Growing up in India made me build inclusive digital economy, says Pichai

Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday stressed that growing up in India amid poor access to a computer or a phone set him on a course to build a more inclusive global digital economy and empower the next billion people.

Speaking at the Singapore FinTech Festival, Pichai said that the question of inclusion and opportunity is deeply personal to him.

“Growing up in India, I didn’t have much access to a computer, or a phone. To make a call, I had to wait in long lines to use a shared phone with everyone else.

“So when our family finally got our first rotary phone, it changed our lives for the better, and it set me on a course to help bring technology to more people around the world,” he emphasised.