From PW IOI to Ikshan AI: Rohit Makani Lands a ₹10 LPA Founding AI Engineer Role with ₹20 Lakh ESOPs
Rohit Makani, a student from the SOT23 batch at PW Institute of Innovation (PW IOI), Bangalore, has secured a Founding AI Engineer role at Ikshan AI. The full-time opportunity comes with a ₹10 LPA package along with ₹20 lakh worth of ESOPs.
A founding engineering role offers an opportunity to work closely with the product and technology being built at an early-stage company. For an AI-focused role, this can mean applying technical skills to real products, solving practical problems, and contributing to the development of new solutions.
For Rohit, this opportunity marks an important step from learning AI and technology in an academic environment to applying those skills in a professional setting.
Rohit Makani Steps Into a Founding AI Engineer Role
Rohit's selection at Ikshan AI places him in the Founding AI Engineer role, where he will be part of the company's technology team.
Unlike a conventional entry-level position with a narrowly defined set of responsibilities, a founding engineering role at an early-stage company can involve working across different parts of product and technology development.
The role allows Rohit to work in a professional environment where technical knowledge can be applied to actual product requirements and business problems.
His selection also reflects the growing demand for engineers who can work with AI and apply their technical skills beyond classroom learning.
Rohit Makani Secures ₹10 LPA Along With ₹20 Lakh in ESOPs
The role comes with a ₹10 lakh annual package, along with ₹20 lakh worth of ESOPs.
ESOPs, or Employee Stock Options, allow employees to own a stake in a company subject to the company's applicable terms and vesting conditions. For employees joining an early-stage company, ESOPs can provide an additional component alongside their salary.
For Rohit, the combination of a full-time AI engineering role, ₹10 LPA compensation, and ₹20 lakh in ESOPs makes this an important early-career opportunity.
It also gives him the chance to gain experience in a startup environment while developing his technical career in Artificial Intelligence.
PW IOI Gives Rohit Makani a Platform to Build His Career
PW IOI focuses on helping students develop practical technology skills and prepare for professional opportunities. For students pursuing careers in areas such as AI and software engineering, exposure to projects and industry-oriented learning can help bridge the gap between academic concepts and workplace requirements.
Rohit's placement at Ikshan AI represents the transition from this learning environment to a full-time engineering role.
As an SOT23 student from the Bangalore campus, he adds to the placement journeys of PW IOI students who are moving into technology-focused roles after their programme.
Rohit Makani Takes His Next Step in AI Engineering
Securing a Founding AI Engineer role at Ikshan AI is an important milestone in Rohit's professional journey. With a ₹10 LPA package and ₹20 lakh in ESOPs, the opportunity gives him both a full-time role and exposure to an early-stage technology environment.
For students at PW IOI who are preparing for careers in AI and engineering, Rohit's achievement shows one possible path from learning technical skills to entering the industry.
His journey from the SOT23 PW IOI Bangalore batch to a Founding AI Engineer role at Ikshan AI marks the beginning of a new phase—one where he can apply his skills to real-world engineering challenges and continue building his career in AI.
