New Delhi:
Congratulating its alumni, the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur launched a Facebook Event page to celebrate Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s success.
Pichai passed out from the institute in 1989.
The Facebook page "congratulate KGPian Sundar Pichai, CEO - Google", contains a photo of a smiling Pichai with the date August 11 displayed by its side.
"This event is to run a campaign to congratulate KGP alumnus Sundar Pichai on becoming the CEO of Google," said the page hosts.
Nearly 3600 guests visited the page since 12 pm today. The messages will be forwarded to Pichai.
"Congratulations Sundar. You are an inspiration for IITKGP students and the whole IITKGP family is proud of you. Wish you the very best!" posted institute director P.P. Chakrabarti on his Facebook page.
Indian techies often change their names when they start working in the US and so did P Sundararajan, but not all become Sundar Pichai—the new CEO CEO of global technology giant Google.
43-year-old Pichai, who expanded his initials and shortened his name after shifting to the US, began his career with Google in 2004 as a “low-key” manager and colleagues say there is no single Googler who did not like him ever.
From working on the Google toolbar, to the very successful Chrome browser, IIT-Kharagpur graduate Pichai became a clear number-two to the then CEO Larry Page last year and was made the CEO of a re-organised Google today.
While at Google, he also refused a job offer from Twitter, the popular social media platform which was today flooded with posts to congratulate him.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated him.
Known to be a shy person, Pichai was very selective in saying “thanks”, and those to whom he replied included Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, another Indian-origin person who has hit it big in the US, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“I remember him being very focused and studious in school. He left after class X to join another school,” said P Subramaniam, who was one year senior to Pichai at Vana Vani Matriculation School in Chennai.
“I remember him being very quiet and reserved”, he said.
Born and raised in Chennai, Pichai studied till Class X at Vana Vani Matriculation School located in IIT campus here. Later he completed Class XII from Jawahar Vidyalaya at Ashok Nagar area of the city.
Pichai did B.Tech from IIT-Kharagpur, after which his teachers suggested him to go for a PhD. He, however, decided to pursue MS from Stanford University, and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.
He joined Google in 2004 as its vice president of product management, where he led the team working on Chrome browser and operating system.
Before joining Google, he also worked at McKinsey and Applied Materials.
(With PTI inputs)
