A tech professional from Bengaluru, now employed at IBM’s California campus, has shared an inspiring journey of overcoming H-1B visa rejections to obtain an O-1 visa, a category reserved for individuals with exceptional abilities.
Tanush Sharanarthi, a 26-year-old, detailed his experience on LinkedIn, explaining how three consecutive failures in the H-1B lottery left him feeling disheartened. Instead of relying on luck, he focused on what he could control: dedicating late nights to developing products, publishing research, and actively contributing to the field of artificial intelligence.
“Turns out, consistency pays better than the lottery,” Sharanarthi stated, emphasizing that his persistent efforts in AI and software engineering, including research papers, open-source contributions, and judging hackathons over six years, aligned perfectly with the O-1 visa requirements.
He expressed gratitude towards his family, mentors, colleagues, and IBM for their support throughout his visa application process. Sharanarthi’s story has resonated widely on social media, with many congratulating him on his achievement and finding inspiration in his approach to transforming setbacks into fuel for success.
The O-1 visa is a prestigious nonimmigrant visa awarded to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary ability in various fields, including sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.