Salary Guide · India 2026
Krutrim (meaning 'artificial' in Sanskrit) is India's first AI unicorn, founded by Bhavish Aggarwal (Ola's founder) as a spinoff. It builds Indian-language AI models and is working on custom AI chips. Salary ranges below are sourced primarily from AmbitionBox, with Glassdoor as a secondary cross-check, and reflect total CTC (base + variable + equity) at the 25th–90th percentile of reported offers in India.
AI Engineer / Researcher · Senior / 6–9 yrs
₹85L – ₹140Ltotal CTC
Working at Krutrim
~500+ employees. Bengaluru HQ. India's first AI unicorn ($1B+ valuation, 2024). Backed by Ola group investment. Bhavish Aggarwal is founder and CEO.
What the interview actually tests
ESOP credibility is linked to Ola group trajectory and Krutrim's ability to monetise its LLM and cloud platform. Interview: AI/ML engineering background + Indic NLP knowledge + systems orientation. Hardware roles (chip design) need VLSI / RTL background. Mission-driven culture: expect motivation-for-India-AI in HR discussions.
Role
What AI Engineer / Researchers actually earn at Krutrim in India, across every experience level.
| Experience Level | Total CTC (LPA) | Equity |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-level / 3–5 yrs | ₹45L – ₹75L | ESOP₹8L – ₹22L/yr |
| Senior / 6–9 yrs | ₹85L – ₹140L | ESOP₹22L – ₹50L/yr |
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