“I Carry India With Me Wherever I Go”: Google CEO Sundar Pichai

“India is a part of me and I carry it with me wherever I go,” Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has said, as he received the prestigious Padma Bhushan award from the Indian envoy to the US.

Mr. Pichai, the Indian-American, received the Padma Bhushan in the trade and industry category for 2022. Mr. Pichai, who was born in Madurai, was one of the 17 recipients earlier this year. In San Francisco on Friday, he was presented with the third-highest civilian honour bestowed by India, in the presence of his immediate family.

“I am deeply grateful to the Indian government and the people of India for this immense honour. It is incredibly meaningful to be honoured in this way by the country that shaped me,” 50-year-old Mr Pichai said while accepting the award from India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

“India is a part of me. I carry it with me wherever I go. (Unlike this beautiful award which I will keep somewhere safe),” he said.

“I was fortunate to grow up in a family that cherished learning and knowledge, with parents who sacrificed a lot to make sure I had opportunities to explore my interests,” Mr Pichai said. T V Nagendra Prasad, the general consul of India in San Francisco, was also present.

According to Mr. Sandhu, Mr. Pichai stands for the transformational possibilities of technology.
According to Mr. Pichai, businesses are embracing digital transformation prospects and more individuals than ever before, including those living in rural areas, have access to the internet.

“Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India vision has certainly been an accelerator for that progress and I’m proud that Google continues to invest in India, partnering with governments, businesses, and communities over two transformative decades,” he said.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright