IIT Kanpur hires Nisarga Adhikary as OSINT engineer at cybersecurity hub

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has brought 19-year-old Nisarga Adhikary on board as an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Threat Intelligence Engineer at its cybersecurity-focused research and innovation hub, C3iHub, highlighting an early entry into a specialized cyber defense role.

IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal confirmed the appointment and underlined Adhikary’s early technical strengths and potential.

Adhikary recently gained attention after pointing out security gaps in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.

"Nisarga Adhikary has joined IIT Kanpur's C3iHub as an OSINT and Threat Intelligence Engineer. He is a talented young engineer who has demonstrated noteworthy technical capabilities at a young age,” Prof Agrawal said.

We believe he has significant potential, and working at IIT Kanpur will provide him with the opportunity to further develop his capabilities while contributing to cybersecurity and threat intelligence initiatives at C3iHub. We wish him the very best in his journey ahead," he added.

Speaking about Adhikary’s appointment, he said he is now working with IIT Kanpur’s C3iHub in a dedicated cybersecurity capacity.

"I have joined IIT Kanpur's technology innovation hub, C3iHub, as an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and threat intelligence engineer. My work involves identifying vulnerabilities, analyzing publicly available information, and contributing to ethical hacking and cyber threat research," he said.

He explained that his entry into the institute was shaped by a discussion with IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal, which helped him better understand the scope of work.

"When IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal reached out with the opportunity, our conversation was extremely insightful. I got a deeper understanding of the kind of cybersecurity work being undertaken at the institute, which made the role even more appealing," he said.

Adhikary said the position marks his first full-time engagement exclusively in cybersecurity, as his earlier roles were in software development alongside personal exploration of security research.

"This is my first full-time position in a dedicated cybersecurity role. In my previous jobs, I primarily worked as a software engineer, while cybersecurity was something I pursued out of personal interest. I'm excited to now work on it professionally," he said.

He also mentioned that he has already started working in the role, which is a paid position, and expressed a preference for product-building and startup environments over traditional academic pathways.

"At this stage, I'm more interested in building products and working with startups than pursuing a conventional college or academic path," he said.

Reflecting on his background, Adhikary said his interest in computers began early in life and gradually developed into a serious focus on cybersecurity during his teenage years.

"I have been fascinated by computers from a very young age, and I got into cybersecurity for fun when I was around 13. That curiosity gradually turned into something I wanted to pursue seriously," he said.