Sundar Pichai

       (An Inspiring Story of an Indian techie)

Sundar Pichai is an Indian-American business executive and the Chief Executive Officer of Google Company.

 

Early Life and Education :-


Sundar Pichai was born on 10th June, 1972 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu in a Tamil Brahmin family. His father, Regunatha Pichai worked as a senior electric engineer in General Electrics and managed a factory that made electrical components. His mother was a stenographer before his birth. He belonged to a middle class family. He completed his schooling from Chennai and earned his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in Metallurgical Engineering. After graduation, he pursued MS from Stanford University in Material Sciences and Engineering and MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

 He was named as Siebel Scholar and Palmer Scholar in Stanford University and Wharton School, respectively. After completing his MBA in 2002, he planned to pursue Ph.D from Stanford University but dropped out and joined Applied Materials as an engineer and product manager for a brief period. He then moved to work with McKinsey and Company as a management consultant.

 

Career in Google :-


In April 2004, he was interviewed and selected by Google. Initially, he worked on Google’s search toolbar which could give an easy access to searches and direct the users of Internet Explorer and Firefox to the Google search engine.

Pichai’s hardwork on Google’s search toolbar came into limelight when Microsoft changed their default search engine from Google’ to ‘Bing’ in 2006. Though, it was not easy, but Pichai was successful in convincing the computer manufacturers to pre-install the Google toolbar to mitigate the effect of the change implied by Microsoft. The success of the Google toolbar brought him the idea of developing his own browser. After facing objection by the then CEO, Eric Schmidt, he persevered and convinced the co-founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin to launch his own browser.

 

Vital Role in Launching Google Chrome :-


Pichai played a vital role in the launch of Google’s Browser ‘Google Chrome’ in 2008. Pichai became a widely known household name after the great success of Chrome. This development and achievement paved the way towards success for him. Pichai was promoted to serve as the Vice-President of Product Development Division in 2008 and by 2012, he had become the Senior Vice-President of Chrome and Apps.

 

Developed All Google Products :-

 As a leader, Pichai has always been well-liked for his easy and focused outlook. With more responsibility piled up on his shoulders he took over the Android Division in 2013 when the former head of the department, Andy Rubin left the team. Sundar gave in his best to make Android most compatible with Google products.

 Pichai’s excellent performance with Chrome, Apps and Android led him to be the incharge of almost all the Google products such as Google Chrome, Chrome OS, Goolge Gear and Packs, Gmail, Google Drive etc and areas like Search, Maps, Google+, Commerce and ads and the entire Google infrastructure,

 He had, by then, achieved a very important role in Google. Despite getting high ranked offers from Twitter, Pichai stayed loyal to Google.

 

Appointed as CEO of Google :-

 Late in October 2014, he was made the product chief because of his involvement and influence. With the reorganisation of the company “Google’, a new holding company Alphabet Inc was formed. Google put its co-founders Larry Page and Sergey incharge of it. Thus, Pichai was appointed as the CEO of Google, on 12th October, 2015.

 

His Net Worth :-

 Pichai is already one of the highest paid executives in Silicon Valley having held the job of Google since 2015. In 2019, Sundar Pichai added nearly $240 million in his net worth as the CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc on 3rd December, 2019. Google pays nearly 7 650 crore to Sundar Pichai every year as his salary. In February 2016, Pichai was awarded with 2.7 million shares of Google’s holding company, Alphabet Inc worth $199 million. This awarded possession took up his stakeholdings to a net of $650 million.

 Pichai is a chess enthusiast and admires people like Nelson Mandela, Anthony Shadid, Dennis Ritchie, Wangari Maathai, John McCarthy and Aaron Shwatz. This tech-genie’ is riding on the road to success with his passion, determination and motive for the development of the world through technology.