Bengaluru: After facing three rejections in the H-1B visa lottery, a Bengaluru-born techie has secured an O-1 visa, often dubbed the “Einstein visa”, for his work in artificial intelligence. 26-year-old Tanush Sharanarthi, who now works at IBM in California, shared his journey from setbacks to success on LinkedIn, inspiring many in the tech community.
From H-1B lottery failures to O-1 approval
Sharanarthi recounted how, year after year, his H-1B applications were rejected.
“Three tickets, three misses. At this point, I was starting to feel like the unluckiest person in Vegas,” he wrote.
But instead of relying on chance, he doubled down on building his profile — publishing AI research, contributing to open-source projects, judging hackathons, and reviewing academic papers. His consistent work eventually met the stringent O-1 requirements.
The O-1 visa is granted to individuals recognised as having “extraordinary ability” in fields such as science, arts, business, or athletics.
“Consistency pays better than the lottery,” Sharanarthi noted, adding that his approval as an “alien of extraordinary ability” came after six years of hard work.
Building an extraordinary profile
In an interview with Business Insider, Sharanarthi explained that O-1 applicants must fulfil at least three of eight eligibility criteria. He already satisfied several — with published AI research, roles as a hackathon judge, and reviewing scholarly papers.
“I wasn’t doing work solely for a visa. My focus has always been on my field, AI and software engineering. These were things I was already doing, but they lined up well with the O-1 requirements,” he said.
He credited his career path — from his internship and first job at Kimberly-Clark, to completing his master’s, and now his role at IBM — for giving him the experience needed to qualify.
Social media reactions
Sharanarthi’s story struck a chord on LinkedIn, drawing congratulatory messages and questions from aspiring professionals.
One user wrote, “Turning setbacks into fuel is what extraordinary ability really means.” Another asked for details on his approach, to which he replied:
“The main thing would be to focus on your domain and working on projects that can help tick off multiple criteria. A single good project can lead to publishing a paper and contributing to the community at the same time.”
Advice for aspiring applicants
Sharanarthi emphasised that passion, not visas, should be the driving force.
“My advice is not to do it just for the visa. Be passionate about your field and contribute to it. The rest follows.”
He added that networking and being in Silicon Valley played a key role in his growth, helping him learn from leaders in AI and software engineering.
What is an O-1 visa?
The O-1 visa is a US non-immigrant visa issued to individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, athletics, or the arts, as well as those with distinguished achievements in film and television.
Applicants must provide evidence of recognition in their field, such as awards, published work, or significant contributions. Unlike the H-1B, it is not based on a lottery system, but on merit and documented accomplishments.
Conclusion
For Sharanarthi, the O-1 visa represents not just a legal pathway to work in the US but also recognition of years of dedication to artificial intelligence. His journey is a reminder that while the H-1B lottery may be uncertain, talent, persistence, and passion can open other doors.