India-born CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella today 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.
Nadella, on a one-day trip to India, today met Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as well as student developers and entrepreneurs this morning. He is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.
“Its 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 Microsofts 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. Its not about celebrating our technologies. Its 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 Nadellas 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 Ghalibs 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.. its 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.
Talking about the changing landscape of technology, Nadella said the “idea of conversations as a platform” is a transformative change in computing.
“When you change the way you see the world, you change the world you see,” Nadella added.
Hyderabad-born Nadella is also expected to attend a session with some key industry executives at an event being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)