," Gupta wrote.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/this-indian-state-has-made-it-mandatory-for-tourist-vehicles-to-carry-garbage-bags-743097">This Indian state has made it mandatory for tourist vehicles to carry garbage bags</a>

This may come under moonlighting, which is the act of working at an extra job, especially without telling your main employer, but this particular case has sparked a debate online, with people flooding the comment section with their opinions. People often lose their jobs when the&nbsp;employer finds out about moonlighting.&nbsp;

Here's the post:&nbsp;

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Met a 35 year old staff software engineer at Microsoft in Kormangala driving Namma Yatri to combat loneliness on weekends <a href="https://t.co/yesKDM9v2j">pic.twitter.com/yesKDM9v2j</a>
— Venkatesh Gupta (@venkyHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkyHQ/status/1815083810083471778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Some users raised concerns, saying "Loneliness is REAL". Some questioned the legitimacy of the post, saying, "Wearing a Microsoft jacket does not mean he is an employee."&nbsp;

"Don't know if the staff software engineer is real. But I just read a news article talking about workplace stress and this post. Just so you know," another user wrote.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/mukbang-challenge-kills-chinese-woman-who-ate-kilos-of-food-for-over-10-hours-a-day-743012">Mukbang challenge kills Chinese woman who ate kilos of food for over 10 hours a day</a>

"Tats gr8, he knows how imp is mental health. Change of subject is rest. An engineer at my office works as bartender to get relaxed," one user wrote.&nbsp;

"There is a breakdown of interpersonal bonds in present times. The fast pace of life coupled with rising stress in various facets of a person's daily "existence" has driven people apart instead of bringing them together. Digital world has further made us emotional islands," another user wrote.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The state of loneliness is mental or emotional distress one may experience from either being alone or just because you feel as if you are alone despite being among a group of people.

The state of loneliness is mental or emotional distress one may experience from either being alone or just because you feel as if you are alone despite being among a group of people. Loneliness can leave people feeling isolated and disconnected from others. In order to combat this feeling (or maybe a phase), an India-based engineer was reportedly seen driving an auto-rickshaw on the weekends in Bengaluru. He was wearing a company hoodie. A social media user, named Venkatesh Gupta, took to X and shared a post about the techie, who apparently works at Microsoft. "Met a 35-year-old staff software engineer at Microsoft in Koramangala driving Namma Yatri to combat loneliness on weekends," Gupta wrote. Also read: This Indian state has made it mandatory for tourist vehicles to carry garbage bags This may come under moonlighting, which is the act of working at an extra job, especially without telling your main employer, but this particular case has sparked a debate online, with people flooding the comment section with their opinions. People often lose their jobs when the employer finds out about moonlighting. Here's the post: Met a 35 year old staff software engineer at Microsoft in Kormangala driving Namma Yatri to combat loneliness on weekends pic.twitter.com/yesKDM9v2j — Venkatesh Gupta (@venkyHQ) July 21, 2024 × Some users raised concerns, saying "Loneliness is REAL". Some questioned the legitimacy of the post, saying, "Wearing a Microsoft jacket does not mean he is an employee." "Don't know if the staff software engineer is real. But I just read a news article talking about workplace stress and this post. Just so you know," another user wrote. Also read: Mukbang challenge kills Chinese woman who ate kilos of food for over 10 hours a day "Tats gr8, he knows how imp is mental health. Change of subject is rest. An engineer at my office works as bartender to get relaxed," one user wrote. "There is a breakdown of interpersonal bonds in present times. The fast pace of life coupled with rising stress in various facets of a person's daily "existence" has driven people apart instead of bringing them together. Digital world has further made us emotional islands," another user wrote. (With inputs from agencies)

Software engineer in Bengaluru 'drives auto-rickshaw on weekends to combat loneliness'

A US-based startup has introduced an AI software engineer called Devin. The AI tool can change the game in code writing and debugging. This AI tool is being dubbed the world's first AI software engineer.

Devin: World's first AI software engineer

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