Billionaire and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, underscored the significant role India plays in both his philanthropic efforts and technological ambitions.
“India is a key country for us,” Gates said while highlighting the profound impact the nation has had on his career trajectory and his philanthropic vision, news agency ANI reported.
Speaking virtually from Seattle at the Times Now Summit, Gates emphasised India’s importance in both his previous endeavors with Microsoft and his ongoing charitable initiatives through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“It’s the country that we have the most on-the-ground activities and a very deep partnership with many of the ministries at the union level and with several of the states, particularly UP, Bihar, and now India,” he said.
He also reiterated India’s pivotal position in the global landscape, emphasising the nation’s significance as a cornerstone for his foundation’s multifaceted initiatives.
The celebrated philanthropist and tech luminary took a moment to ponder his deep involvement with India, which has stretched across more than twenty years. Gates underscored the nation’s remarkable reservoir of talent, its nimbleness, and its unwavering dedication to deploying cost-effective solutions that yield significant outcomes.
Having over 25,000 Microsoft personnel working in India, Gates commended the nation for providing an environment that nurtures innovation and facilitates the expansion of impactful initiatives.
“In my first career at Microsoft, I had a great experience in India where over the last 25 years, Microsoft has built up a team. There are now over 25,000 people,” he noted.
As co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates provided insight into the foundation’s longstanding partnership with India, marked by extensive on-the-ground efforts and collaborative ventures with both governmental and private entities.
Gates underscored the foundation’s strategic method of testing projects in India initially, then applying successful models to other developing nations, thus harnessing India’s distinctive context to shape global interventions.
“Everything in the digital realm, pioneered with the identity system but now more and more digital public infrastructure. And it was fantastic that India used the big G20 meeting to introduce other countries to digital public infrastructure. And we’ve seen a lot of uptake. And so I sat down with the government. We talked about how we’re helping other countries get on the same path that India’s on,” he also said.
Gates also focused on India’s economic growth trajectory, noting the nation’s consistent maintenance of robust growth rates. While recognising India’s advancements across different sectors, Gates emphasized the critical need for continued investments in healthcare and education to strengthen the nation’s human capital and tackle existing disparities.
“India’s had pretty steady growth for some time. Obviously, there are countries to learn from that also had periods of very long growth, India will have to do things its own way,” he noted.
Gates also commended India’s democratic ethos, wherein politicians vie not only on ideological grounds but also on their commitment to addressing fundamental societal needs.
Gates also reflected on the foundation’s collaborations with Indian ministries, particularly in areas pertaining to women’s empowerment and childcare. He underscored the importance of uplifting women and addressing maternal health issues, leveraging digital platforms to promote nutrition and empower women across diverse socio-economic strata.
Peering into the future, Gates voiced assurance in India’s trajectory, stressing its potential to spearhead inclusive growth and exemplify democratic ideals worldwide. As India progresses through its electoral process, Gates reaffirmed his dedication to collaborating with elected officials to propel mutual objectives and promote sustainable development.
(With ANI inputs)
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