Gauranga Das, an IIT Bombay graduate and now an ISKCON monk, shared a light-hearted moment from a meeting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai at an event in London. He recalled how Pichai complimented him on how young he looked, even though they’re the same age.
But before we tell you what Das said to Pichai, here’s some context: before embracing monkhood, Gauranga Das pursued a BTech in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Bombay, the same year Sundar Pichai was at IIT Kharagpur. Both Das and Pichai are 53 years old.
Back to Pichai’s compliment, Das told him that he works for the tech giant, “which creates stress”.
“I went to IIT in the same batch as Sundar Pichai. Years later, we met, and he said, ‘You look younger than me.’ I replied, ‘You deal with Google, which creates stress. I deal with God, who releases stress,” he said on the last day of the India Global Forum 2025 in London.
Das also shared how Geeta changed his life, and he started wearing saffron. “I never imagined I’d wear saffron. But the Geeta changed my life. Our Vedic tradition is an ocean of wisdom, and I’m proud to be part of a movement from technology to transcendence,” he shared.
He also addressed the deepening crisis of digital addiction, loneliness, and anxiety.
“We have a huge problem. Globally, 230 million are addicted to social media. In India alone, 70% of teenagers spend seven hours daily online. One in seven people around the world is suffering from mental health issues,” he said.
Who is Gauranga Das?
Gauranga Das is an IIT Bombay alumnus and visiting faculty at IIM Nagpur. He is currently serving as the Director of ISKCON’s Govardhan Ecovillage (GEV), founded by Radhanath Swami Maharaj. He also holds the position of Faith for Earth Counsellor with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
He also serves on the board of the Govardhan School of Public Leadership, an institution that helps students crack the coveted civil services examination. He also serves as the Administrative Director of the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC), an institution dedicated to preserving Vedic literature and manuscripts, and facilitating MA and PhD programmes in philosophy.
Gauranga Das is also a bestselling author, having written three nationally acclaimed books: The Art of Resilience, The Art of Focus, and The Art of Habits.