This Amazon Cloud Engineer Walked Away From a Rs 46 Lakh Salary to Wear the Army Uniform Lucknow's Shardendu Tiwari gave up a Rs 46 lakh annual package at Amazon and an offer from Airbus, and after seven consecutive failures, cracked army selection on his eighth attempt. He was commissioned from OTA Gaya, where he was also named Senior Under Officer. A cloud engineer at Amazon drawing close to Rs 46 lakh a year has traded his corporate badge for an army uniform. Twenty-seven-year-old Shardendu Tiwari, who comes from the Neelmatha area of Lucknow, is now a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, and his journey shows that a fat pay cheque isn't everyone's yardstick for success. A Handsome Salary Couldn't Outweigh the Pull of the Uniform On paper, Shardendu's career looked settled. His job at Amazon was secure and his annual pay had climbed to roughly Rs 46 lakh. On top of that, the global aerospace company Airbus had also extended him an attractive job offer. Most people would treat that combination as the peak of a career and stop chasing anything else, but Shardendu's mind was elsewhere. He believes the thrill, the challenge and the sense of fulfilment that army life offers simply cannot be matched by any corporate job in the world. A Family Legacy Built in Olive Green Shardendu's family originally hails from Piprganv village in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. His father, honorary Captain Rajkumar Tiwari, served the country for 36 continuous years in the Army Service Corps, known as the ASC. Growing up around uniforms, medals and military discipline at home, Shardendu developed a deep-rooted sense of patriotism from an early age. He had decided as a child that he would carry his father's legacy forward, no matter how many obstacles came his way. Seven Failed Attempts, One Triumphant Eighth Shardendu completed his early schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Chandimandir, before earning his B.E. and M.Tech degrees in Computer Science from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh. Despite being a sharp student, the path to the uniform was anything but smooth. He faced failure in army selection seven times in a row. Where most people would have given up after repeated setbacks, Shardendu treated every failure as a lesson, worked on his weaknesses, and finally achieved his goal on his eighth attempt. His Computer Science Degree Will Now Guard the Army's Networks Shardendu Tiwari has entered the Indian Army through the Technical Entry Route, a specialised stream that requires engineers to handle modern warfare technology, cyber security and high-tech weapons systems. In effect, the same technical skills he once used to manage cloud systems at Amazon will now help strengthen the Indian Army's digital and cyber security. Named Senior Under Officer at OTA Gaya Shardendu's performance stood out among his fellow cadets during training at the Officers Training Academy in Gaya as well. Recognising his leadership qualities, the academy selected him as Senior Under Officer, the highest and most prestigious position a cadet can hold. A fan of basketball and table tennis, Shardendu believes the energy and excitement of field duty can never be felt in a desk job. Commissioned from OTA Gaya, he is now officially part of the Indian Army as an officer. Shardendu Tiwari's story is a lesson for young professionals torn between a high salary and a comfortable corporate life. He has shown that a strong resolve can survive repeated failures, and that real satisfaction often lies not in a big pay cheque but in a larger purpose like serving the nation. What this means for you The story matters most for young professionals stuck weighing a high-paying corporate job against a career in the defence forces. • Lesson for defence aspirants: Seven consecutive failures did not end this career. Candidates who keep correcting their weaknesses after each attempt can still succeed later, so repeated setbacks in SSB or selection rounds are not a reason to quit preparing. • A route for tech professionals: Engineers and computer science graduates can join the army directly as officers through the Technical Entry Route. A technical degree, in other words, opens a defence career option alongside the usual corporate path. • Impact on career choices: Even with a handsome salary and a big-name job offer in hand, a personal calling should not be dismissed. The decision to leave a job should not be based on money alone. • A message for families: Growing up around discipline and a defence-service environment at home can shape a child's career direction later in life, so the influence of that upbringing should not be underestimated. Questions & Answers 1. Who is Shardendu Tiwari? He is a 27-year-old from the Neelmatha area of Lucknow who worked as a cloud engineer at Amazon and is now a commissioned officer in the Indian Army. 2. What was his salary at Amazon? His annual package at Amazon was close to Rs 46 lakh. 3. Which other company had offered him a job? The global aerospace company Airbus had also given him an attractive job offer. 4. How many attempts did it take him to succeed in army selection? He failed seven times in a row and succeeded on his eighth attempt. 5. Which entry route did he join the army through? He joined the Indian Army through the Technical Entry Route. 6. Where did he study? He studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Chandimandir, and earned his B.E. and M.Tech in Computer Science from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. 7. What honour did he receive at OTA Gaya? He was selected as Senior Under Officer at the Officers Training Academy, Gaya, the highest position given to a cadet. 8. What did his father do in the army? His father, honorary Captain Rajkumar Tiwari, served 36 years in the Army Service Corps (ASC). Inspiration & Lessons Key takeaways from Shardendu Tiwari's journey: • Don't treat failure as final: He kept trying even after seven consecutive setbacks and succeeded on his eighth attempt. • Chase purpose over pay: He chose his real calling over a Rs 46 lakh job and an Airbus offer. • Redirect your skills: He channelled his computer science background into national service through the Technical Entry Route. • Draw strength from family: He turned his father's 36 years of service into motivation rather than pressure. • Show up fully wherever you are: His strong performance in training itself earned him the Senior Under Officer post. https://trendkia.com/en/success-stories/46-lakha-ke-paikeja-ko-thokara-marakara-phauja-ki-vardi-chunane-vale-shardendu-tiwari-ki-kahani-28005 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.