Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who is on his third trip to India in just seven months, met MoS Finance Jayant Sinha and Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Nadella, on a one-day trip to India, also met student developers and entrepreneurs this morning. He is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.
Microsoft hosted an event with Nadella on “how technology is fostering a culture of innovation to solve real-world problems and driving India’s transformation”.
India-born Nadella said developers and entrepreneurs from India are playing a key role in driving innovation — both in the country and outside — and the company wants to be the platform for creators here.
“It’s so inspiring for me to come here to see this broad spectrum of student developers, entrepreneurs, artists and even some big brands, e-commerce companies who are all changing the landscape of India and thereby, the world,” Nadella said while delivering keynote address at Microsoft’s ‘Tech For Good, Ideas for India’ event.
He added that it is a “privilege” to be “a platform underneath this Indian success”.
“Our mission is to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more. It’s not about celebrating our technologies. It’s about celebrating technologies that you all in India create. In fact, I want us to be the platform creators that foster ingenuity of what is happening in India,” he said. This is Nadella’s third visit to the country since he took over as Microsoft CEO in February 2014. In December, he was in Mumbai and had also visited T-Hub in Hyderabad.
Nadella quoted poet Mirza Ghalib’s famous lines, “Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle, Bahut niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle” and encouraged youngsters in the audience to be bold and ambitious.
“I learn something new… there are so many layers there… My interpretation of that is… it’s not just your dreams being fulfilled, it is your ability to dream that is worth dying for. It is a source of inspiration,” he said.
Jayant Sinha also spoke at the event. “Spoke at the @MicrosoftIndia Conference. India needs its entrepreneurs to “Innovate in India, For India”,” Sinha tweeted. “Interesting to share thoughts with @satyanadella on how technology can help in #TransformingIndia,” he said.
Spoke at the @MicrosoftIndia Conference. India needs its entrepreneurs to “Innovate in India, For India” pic.twitter.com/1WUJjZPV6m
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) May 30, 2016
Interesting to share thoughts with @satyanadella on how technology can help in #TransformingIndia pic.twitter.com/zmp74XMmSP
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) May 30, 2016
Ravi Shankar Prasad also tweeted about his meeting with Nadella, saying, “CEO @Microsoft @satyanadella met me today. Discussed in enhancing cooperation with Microsoft towards @_DigitalIndia.”
CEO @Microsoft @satyanadella met me today. Discussed in enhancing cooperation with Microsoft towards @_DigitalIndia. pic.twitter.com/wDF21IHzAY
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) May 30, 2016
Nadella was in India last December. He had met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and visited the campus of startup incubator T-hub and Microsoft development centre in Hyderabad.
In November, he had delivered a keynote address at Microsoft’s ‘Future Unleashed’ event in Mumbai and met industry leaders like Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra and Axis Bank managing director Shikha Sharma.
Nadella’s visit comes close on the heels of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s India tour earlier this month. In his four-day visit to India, Tim Cook met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opened an Apple office in Hyderabad and also met prominent Bollywood celebrities.
(With inputs from PTI)
