‘Some debts are not financial debts’: Microsoft engineer earning Rs 19 crore says father sold mother’s jewelery to fund his education
For many students, college tuition receipts mark the beginning of higher education. For software engineer Manu Agrawal, it was a sacrifice he has never forgotten.In a recent LinkedIn post, Agrawal recalled how his father sold his mother’s jewelery to pay for his Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA).“Rs 15,000 per semester. That’s all. But we don’t have it,” he wrote.According to Agrawal, he watched his mother hand over the gold bracelet without saying a word. “She didn’t cry. She just looked at me. I didn’t sleep that night,” he said.
A journey shaped by education
Agrawal received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications from Bundelkhand University between 2011 and 2014 and subsequently got admission in the Master of Computer Applications (MCA) course at National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli (NIT). He graduated in 2017 with a CGPA of 9.12.During his studies, he interned at Microsoft and GE Healthcare and gained experience in software development and networking technologies.
Microsoft from India to the US
After completing his MCA course, Agrawal joined Microsoft in 2017 in Hyderabad as a Software Development Engineer. This position marked the beginning of his career, which later led him to Redmond, Washington, where he worked on Microsoft products including Bing.
LinkedIn post by Manu
He then joined Google in Bangalore, where he contributed to Google Pay functionality and later co-founded a startup. In July 2025, he returned to Microsoft as a senior software engineer, working on artificial intelligence-related functions.Recalling his journey, Agrawal wrote that years after witnessing his mother throw away jewelry, he found himself working in Seattle earning an annual salary of around Rs 190 crore.
“Some debts are not financial debts”
Agrawal said he eventually called home and told his mother she could buy back whatever she wanted.He recalled that her reaction haunted him. “Beta, tere aane se sab wapas aa gaya.”The story ultimately becomes less about salary numbers and more about the role families often play in making education possible. As Agrawal concluded in his post: “Some debt is not financial debt.”
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